Far and Away

“Oh Stella.”

My mom came near but I backed away.

“You guys didn’t.”

She nodded her head in an apologetic way. I bumped into the stairs and started climbing them backwards.

“No. Please tell me you did not,” I said, “tell me you didn’t.”

Neither of them said anything and I had my answer.

“When?” was all I asked. My voice was cold.

“Well, we’re not really sure yet. That’s what we were discussing actually.”

I stopped on the stairs, unable to form a coherent sentence. I finally gathered my wits about me.

“Thanks for ruining my senior year,” was all I said. I turned around and ran up the stairs, unwilling to let them see my tears. I was frustrated, angry, sad, and upset all rolled into one convenient little package. I felt like I was about to explode. I slammed my door and knew I would be in trouble later, but I didn’t care. I fell onto my bed, my tears escaping and falling onto my pillow case. I don’t know how long I laid there crying, but it had to have been a while.

When I finally stopped, I looked at my clock. 6:30. I went back downstairs for something to eat. I moved in a haze, unable to really believe we were moving. I got to the bottom of the staircase, and my parents had left the kitchen. I could hear the t.v. going, and I knew they were in the living room. I didn’t look in as I passed, but I saw them both look up, out of the corner of my eye, as I passed. I opened the freezer, grabbed a hot pocket, and waited for it to warm. I heard footsteps at the doorway, but didn’t turn around.

“Stella.”

I didn’t answer, acknowledge, or turn around. I was still angry with my parents for doing this to me.

“Stella. We need to talk,” my dad said. I still didn’t turn around. The microwave beeped and I grabbed my food. I brushed past him and tried to head upstairs again. My dad grabbed my arm.

“Stella. You will listen to me.”

I finally faced him, and his face was hard. I glared.

“I will not. This is so unfair and you know it. Moving in the middle of my senior year? You think I would actually go for that?! How could you?”

I wrenched my arm away and ran upstairs, not giving him a chance to say anything. I closed my door and locked it. They wouldn’t barge into my room. I heard footsteps on the stairs, but didn’t make any sort of effort to move. There was a knock on my door, but I stayed where I was. There was no point in my mind of getting up, when I knew how the conversation was going to end. Another knock came.

“Stella. Open this door right now,” my dad demanded. I didn’t answer. I could hear my mom’s voice on the other side.

“John dear, just leave her alone. She’s upset. I would be too if my parents made me move in the middle of my last year of high school. Please, just let her be.”

A small smile appeared on my face. My mom always took my side.

“No. We will talk about this. I don’t care if she hates me, this is the final decision.”

I growled softly.

”Go away!” I yelled.

“Stella! Open the door this instant!” I threw my plate at the door. I heard my dad punch the wall outside my door.

Good. I thought. Be mad. Now you know how I feel. I knew they stood there few minutes before walking away; I could hear their footsteps retreating down the hall and into their bedroom. I heard another thud and knew my dad had either thrown something, or punched something. I didn’t care. I was pissed and they would know.

I laid down on my bed, my eyes closing.

That night, I cried myself to sleep.