My mom's words were like a bucket of ice was poured on me. I knew this would happen, but I didn't think it would happen this soon.
"We're leaving today?"
"Yes, go pack up quickly ok?"
"But, that quickly? Why didn't you tell me yesterday? I thought I still had a few more days?" I complained. I was still getting used to the fact that we were moving, but I figured that we still had a few days.
"Great, I won't even be able to greet my few friends goodbye, just perfect!" Mrs Hernandez didn't bother to say anything because she knew that nothing could pacify her now.
Getting to my room, I opened up my closet, grabbed a travelling box, and started to dump clothes into it.
'Two days ago, I was happily studying for a calculus test, now I'm moving to another freeking country! Can life get any worse than this?'
I grabbed every necessary item I would need, phone, toothbrush, makeup, shoes, etc. I'm so sure I'm gonna forget something.
Pulling out my phone, I dialled Courtney's number. After two rings, she picked up.
"Hey Emily, I'm in the middle of chemistry homework. Can I call back?"
"We're leaving tonight,"
"What do you mean? You're leaving for Iceland today! But you didn't tell me?" There's absolute panic in her voice.
"I didn't know, my mom just told me. I'm sorry."
I could hear her sigh from the other end. "I'm coming over."
"What about your homework?"
"Screw homework! I'm never going to see the person who helps me with them again." She stated. I laughed, but it wasn't a happy laugh.
"Ok, come with the homework."
"Do you even have to tell me?" The line cuts and I buried my head in my pillow, waiting for Courtney to arrive.
In less than five minutes, someone almost broke my door down.
"Courtney, why don't you ever come in like a normal person?"
"Is that really what you want to talk about? What about the fact that you're never going to see your best friend again, or that you're going to freeze your ass in canada."
"Yeah, that last one is really freaking me out. But I don't think I'll feel the difference."
"Oh you're going to feel the difference. So you're definitely going to a new school. How does that make you feel?" She plopped her body onto my bed.
"Horrified, I can't imagine how that will be."
"But it's not going to be like the last time. You aren't a middle-grader now, but a senior. A freaking senior!"
"Yeah."
"I thought we'd be doing this together. Walking through that hallway with a new air surrounding us. That would have been amazing." She said dreamily.
"New air? What new air is that?"
"You know, we may get to be part of the popular teens. And then people will stop messing with us. We'd be popular and smart." There was a goofy smile on her face.
"Nice combination. But that won't happen in a flash, unless we start to date some of the popular guys."
"Oh yes, now that would have been awesome." We immediately started to laugh. Courtney laughed so hard that she almost fell off the bed.
"Who are we kidding! That can never happen." She said in-between laughter.
"Speaking of guys, how was the date?"
"It was alright, better than I expected."
"Come on, tell me everything." I then started to tell her how it went.
"Good enough for a date." She shrugged.
"I still don't know why you had to trick me. Was it necessary?"
"Of course it was necessary. Jake would have never summoned the courage to ask you."
"Fine, but that was definitely the last time I'm seeing him." I said, my mind shifting to Jake and how fun it was hanging out with him today.
"Yeah. Promise me something Em."
"What?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Promise that you're going to put yourself out there. That you're not going to be the pushable Emily when you get there and that you're not going to run from making new friends."
A groan escaped my lips. "I can't really promise that. It's not like I chose to be like that. It's just how I am."
"I'm not telling you to change who you are, I just want you to be more expressive and more confident in yourself. This is a new country, where no one knows you. It's the greatest opportunity ever!"
"I guess you're right, but I can't promise to do so, but I can promise to try my best to believe in myself."
"That's my friend, come here." She pulled him into a big hug and I could only smile.
"Seriously, who's going to help me with algebra and calculus? I suck at those completely."
"They're other geeks like us that will be glad to help out."
"I guess, but I can't share dirty jokes with them, can i?"
"You could try to."
"Emily, dinner time." My mom's head poked out from the door.
"Hi Mrs Hernandez."
"Courtney, when did you get here?"
"Not too long ago." I replied.
"Well, you can join us for dinner."
"Of course I will, I'm going to miss your cooking a lot." We headed downstairs to eat. My last meal in this house.
After a heartfelt meal, it was already late in the evening, which meant we would be leaving for the airport soon.
"Courtney, please tell Jake that I'm so sorry for not saying goodbye. And also tell him that I had fun with him."
"I will." I was searching through my room to see if I had forgotten anything important.
"You'll call me immediately you get there ok, and keep away from those mean horrible girls and cute bad boys!"
"Courtney, chill! You're acting like my mom." I said with a laugh.
"I know.... bye Emily." This time, I was the one to pull her into a spine breaking hug.
"It's not goodbye forever Courtney. We'll definitely still see each other.
"Certainly." Going downstairs, I looked at my former home that was now deserted. So many memories were formed here, good ones, and bad ones.
"Your parents are waiting!" Courtney screamed from the entrance. I picked up my bag and headed out. Before leaving, I gave her one last hug.
"Make sure to call."
"I will." I put my bags into the booth and got in.
"Bye Mr and Mrs Hernandez."
"Bye Courtney, be careful honey."my mom replied, and then my dad drove off. I stared at the moving houses, houses that I've passed a thousand times and now this might be my last time seeing them.
'Canada, here I come.'