Secrets Untold
Moving?
Normal girls get a cake, a card, and balloons on their birthday. I, on the other hand, get to find out that I am adopted. My parents didn't straight up tell me, I just happened to of overheard their conversation in the kitchen. It went something along the lines as... I was getting too old, I should know the truth, blah blah blah. Oh, and I've been sitting in a car for the past 6 hours, all because of mom's job relocation. She works as a journalist, and her work offered her double the salary if she took a job in Las Vegas, a 6 hour and 10 minute drive from Utah. Happy bloody birthday to me.
"What's with you? You've been frowning since this morning." Alec, my brother, or... Not-even-related-to-me-at-all-brother, questions.
I crinkle my nose, "No I haven't." I huff, glancing out the window as we pass the welcome to Las Vegas sign.
"Is it because we're moving?" Alec questioned.
Oh, that, and just the fact that I'm adopted. "Yes. It's because of that." I sigh. I haven't told Alec about hearing that I'm adopted, I don't know why. Maybe I'm afraid that if I do, things will be weird between us? Maybe I'm afraid that we won't be the same big brother and little sister, and that our relationship, will suddenly change. I don't want that.
"We are finally here!" I hear mom say from the passenger seat, glancing brightly back at me and Alec. Mom and dad don't know that I know. I plan to tell them when Alec is not around.
"About time. My arms are about to fall off." Grumbled my dad as he rubbed at his shoulder with his free hand, his other on the steering wheel. Poor dad, forced to drive the whole way. I guess that's what he gets for not telling his daughter she's adopted.
"How much farther until we get to our new home?" Alec asked, glancing around at his new surroundings.
Vegas really wasn't like Utah, at all. I always heard the Strip was a big thing in Nevada, but I never understood why. Now I do. It's huge! Hotels skyrocketing, shops everywhere. Not to mention, the crowds! Tourists from everywhere walk down the sidewalk, ah... Can I even call them tourists, it's not like I lived here my entire life... I'm basically a tourist myself, right?
"It's not far. It's only an hour and a half from the Strip." Mom answered. Me and Alec groaned. Only?
By the time we pulled up in front of our new house, Alec was fast asleep. It's not surprising, considering we left Utah at seven in the morning, then drove for six hours nonstop. I myself was growing tired.
"Wake up, bud. We are here." Dad said as he patted Alec on the knee. Alec groaned, rubbing his eyes.
"Whoa." Was the first thing he said when he saw the house. Whoa, was right. This house, was horrendous. Way to go mom, you picked the most gorgeous house on the block. Sarcasm at 100%. The neighborhood was nice, all but for our house. Our house was painted the color salmon, with one of those old fashioned gates only covering half of the front yard - they never finished building it! The grass was even dying. At least the scenery was beautiful, the vast desert of nothingness.
"It's a nice neighborhood..." Mom mumbled as she slid out of the car. "I was thinking that we can do a little repainting, then this place will be prefect!"
"Hun, we'll need to do a bit more than just painting." Dad laughed as he too got out of the car.
Me and Alec shared a look before getting out. I swear, if my room is painted this salmon color, I'm going to hurl.
Mom laughed, wrapping an arm around me and Alec's shoulder. "The inside is better, trust me." She promised as she led us to the front door. Thankfully, that was the truth. The outside was godforsaken ugly, but the inside... Was actually rather nice. Cream colored walls, a large kitchen, a good sized room for me and Alec. We even get to have our own bathroom, and a balcony!
"See, not to bad?" Mom smiled once we finished touring the house.
"I give it a 7.5, maybe a 7.6 because I'm feeling generous. The inside is nice, the outside... Looks ridiculous." I answered.
Mom laughed, "I can't argue there, but trust in me. We'll have this place repainted and gorgeous in no time." I wish I had moms enthusiasm.
All of our furniture was already in the house. All we had to do was rearrange it to our liking. Stuff like our clothes, were in the trunk of the car. It took me a few hours to get my room the way I liked it, but it finally paid off in the end. Maybe this house isn't so bad after all.
~
Mom and dad allowed me and Alec to roam free until dinnertime. Mom says it'll be good to get to know the neighbors, so she gave us a few baskets with homemade cookies to give away. So here we were, standing in front of our neighbors home.
"You ring the bell." Alec whispered into me ear.
"No way! You do it." I whispered back, shoving the basket into his hand. Something about this house gave me the creeps, I mean, that is if it wasn't for the whole skeleton statue in the window, and the whole house painted an eery shade of grey thing.
"Rock-paper-scissors." Alec said as he turned to face me.
I nodded, and lost. Not a surprise, I always do. Groaning, I snatched the basket of cookies from Alec, marching my way to the front steps. "You so owe me!" I growl as I knock on the door, shifting from side to side. The door creaked open, and I was shocked to find, a small kid glancing up at me.
"May I help you?" He asked politely, glancing up at me with bright green eyes. He was probably only around seven, but he sure had good manners.
"Oh, uh, sort of. We just moved in next door, and we brought some goodies for you. Is your mom here? Or dad?"
The boy shook his head, "No, but brother is. Give me a minute," he said, then left. He returned, standing behind a tall teen male.
"Can I help you?" Asked the teen, glancing to the basket in my hand. "Oh, is that for us?" He grinned, and before I could nod, he took it from me. "Thanks a bunch." Then, he shut the door.
"Uh... No problem?" I answered. This family was weird... I turned to glance back at Alec, who was staring at me with confusion.
"So... That went well... I think?" Alec laughed.
"I don't even know." I mumbled as I followed Alec to the next house. Thankfully, the rest of my neighbors were normal, and didn't slam the door in my face like that odd boy.
