Peace Sign

I set the box labeled "Angie's Bedroom Stuff" down on the floor next to five of the same labeled boxes. I looked around the huge, empty room that I now called my bedroom. I heard myself sigh as I sat down on top of the box I just put down. This is really happening, I thought to myself. This is going to be my new life.

Several moments later, I heard a ding ding in my shorts pocket and pulled out my cell phone. The screen flashed and I saw I received a text message from one of my closest friends in Chicago. What's it like over there? Michelle's text message read.

It's different...definitely warmer than back home, I replied. As I waited for Michelle's reply, I walked over to the bedroom window where the sun shined through and filled up the whole room with light. I looked across the street from my window and saw a group of kids riding their bikes up and down the sidewalk, laughing.

"Stay close!" I heard a woman call to the kids from an open garage. The woman and two other adults were sitting on long chairs in the garage talking and smiling as well as keeping an eye on the kids.

I then looked up at the clear, blue sky and noticed how there was not one cloud in sight. It was like I was on a completely different planet. In Chicago, the sky would be gray and cloudy almost everyday and Chicago didn't have this kind of warm temperature. Whenever it was warm in Chicago, the extreme humidity would make my hair frizz and my hair would look like a bad '80s haircut. But, in Vegas, the air was warm and dry. Like you could actually breathe the fresh air and it wouldn't seem like you'd be suffocating.

I heard the ding ding on my phone again and read Michelle's message: Hey think of it as an adventure :) You're starting a brand new life. Things are going to get better, I promise!

I quickly replied, Thanks :) and turned off my phone, not really in the mood to talk to anyone.

I noticed that my hand was absentmindedly rubbing the left side of my stomach. I accidentally pressed a little too hard which resulted in a sharp pain from my side. I flinched and my hand immediately flew off from my side. I let out a shaky breath as I slowly rose the bottom of my shirt up, high enough to reveal the large sensitive black and dark purple spot on my left side. Being as gentle as possible, my shaking index finger slowly ran over the spot. I felt a lump form in my throat, the flashback coming to my mind yet again.

"Angeline!" I heard my mother yell from the bottom of the stairs. I jumped, quickly pulling my shirt back down. I heard my mother's cheerful voice gradually coming closer. "Guess what? The daycare center just called me and you got the job!"

I felt the melancholy slowly fade away as I smiled back at my mother. "I did?" I asked, remembering how not that long ago, my parents and I took a brief trip to Vegas to see what our new home would be like and I applied for a job as an assistant to a daycare center near my new high school.

"Yes, you start next Monday right after school." That made me realize that next Monday was when school started, which just added to my anxiety and nervousness.

"Okay." I nodded, looking back out the window.

I suddenly felt Mom's arm loop around my shoulders as she looked out the window with me. "Things are getting better already," she said with a wide smile. It reminded me of Michelle's text from a few minutes ago. I felt Mom look at me and I heard her say, "Evangeline, everything's going to be okay. This is going to be a better life for us...for you." Mom sounded so sure of herself and confident that I couldn't disagree with her.

I smiled genuinely and nodded. "I know," I said.

As my mother and I were gazing at the Las Vegas skyline across from my bedroom window, I heard Dad call, "Can someone please help me with the rest of the boxes? We'll make time for sight-seeing later!"