"Uncle Kimmy, are we moving?" I ask sitting across from him watching the skinny boy scarf down his food.
"Whenever the house is available. Hey, don't worry, it's a nice place and the house is brand new."
I quietly move the food around my plate. Too anxious to eat.
"Why aren't you eating your food, Kid?"
I shrug as I throw my food into the trash and go up to my room. I leave my door open as Uncle Kimmy knocks on my door, " Are you okay?"
I slump up, "yeah, I'm okay."
"I'm here if you need me, okay?" He walks away in his office. He's barely in his room. I still remember the first day here, I was so excited and so happy to live here, now what? Now we're moving from the only place where I feel safe, the only place where I feel most wanted, the place that I call home? Cassy's gone at work as I go into his office. He's sitting, back face towards me editing a video from yesterday. I ask, "Uncle Kimmy?"
"Yeah?" He turns around to listen to me, "Can I go to Ty Sjn's house?"
"Yeah, do you have everything done?"
"Yeah."
"Okay." I smile as I start walking away before he adds, "One rule."
I turn around, "What?"
"Have a good time. Promise?"
I smile broadly, "Yes, I promise."
I wait for her mom to pick me up. The big silver truck pulls into my driveway. She's here! I'm gonna miss her when I move to the dangerous place where crazy vultures roam with huge machetes attached to their back like in horror movies. It sucks that I won't have a therapist until we move there.
The following day, I'm still upset and scared of moving to the point that I haven't been eating for two whole days!
Uncle Kimmy tries to cheer me up about moving to a dangerous place, but I can't stop thinking about it. I'm never leaving the house. I'm staying indoors, always.
"It's okay, I promise. Our family lives there. Including your Nana."
He knows how much I love her, but I'm way too scared to move there.
"But what about my friends?"
"Make new ones," Cassy chimes in. She doesn't care about how I'm feeling like Uncle Kimmy does. I go to him for everything and he goes to me. We trust each other to hold deep secrets that we tell each other, or at least I hope he kept the secret about Ray away from everyone, but I don't even know what's real anymore. I give her a dirty look as she leaves for work.
"You'll make new friends in Ohio."
"But what if no one likes me there?"
"No one will know you," he urges.
"I know, but I feel judged a lot."
"All teenagers do, kid. Look, when my mom moved me and my siblings here, she would always tell us, "don't let the people scare you, just be yourself."
"Yeah, that's what you always tell me. I miss Gramma," I add trying to switch the subject.
"Hey, wanna help me make dinner?"
"Sure."
"Good, start peeling potatoes, knucklehead," he jokes making me crack a smile. If something were to happen to him, I don't know what I would do.
I peel them over the trash can, I hope our new house has a garbage disposal.
The next morning, I go for a run with Britney. She's super fast but she jogs to keep the same pace as me. She has long blond hair that's full and all-American blue eyes. I think, in today's society, she's rare. Just like I'd be in the 1800s, no wonder why Rey rejected me for her, she's beautiful.
"Hey Britney," I say out of breath.
"Yeah," she says handing me her water bottle because I drunk all of mine.
"I'm moving next week."
Instant shock runs down her body, "No!"
"Yeah, I wish that I didn't, but I am."
"Where?"
"Somewhere in Ohio, I think."
"My dad lives there."
"Really? Do you see him?"
"Used to, before he killed my mom."
I gasp.
"It's fine, he's in prison, now. Thanks to my sister, Kayla."
That just made me even more scared to move there. I quietly gulp as the wave of air slides down my esophagus like the great white whale looking for little fish to eat in the deep blue sea.