Show Me What I'm Looking For

Ali’s point of view

“What do you mean we’re moving?” I yelled to my mom hoping my tone of voice would make her change her mind.

“Sweetie, you haven’t seen your dad in the longest time! He wants us to move down there so he could spend more time with you, aren’t you glad he’s finally making an effort?”

“An effort? I haven’t heard from him for 5 years and suddenly he’s making an effort? He either needs something from us or has to impress all his rich golf buddies. I didn’t need him before and I certainly don’t need him now!”

“We are going either way. Start packing we have to be at the airport in 3 hours”, she said as if it were something as normal as going to the grocery store. I felt a warm tear run down my face. “How could she do this to me?” I thought to myself as I packed. I would have to say bye to everyone, especially Anny, not knowing when or if I would ever come back. Anny had been my best friend for years, my only friend for so long. It would kill her if I had to tell her this. Instead, I decided to leave her a note in her mailbox. Just writing it brought me to tears. I couldn’t believe I was leaving her all alone after all we had gone trough together. We always had each others back, always.

“Anny, I’m so sorry I’m doing this to you. I’m such a coward I couldn’t even tell you in person. I have a flight to Phoenix, Arizona in a couple of hours. I don’t know when I’ll be coming back, if ever at all. I promise I’ll write to you as often as I can. I’m so sorry I’m doing this to you. I’ll be back as soon as I can. I promise!
I love you forever, Ali.”

I dropped the note in her mailbox and waited outside for the taxi to pick us up and bring us to the airport. We got there one hour later, went through security and all that fun stuff and eventually ended up at the terminal, waiting for our plane to be ready for boarding. I had my Ipod on full blast, not even caring what my mom was saying. As far as I’m concerned she’s no better than my father for doing this to me.

“Flight 805 to Phoenix, Arizona now boarding in gate 23”

“I guess that’s us”, my mom said, trying to lighten the mood. I didn’t even bother to answer. I showed the airport worker my boarding pass and passport and entered the plane. Thank God our seats weren’t together because I wouldn’t have been able to tolerate all the excuses she would have made up for moving us down there. The flight went well; there was a movie and the food was eatable. We landed a couple of hours later at the Phoenix International Airport and waited to go through customs and baggage claim. Once we did that we headed to a Starbucks where I picked up a caramel Frappucino and the latest edition of People magazine, waiting for my “father” to pick us up.
“Honey is that you?” I heard from a distance. Crap, he was really here. Joy. He hugged me and my mom and loaded our luggage onto a cart and headed towards the car.

“You’ve gotten so tall Ali, I’ve missed you so much,” he said, trying to get closer to me and mend the broken relationship.

“Yes I’m aware of my height thank you very much and for someone who has missed me so much and wants the best for me you certainly know how to ruin my life!” I responded and stormed off trying to keep the tears inside. We eventually met up at the car and drove off to my father’s villa in a town outside of Phoenix called Tempe. It was so hot here, even at night. I thought I would melt if I didn’t go somewhere air conditioned soon. We arrived at the villa about 30 minutes later. My father unloaded the suitcases from the car and brought them inside. The house was huge. Three floors, a pool, game room, sauna, Jacuzzi, the works! I wonder how he was affording this place. Still, I would much prefer being back home in my mom’s 5 ½ apartment, hanging out on the sofas watching movies with my friends. What I would give to go back there.

I made my way up the stairs to my room, unloaded all my stuff and put up some picture frames of friends I would most certainly be missing. I went to sleep that night knowing that my life had changed and that tomorrow, I would once again be the new kid at school.