Airplane Mode

Before You Go

1 year and 9 months since Punta Cana...

After my news on getting into LVA, life is set in hypo drive. Mom and Dad quickly seal the deal on the house and everyday after school we pack a little bit everyday. Then on the last week of May, Dad will take a U Haul and the car to get most of the stuff set in the new house.

When you first walk into the house you'd think we lived as hoarders because boxes of stuff line the walls that you can't see the paint or wallpaper behind it. You can also think of it as a way of barricading our house from aliens.

I walk into my room and sigh at how boring it looks. All I have out is a mattress, a few blankets, all my school supplies and toiletries. Everything else is in boxes covering the house. Mom wanted my things out first because I like to keep everything from concert tickets to that random note I found on the subway downtown.

Luca sprints to my room and stops himself by grabbing the white door frame. "Dinner."

We rush downstairs to the dinning room where Mom is setting down the last dish. Luca and I take our seats and dig into the food in front of us.

Our conversation level was kept to a minimum because my parents were multitasking; eating dinner and working on their computers. Any time Luca or I would start a conversation they would say, "Shh. Please be quite. I'm trying to work." So that's how most of our evening went, but dessert was a bit less work craze.

Mom brings out the ice creams and Luca the bowls and spoons.

"So Lilo," Mom began, putting her laptop away, "what are you wearing for graduation?"

Graduation was in three weeks and everyone besides the actual graduates are preparing for it. None of my friends have decided what they're wearing or even speeches. I was asked to give a speech two weeks ago and I still haven't even started. I'll either write it in the car the day of or wing it. Depends on how lazy I am.

I think of all the dresses I have in my closet. "I'm thinking about my red tea dress." That was the first dress that I wouldn't mind wearing. I bought that dress with my aunt Putri.

Mom nods. "I like that one on you." She looks over to Dad and asks, "You'll be there for the graduation right?"

"Yeah. I'm not taking the stuff till the first week of June. Are Candra and Putri coming?"

Mom shakes her head. "I told them not to because it's just too much work. Plus, we have to get most of our things ready for the move when you leave."

Everyone gets their bowls of ice cream and we talk about the big move in a couple months. Dad and I will leave in the middle of July or the end to get everything ready at the new school. Then Mom and Luca will come a couple weeks after to get Luca's school stuff set. The whole plan is very organized and at the same time chaotic in many ways.

After dinner, I ask Mom if I can go down to the beach with some friends. It's a tradition all the graduating eighth graders go to the beach and celebrate. She was hesitant but let me go and made sure my phone had enough battery to last me a couple hours.

"C'mon Lilo!" My friend Andrea was calling for me as I came to the sidewalk with my bike. "Most people are already there with Oliver's fireworks."

Our friend Oliver's parents are divorced. He lives with his mom while his Dad lives somewhere in Wisconsin sending money and fireworks to Oliver. Every time he gets a stash, he has to be sure that his mom doesn't find it and take his dad to court or something.

Andrea and I bike down to the beach through the trail Phoenix and I took on my birthday. You have to go through the woods and follow through this cobblestone path and then you'll reach this hidden beach everyone knows about.