Cassie
Ten minutes. Ten minutes until I was done with this school. Ten minutes until it would be summer. My eyes were focused on the clock above my algebra teacher, Mrs. Jackson. Ten minutes, and I would never have to see her wrinkled face ever again. Ten minutes, and I would never have to hear her sour voice squeaking on about life or math. Ten minutes until I went home to my house with nothing in it except for my suitcases. Ten minutes, and I would be adventuring on a five-hour drive to my new home.
I was moving. Again. Now a lot of people might like moving because they get to live in a new home with a new neighborhood and meet new people. However, I'm not like that. My dad was a financial analyst and he ended up switching companies a lot or the company he worked for was bought by a larger one. Either way, we were moving constantly, and I hated it.
I looked back at the clock after staring at the birds flying around. Five minutes. How time moved incredibly slowly when you wanted it to go fast but was the opposite when you wanted it to last longer was beyond me. All I knew was that I wanted to leave this school. Desperately.
"So kids, you must understand the significance of this summer. It is the summer before you all become upperclassmen. You will be leaving in a few minutes, but I believe a classmate of yours has an announcement. Miss Blake?" I stood up from my seat, facing my peers.
"I won't be attending school with you people next year. I will be moving to North Carolina. Please, don't write." Everyone chuckled at that.
"Why are you moving again?" A random boy asked, one I had never talked to.
"My dad is switching to a bigger company."
"What town are you going to?"
"Silver Springs."
"Well Miss Blake, we hope you enjoyed your junior year with us. Please have a wonderful senior year in Silver Springs, North Carolina." I nodded and sat back down. I looked at the clock. One minute. Mrs. Jackson began talking about summer work and I focused my attention on the window. Birds were chirping and flying around. I saw the parents waiting outside, anxiously awaiting their kid to come out of the building. Then the bell rang.
I bolted out of my seat and sped walked to the exit. Kids around me did the same, and I busted out of the school. Parents looked up to see who it was as kids began streaming out of the doors. I walked to my car and got in. A lot of my stuff was already in the trunk and backseat. I just needed a few more things. I quickly drove home and soon I was greeted by my deserted-looking house.
I got out of my car and walked inside. My dad was grabbing our suitcases and bringing them to the door. He also had a box of wine and his briefcase. I coughed to announce my arrival, and he looked at me in surprise.
"Cassie! There you are. How was your last day?" His voice had a happy tone to it.
"Incredibly boring. We leaving?" My dad nodded and shoved my suitcase towards me.
"Load that up. I'll get this stuff, and then we're off." I nodded and went to place my suitcase in my car. My dad did the same with his stuff and locked the door of our old house. "Everything is good to go. Our stuff is already there and the moving van has been unloaded. They had the code to the garage and put everything there. We will change it when we get there. Let's hit the road!"
"Five hours of driving, here we come." I got in my car and backed out of the driveway. I let my dad in front of me so I could follow him, but I also had the directions on my phone in case I lost track of him. He started driving, and I put my foot on the gas.
~~~
"Can we stop? My butt needs a break." I asked my dad through the phone. We had been driving for hours and I desperately needed to stop sitting.
Alright. Let's use the next exit." I nodded, though she couldn't see me and followed his white car off the highway and to a diner. I parked my car next to his and got out. I stretched my back out, relieved I was out of the car. "Only an hour left. Let's eat something. I'm starving." I nodded and followed him into the diner.
"Hello. Table for two?" A woman asked when we entered the room.
"Yes, that would be great, thanks." My dad said.
"Follow me." We followed the waitress to a booth and she handed us our menus. "What drinks can I get y'all?"
"I'll take a coke."
"I'll have that too."
"Two cokes, coming right up." The waitress walked away and I looked at my dad.
"You know, you never told me why you took that job. The payment was practically the same, and it wasn't like you hated your other job." I said. I found out we were moving a month ago. My dad had gone up to me and told me that we were moving right out of the blue. I couldn't tell if I was more happy or angry. I hated Virginia with a passion and was ready to leave it, but I also hated to move constantly. I asked why he chose to move, but he never really answered. He would just avoid the question.
"Truth is, I did it for you. I know you hate moving, but you hated Virginia more. You had no friends, you hated the school, and all you did was sit at home. Not once did you go out or do anything. I wanted us to start again somewhere."
"Why is Silver Springs any different?"
"I grew up there. It is a small town, but it is wonderful. Nice people, good school, kind neighbors. I made a mistake taking you to Virginia. Silver Springs is different. I know it sounds skeptical, but trust me. This will be good for you."
"I get why you wanted to move. I don't understand how you think this will be any different from Virginia."
"I'm hoping you're going to try this time. The house is amazing, the school is good, and the people are nice. I have a brochure of the school if you want to look at it. It is big and the school has great programs, especially for college. Cassie, I want you to try to like this place. I don't want you being this moody teenager that won't try to like Silver Springs."
