"Babe listen it'll be ok! We're just taking a break."
I look into my boyfriend's eyes and sigh, "I still don't understand why we have to take a break in the first place."
Ben puts his hands on my shoulders and bends his head down so our eyes are level. "Kathrine, you're moving to a completely new state. You're going to be going to a new school and I don't want you to worry about our relationship until you're settled in." I scrunch up my nose at him and he lets out a small laugh. "You're being ridiculous you know that right?"
That pulls a smile from me. "Ok fine! But we're still going to talk to each other?"
He pulls me in for a hug, "Of course! I'm not going to let you disappear on me!"
I laugh and take a step back. Ben and I have dated for about a year and a half and he might be the thing I'll miss the most.
"Kathrine! We have to get going!" Dads standing next to the car looking a little annoyed.
I turn back to Ben, "Well I guess this is goodbye."
He lets out a small laugh, "It's not goodbye! Its hey, I'll talk to you later."
I give him a smile, "Ok, I like that a lot more."
He pulls me in for another hug, "Alright go on, get out of here!"
I smile and turn towards the car. When I close the door it hits me. Here I go. Its actually happening. I'm leaving Chicago. I'm moving from the only life I have ever known to set up a new one over five hundred miles away...
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Maybe I should give a little back story. My Dad works for the largest bank in the Northeast. The bank has decided to start expanding into the South and he was put in charge of leading the expansion. So, here we are heading for Knoxville Tennessee.
When Dad first told me where we were moving I laughed because I thought it was a joke. Our family, living in the south? No way, we are city people. Now I'm sure Knoxville is a nice little place, I just don't think that we will fit in.
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Apparently I fell asleep because I wake up to my mom shaking my knee. I open my eyes and she's turned around smiling at me from the passenger seat. "We're almost there! Look outside!"
I sit up and look out the window. At first all I see are trees then they slowly start to spread out and I see buildings. The Knoxville skyline looks small and spread out compared to Chicago. I see a large stadium with a clock tower next to it and there's a cluster of tall buildings that make up downtown Knoxville. This is a nice surprise because I was half expecting to only see a Walmart and McDonalds.
My Dad pulls off the last exit. While we sit at the light I sigh, well I guess living downtown won't be that bad. While I'm thinking about what kind of loft or apartment my parents have picked out for us I start to get really confused. Dad had taken a left away from the city. "Um dad? Where are we going?"
"Well I guess I can't hide the surprised anymore. We are going to be living in an actual house! Isn't that exciting! We are going to have our own yard and everything!" Mom joins in on his excitement. "I finally get to have my own garden!"
My little brother Tyler, who has been silent the entire trip, laughs as he takes his headphones out of his ears, "A garden? Mom you could barely keep a plant alive on the balcony."
Mom points a finger at him, "Listen here smart mouth do you want to start out with no WIFI privileges? I can tell the cable company that we changed our minds and we don't need it installed anymore."
The color drains from Tyler's face. "No! Its ok mom! I'm sure that your garden is going to be amazing!"
I barley register what's being said around me because my head won't stop spinning. Why would they do this!? Why would they makes us live out in the middle of no where!
We have been driving for almost twenty minutes on a four lane. Each minute that passes is making my anxiety go up. How far away are we going to be living? The buildings are starting to become more spread out. We stop at a red light and turn onto a small two lane road. All I can see are trees, everywhere. They line both sides of the road as it twists and turns. I have never seen so much green before, it's actually kind of pretty.
There are breaks where I can see houses and fields but that's about it. When I start to feel like we are going to keep driving forever the car starts to slow down.
"There it is! Oh! Greg its beautiful!" My mom has the biggest smile on her face and I'm pretty sure she's tearing up a little.
Dad pulls off the road onto a gravel driveway that runs along the side of a front yard that is five times bigger than our loft back in Chicago. It had two enormous oak trees sitting on either side of the front door that look like they have been there forever. Ok...Its beautiful. It looks like it jumped right off of someones Pinterest board.
Dad parks the car in front of the three car garage. Everyone hops out and walks to the front of the house. Dad has his arm around Mom and I don't think I've ever seen her so happy. The sound of the moving trucks coming up the drive pulls her attention away from the house. "Greg I'm going to go show the movers where to put everything." She gives dad a kiss on the cheek, "I love it."
As she walks away Dad comes up behind me and Tyler as we stare at the large house. "Its a lot to take in isn't it? Well I would like to inform you that your rooms will be bigger than they were in the city. Tyler your room is upstairs and to the left. Kathrine yours is upstairs to the right above the garage."
Above the garage? You have to be kidding me.
I take a deep breath. Keep it together and don't get upset. They just want you to be happy.
"Thanks Dad. Can I go check it out?"
"Absolutely! The door code for these locks are the same as the loft, go on in!" He give us an encouraging smile then heads off towards Mom and the movers.
Tyler suddenly blurts out, "This suck balls." I look over and he's got a sour look on his face. I feel bad, I hadn't thought about how much this move will affect him. He's only thirteen and this is a lot to take in.
"It's going to be ok. It will just take a little getting used to." I give him a little shove towards the door which makes him smile and let out a little laugh.
We climb the stairs, cross the porch, and unlock the door. Tyler steps in first, me right behind. "Holy shit! They must have given Dad a raise!" I can't help but agree. The house seems to go on forever. There's a big set of stairs directly in front of us. On one side of the stairs there's a room that looks like it's going to be a dining room and on the other maybe one of those formal sitting rooms. Everything has a very natural white and wood coloring to it. Yep, we're defiantly not in the city anymore.
"I'm going to go see my room!" Tyler takes off flying up the stairs.
I smile at his enthusiasm and decide I might as well go look at mine. I climb the stairs and turn to the right and open the door at the end of the hall. A small smile comes to my face, it's wonderful.
The windows on every wall make natural light flood into the room. There are two other doors in here. I open the first one and it leads into a large bathroom with an attached closet. The other has a set of stairs in it? I hear one of the garage doors open and I realize the stairs go right into the garage.
I go and sit cross legged against one of the walls. I look around and try to organize my thoughts.
I'm newly single, in a new state, and I have to start a month into senior year at a new school. I'm sure the entire population is made up of rednecks and hicks. I let out a groan and lay my head back against the wall and close my eyes. On the bright side this place is really pretty and I'm starting to like all of the green.