"Finally done. Ready to head back inside?" Asked Alec.
I nodded. It was getting dark, great. Dark, means that it'll be dinner. Dinner, is when we'll officially celebrate my birthday, and then, my parents spilling the news about me being adopted. Oh joy, I can't wait.
"What's with you? You've been frowning since this morning." Alec, my brother, or... Not-even-related-to-me-at-all-brother, questions.
I crinkle my nose, "No I haven't." I huff, glancing out the window as we pass the welcome to Las Vegas sign.
"Is it because we're moving?" Alec questioned.
Oh, that, and just the fact that I'm adopted. "Yes. It's because of that." I sigh. I haven't told Alec about hearing that I'm adopted, I don't know why. Maybe I'm afraid that if I do, things will be weird between us? Maybe I'm afraid that we won't be the same big brother and little sister, and that our relationship, will suddenly change. I don't want that.
"We are finally here!" I hear mom say from the passenger seat, glancing brightly back at me and Alec. Mom and dad don't know that I know. I plan to tell them when Alec is not around.
"About time. My arms are about to fall off." Grumbled my dad as he rubbed at his shoulder with his free hand, his other on the steering wheel. Poor dad, forced to drive the whole way. I guess that's what he gets for not telling his daughter she's adopted.
"How much farther until we get to our new home?" Alec asked, glancing around at his new surroundings.
Vegas really wasn't like Utah, at all. I always heard the Strip was a big thing in Nevada, but I never understood why. Now I do. It's huge! Hotels skyrocketing, shops everywhere. Not to mention, the crowds! Tourists from everywhere walk down the sidewalk, ah... Can I even call them tourists, it's not like I lived here my entire life... I'm basically a tourist myself, right?
"It's not far. It's only an hour and a half from the Strip." Mom answered. Me and Alec groaned. Only?
By the time we pulled up in front of our new house, Alec was fast asleep. It's not surprising, considering we left Utah at seven in the morning, then drove for six hours nonstop. I myself was growing tired.
"Wake up, bud. We are here." Dad said as he patted Alec on the knee. Alec groaned, rubbing his eyes.
"Whoa." Was the first thing he said when he saw the house. Whoa, was right. This house, was horrendous. Way to go mom, you picked the most gorgeous house on the block. Sarcasm at 100%. The neighborhood was nice, all but for our house. Our house was painted the color salmon, with one of those old fashioned gates only covering half of the front yard - they never finished building it! The grass was even dying. At least the scenery was beautiful, the vast desert of nothingness.
"It's a nice neighborhood..." Mom mumbled as she slid out of the car. "I was thinking that we can do a little repainting, then this place will be prefect!"
"Hun, we'll need to do a bit more than just painting." Dad laughed as he too got out of the car.
Me and Alec shared a look before getting out. I swear, if my room is painted this salmon color, I'm going to hurl.
Mom laughed, wrapping an arm around me and Alec's shoulder. "The inside is better, trust me." She promised as she led us to the front door. Thankfully, that was the truth. The outside was godforsaken ugly, but the inside... Was actually rather nice. Cream colored walls, a large kitchen, a good sized room for me and Alec. We even get to have our own bathroom, and a balcony!
"See, not to bad?" Mom smiled once we finished touring the house.
"I give it a 7.5, maybe a 7.6 because I'm feeling generous. The inside is nice, the outside... Looks ridiculous." I answered.
Mom laughed, "I can't argue there, but trust in me. We'll have this place repainted and gorgeous in no time." I wish I had moms enthusiasm.
All of our furniture was already in the house. All we had to do was rearrange it to our liking. Stuff like our clothes, were in the trunk of the car. It took me a few hours to get my room the way I liked it, but it finally paid off in the end. Maybe this house isn't so bad after all.
~
Mom and dad allowed me and Alec to roam free until dinnertime. Mom says it'll be good to get to know the neighbors, so she gave us a few baskets with homemade cookies to give away. So here we were, standing in front of our neighbors home.
"You ring the bell." Alec whispered into me ear.
"No way! You do it." I whispered back, shoving the basket into his hand. Something about this house gave me the creeps, I mean, that is if it wasn't for the whole skeleton statue in the window, and the whole house painted an eery shade of grey thing.
"Rock-paper-scissors." Alec said as he turned to face me.
I nodded, and lost. Not a surprise, I always do. Groaning, I snatched the basket of cookies from Alec, marching my way to the front steps. "You so owe me!" I growl as I knock on the door, shifting from side to side. The door creaked open, and I was shocked to find, a small kid glancing up at me.
"May I help you?" He asked politely, glancing up at me with bright green eyes. He was probably only around seven, but he sure had good manners.
"Oh, uh, sort of. We just moved in next door, and we brought some goodies for you. Is your mom here? Or dad?"
The boy shook his head, "No, but brother is. Give me a minute," he said, then left. He returned, standing behind a tall teen male.
"Can I help you?" Asked the teen, glancing to the basket in my hand. "Oh, is that for us?" He grinned, and before I could nod, he took it from me. "Thanks a bunch." Then, he shut the door.
"Uh... No problem?" I answered. This family was weird... I turned to glance back at Alec, who was staring at me with confusion.
"So... That went well... I think?" Alec laughed.
"I don't even know." I mumbled as I followed Alec to the next house. Thankfully, the rest of my neighbors were normal, and didn't slam the door in my face like that odd boy.
"Finally done. Ready to head back inside?" Asked Alec.
I nodded. It was getting dark, great. Dark, means that it'll be dinner. Dinner, is when we'll officially celebrate my birthday, and then, my parents spilling the news about me being adopted. Oh joy, I can't wait.