"I want to try. I just don't want to unexpectedly leave after making good friends. Not like before Virginia."
"I promise you that we won't leave unexpectedly. As long as you give Silver Springs a shot, I'll be happy."
"Fine. I'll give it a shot. But don't expect it to go well."
"Alrighty, here are your drinks. What would you like to eat?"
"I'll get a BLT burger," I said, handing her my menu. My dad ordered and the waitress left again. "I have another question for you."
"Okay, shoot."
"Why didn't you ever remarry after mom?" My dad sighed and took a small sip of his coke.
"Cassie, you know what happened when your mom left. It broke me. I loved your mom and she walked out on me--us. I didn't want that to happen again. That's reason number one. Number two is that I wanted to focus on you. Your mom and I contributed money-wise equally. With her gone, it got harder. I needed to focus on money and payments. We don't need to worry anymore but back then was a different time. Why do you ask?"
"When mom left you were just so sad. You immersed yourself in your work, and I guess I always thought you would remarry. I thought you would want me to have a mother. When you didn't, I wasn't sure if you still loved mom or had no more interest in dating or marriage."
"I'm over your mother, Cassie. That was a long time ago. Do I regret it? No. I have you. Also with the whole interest in dating, I haven't found the right girl if I do want to remarry. I'm older now. Not much I can do anymore these days. As for the mother figure, what good did it get you in the first place? Your mother walked out on you. I didn't want you hurt again."
"Always looking out for me, aren't you?"
"How could I not? You're my daughter."
"And the best one you'll ever have," I said jokingly.
"Hopefully the only one I'll ever have." We both shared a laugh and soon our food was brought out. "Would you want a new mother?" I thought about it for a minute.
"I guess I could care less about a new mom. However, if you did start dating, I would just want you to be happy. Now, if she is a total bitch, we will have other problems." My dad chuckled at that. "Really though, it is about if you love her or she loves you. Unless you like guys now, I'm fine with that. No judging."
"Cute Cassie, but your father happens to be straight." We both laughed lightly and continued to talk and make easy conversation. We finished up dinner quick enough were soon back on the road. I ended up calling my dad to talk as we drove since I was bored and had nothing better to do. "You know what Cassie?"
"What?"
"I find it extremely pathetic that you have to call your dad to talk to a friend. It is sad that your best and only friend is me, your father."
"You are so mean," I said, smiling all the same.
"Think about it. You are 17 with no friends. How pathetic."
"I hate you."
"Oh but Cassie, you love me. After all, I'm your only friend."
"Shut up before I end the call." My dad laughed, but he stopped teasing. Instead, we were talking about the town and the school I would be attending.
Though my dad and I had a strange relationship, he was right. He really was my best and only friend. Every time we moved I never tried to make friends. Why bother if I'm gonna move again in a year? My dad was the only person that stuck around. I guess that was why we got along so well.
"We're here." My dad said through the phone call, breaking up my thoughts.
"Which house?" I asked.
"This one." My dad's car turned into the driveway of a cute two-story home, and I followed him. I parked my car and got out, looking at it in awe. My dad went to open the garage, but I was still looking at the house.
"This is so adorable," I said to him as he walked back to me.
"I knew you would like it. Now you have two months to get used to this place. We will be setting up the house all summer. Now, it is three beds and three and a half baths. Suitable size for us. We will be able to have family visit us well."
"I love it. Can we start unpacking tomorrow? I want to relax a little bit tonight. Five hours of driving wasn't really what I call fun. Plus, it is eight already."
"That was what I was going to suggest. We could sleep on sleeping bags tonight if you prefer that."
"I like that plan." My dad chuckled and nodded.
"Perfect. I will get the sleeping bags, pillows, and some of our clothes. You find your room where you are gonna sleep. Oh, I think there is also a TV we could use in there. We could watch a fun movie." I nodded and walked inside the house. I opened the front door which was a wide hallway with a coat closet to the side and an opening to the kitchen if you walk forward. Before that, there was a set of stairs which I guess would lead to the bedrooms.
I walked up the stairs and found four doors. I opened them up, one by one until I found a room I like for my bedroom. I saw that it had a bathroom and walk-in closet which was awesome. The room was spacious with two windows that looked out onto the street. Looking around, I knew I would like this house. It was homey, and had this warm feeling, like a blanket wrapped around you. The house was nice and modern and from what my dad had said, this place sounds pretty cool. Maybe, just maybe, I could give this place a try.
~~~~~
Well, I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of When Sparks Fly. This chapter was kinda difficult, not gonna lie, but I feel like the first chapter is always hard.
Also, no hate on Virginia. I actually love it since my extended family lives there. I just thought Cassie needed to live four hours away from Silver Springs (which is a fake town) and I didn't want her just moving from within the same state, and I wanted her going south. Not north.
Anyway, I will try to get the next chapter up soon. Have a fantastic day. Peace out!
-Clara :)