Know Your Enemy

“Uhh, Mom, you really need to slow your roll for five seconds,” I moaned impatiently to my mother. I tapped my Converse sneaker against the wood floor as my mother shuffled her feet to me from the kitchen. I rolled my eyes at the piles of boxes she was juggling in her hands. “Mom, seriously, I’m just going for a walk. You don’t have to come.” My mother sighed and sat the boxes down on a bare piece of furniture.

“Well, since we just moved in, I feel that we should settle in first before exploring,” she said curtly, her manicured fingers on her hips. Again, I rolled my eyes, and she just sighed. “Go,” she said, and I smiled brightly before bolting out the door into the bright sunlight.

I walked along the sidewalk of yet another brand new town and actually smiled at my surroundings. It was the picture perfect suburb, not a booming city or back-road country like my mother always seemed to choose. Surprisingly, the suburbs were never appealing to my mom, and the only reason we moved to the small town just outside Atlanta was because she had some connections. My mother and I never stayed in the same place for more than 3 years, though I’ll never know why. Ever since my dad left 13 years ago, when I was 5, things just haven’t been the same for my mom. “I like the change in scenery.” Those were her most famous words.

I had a skip in my step as I got into what seemed to be the center of town, my floral skirt just slightly going up with the breeze. There was a moderate amount of people in town, and I smiled at those who looked at me.

“Harlow, is that you?” I heard a soft voice come from behind me. I turned around and started to beam.

“Louis, my God, is that you?” I smiled at the boy with the wispy brown hair and bright blue eyes. The whole reason we moved to this new place was because my mom, surprisingly, had friends. Louis’s dad and my mom were good friends back in high school, and they just started talking again, leading me to where I was right at that very instance. Louis and I knew each other when we were little, and the boy hadn’t changed.

“Of course. Who else would know your name?” he asked. I laughed; he did have a point.

“Why, look at you! You grew at least two feet and got so much more handsome since the last time I saw you.” I winked at him, and he blushed at the compliment.

“I could say the same about you, pretty lady, but sneakers with a dress? Only you, Harlow.” He shook his head with a smile. “So, did you enroll for classes yet?”

“Yes, I did. I went in today, actually, and a lot of the students in your school are characters, aren’t they?” I asked.

“You got that right. But come on, let’s go get a milkshake at the diner down the street and catch up,” he said, starting to walk away, expecting me to follow.

“I’d love that, Lou, but Mom still needs some help unpacking, and I only said I was taking a quick walk.” I frowned.

“Well, that’s okay. How about this? I go back to your house and help you and your mom unpack, and then later on, we go get that milkshake.” He smiled sweetly and I couldn’t help but smile back. It was like his happiness was contagious.

“You got yourself a deal.” And with that, we made the short walk back to my house.