Everyone Pretends They're Happy

‘‘This week has gone far too quickly. Where does time go?’’ My mom sobbed to me as I put my bags into my car.
‘‘Please don’t cry, mom. I’ll come back and visit you. I’ll also invest in a web-cam.’’ I grinned trying to make her smile. She outstretched her arms and I walked over to her, wrapping mine around her. ‘‘I’m going to miss you so much.’’ I breathed into her light blue cotton sweater.
‘‘I’m going to miss you too, Evie.’’ She kissed the top of my head and let me go to help with my bags.
‘‘Are you sure you’ll be safe driving down on your own?’’ My dad asked, his usual worried tone seeping through.
‘‘I’ll be fine. You know I’m a sensible driver, I’ll have regular stops and I’ll call you when I get there. Don’t worry.’’ I beamed, hugging him at the waist. He squeezed my shoulder and kissed my head also.
‘‘Just…be safe.’’ He sighed. We’d had an argument the day before because he wanted to drive me to Tempe. But I wanted my car with me, I wanted the taste of freedom early. I wanted them to trust me, so naturally, I won the argument.
We finished loading my car and I sat in the drivers seat, making myself comfortable before I left for the long journey.
‘‘Have you got everything?’’ My mom questioned coming down to the window level of my car so she could see my face.
‘‘Yes mom. We doubled checked last night, remember?’’ I asked, rolling my eyes slightly.
‘‘Did you use the bathroom? Who knows when there’ll be another one on your drive.’’ She rushed, clearly trying to rack her brain for another question to stop me from leaving.
‘‘Honey, let her go already.’’ My dad said, pulling her up from her crouched position next to my window and wrapping an arm around her.
‘‘I’m sorry…just my little girl is all grown up and leaving us.’’ She sniffed and dabbed at her eyes.
‘‘I promise I’ll come back. I’ll not be gone forever.’’ I hadn’t told them I didn’t want to return to New York, but I knew I’d have to. They were my parents. I couldn’t stay away from them forever.
‘‘Be safe, be careful, we love you.’’ My mom said. I smiled and blew them both a kiss, started up my car and drove down the busy New York streets. I didn’t pay attention to the buildings around me, the people I passed in my car, when I stopped at lights I didn’t bother looking around to see the last of the city I’d grown up in for nineteen years. I couldn’t wait to see the back of it.
Tempe, Arizona was going to be my new home and I couldn’t have been happier.
***
I pulled up in the empty driveway and slowly got out of my car, locking the door and staring up at the house in front of me. It was a lot bigger than I expected it to be, and I’m sure the picture I’d seen had been half cut off because there was a whole new section of the house that I didn’t expect to be there, but it was amazing. I was just hoping I hadn’t got the wrong address.
‘‘Evie?’’ I heard an unfamiliar voice call. I whipped my head to the front door and a girl, about my height, with bleach blonde hair and big blue eyes was stood grinning at me. She was wearing a white tank top and a pair of denim shorts. Perfectly suited to the heat…unlike myself who was trapped in a pair of black jeans and a grey sweater with boot clad feet. My jet black hair was fallen messily in my face and making me even hotter then I thought I could be.
‘‘Harriet?’’ I asked back, hoping it was her and I hadn’t gotten her face wrong from the small pixelated photograph I’d seen. She let out a high pitched squeal and ran at me. I braced myself for a body collision as to not fall backwards.
‘‘Its so nice to finally see you in the flesh.’’ She beamed hugging me forcefully.
‘‘Its so nice to see you too.’’ I repeated, not too sure what to say. I was never good at meeting people for the first time. Harriet and I had spoken so many times over the internet, but face-to-face was difficult for me.
‘‘Would you like some help with your bags? I’ve been sitting in alone for so long waiting for someone to show up.’’ She was very excitable, I could tell.
‘‘Yes please.’’ I smiled and walked to the trunk of my car, opening it and pulling out two cases, Harriet doing the same. She walked ahead of me and led me into the house. It was even more amazing then the outside. It had a huge living room area and joint kitchen. Then there was another room on the opposite side which we walked through to get to the stairs.
‘‘You’re rooms up on the third floor…you don’t mind do you?’’ Harriet asked, her eyes darting all over my face to make sure I wasn’t upset with her choice.
‘‘I don’t mind at all. I feel like I’ll get more peace up there.’’ I grinned and we continued to walk up to my new room. I’d noticed that there were three bedrooms on the first floor, two on the second, then two on the third. It was only a matter of time before I’d have to meet the rest of the people I’d be sharing a new home with. It wasn’t going to be easy for me, but I was going to try.