Back In Your Head

The drive to my dad’s house was as expected a long one. If it weren’t for my iPod I would have most likely died of boredom, I texted with Kennedy a couple of times and a few friends or answered my mom’s random questions occasionally. Questions she would ask are like:

“Are you looking forward to spending time with your dad?”

No.

“It’s a good thing you’re going to stay for two weeks with him.”

I wouldn’t have done this if you hadn’t agreed for me and then bribed me into saying yes.

“How are things with you and Kennedy?”

Fine.

“You should hang out with that one kid you always talked about when we used to live there.”

Yeah, too bad we haven’t kept in touch for so long.

I fell asleep for a moment and when I woke up I saw a figure lying on the field up ahead. I sat up in the passenger seat and squinted my eyes to get a close look. He was just sitting there with his hands stretched back to support his body in this position and his legs crossed in front of him. His sunglasses shielded his eyes as he looked up in the sky, motionless. I kept my gaze on this guy as the car drove past him. I looked back until he was gone and I could not see him anymore.

“Mom?” I said speaking up to her for the first time on this car ride.

“Yes.”

“Did you see that guy on the field?”

“Um, no. I haven’t seen anyone during this whole ride, dear.”

My mouth went a gape when she said that. I couldn’t have been imaging that. Could have I? I shook my head and replied: “Oh, nevermind.” I guess I was seeing things then.

A couple of more minutes, we were now pulling into a familiar street through the woods. My dad’s house looked to be abandoned, but he always liked peace and quiet. There happens to be a town center really close from the house. There was also a lake nearby. That lake that I almost drowned in years ago. That lake where I met that kid.

I wondered more about the kid that saved my life after the day he moved and never gave me a warning. When I moved out I guess I had to move on and I did perfectly with that, but coming back to this place just brings back memories of him.

The song on my iPod changed from a soft one to a more louder song that interrupted my thoughts and causing me to snap back into reality. I looked out the window again and realized we were here. In front of my dad’s home, the place where I grew up in. Everything outside of it looked the same as I remembered it to be. I looked at the house in front of me and took it in. I was back home.

I shut my iPod off, wrapped the earbuds cord around it carefully, and placed it into my purse safely. I slung my purse on my arm and stepped out of the car into the warm evening. The sun was just about to set and I had to admit this place had a nice view of it. I had to make sure to go out and see it for myself or maybe when Kennedy gets here before I leave.

When my mom passed in front of me to go to the back of the car to retrieve my bags I stopped looking around and followed her to the back. I swung my carry-on on my other arm and took a hold of my other bag as I followed my mom to the front door. Stepping up the wooden steps my mom spoke up.

“Can you at least try to have fun while you’re here?”

I adjusted the heavy bag on my arms and thought about it for a while then just shrugged as my answer.

She just sighed and responded: “Just try for now while Kennedy isn’t here. Your father actually wants to spend time with you. He even let Kennedy stay too, you should be at least nice.”

“Okay, okay. I get it. I’ll try to be nice and have fun.”

“At a girl.” She said smiling.

I shook my head and shortly after she knocked on the door it opened to reveal non other than my father. Of course he had aged, but I still recognized him.

“Charlotte.” He said to my mother with a smile and open arms. My mom walked in and hugged him also returning his smile with her own. My parents had become great friends after the divorce and I couldn’t see why she had though. When they parted my dad looked at me.

“Amy.”

I just smiled weakly and waved in response.

“How are you?”

How are you? Really?

“Alright, I guess.” I said keeping my answer short. I think he caught on that I was still not fond of him.

“Well I’ll take that for you.” He said reaching out to take my bag which I let him. “Let’s get inside.” He added walking in as we followed.

Stepping inside felt so strange, he had rearranged everything. Nothing was the same, though I guess it would make things easier than seeing things the way they were before. After all I didn’t spend the best years of my life in this house. It would have just made things a bit too weird.

I looked around and noticed the photos hung around the living room. There was still a photo of us as a family. When we first moved in from when I was last here. Though this one photo had really caught my eye, I was still a kid back then of course. I don’t know what I was doing, but there was a boy next to me. It had to be that kid. I opened my mouth to speak to ask about who the boy was, but I was cut off.

“Amy.” My dad called out.

“Um, yes?” I answered turning my gaze away from the photo.

“You remember where your old room was right?”

“Oh, yeah, I do.”

“Okay, well you can go settle in now if you’d like.”

“Okay.” I replied and took my belongings with me to my room.

I got into my room and set my bags down then collapsed on my bed. The room was insanely plain. I took everything I had with me when my mom and I moved out. However, there were common bedroom necessities around like: a lamp, a bed, curtains, a television, even decorative materials, and pictures. I took notice of the one of me on my nightstand. My eyebrows furrowed as I tried to see if I was actually looking at two people in the photo and not just myself.

I sat up and grabbed the frame and looked at it hard. There was that boy again. I came to conclusion that he was the boy that saved me in the lake. I tried to remember who he was again for the millionth time on this trip, but always failed in the end.

My bedroom door swung open and my mom in came. She shut the door and sat down next to me on the bed.

“I have to get going if I don’t want to make it back home in the morning.” She said.

I nodded only.

She got up to leave and I knew I had to act quickly.

“Mom.”

“Yeah?” She asked turning around.

“Who is this boy beside me?” I asked holding up the picture frame. She took the photo from my hand and examined it closely.

“I don’t know what you are talking about Amy, dear. There is no one else, but yourself in this photo.” She said shaking her head and handing me back the photo.

“Really?” I said and took it back then looking at the photo again. She was right. There was no one else there, but myself. Fucking creepy. I thought I saw a boy there.

“You’re just probably hungry. Go to the kitchen in a few minutes, your father is preparing your dinner.”

I just nodded and said nothing in return. I felt defeated. I knew I saw a boy in that photo. That boy. Maybe I did need to eat something. I wasn’t seeing things straight.

“Well, I’ll get going now. I’ll be back in two days with Kennedy. “ She announced.

I smiled at that thought and she just smiled back at me, walking over, and planting a kiss on the top of my head before leaving. “Remember, try to have fun.” Were her last words to me.

I sighed and placed the picture frame back on the nightstand and got ready for dinner.