s t r e a m {SAPNAP}

- 43 -

BEE POV

(Super duper weird cause my demographics for March 1st didn't update yesterday?? Also, I'm amazed to see so many people from so many different countries!! ty!!)

***

OCTOBER 1ST

I had not unplugged my PC since I moved into this apartment with my mom. It always stayed in the same spot, and the outlet was always occupied. Today, however, I unplugged it for the very first time.

I slowly started to pack away the keyboard and my mic. I took apart my gaming chair and set the pieces on my bed, feeling almost hollow as my room slowly became less and less lively. The walls had returned to their light grey atmosphere, no longer shrouded with pink fairy lights and arrays of posters tacked to the drywall.

I finally pushed the last bin into the moving van, being done with packing part for my desk. I had one more night left in Texas before I left everything behind.

I know what you're thinking. Bee, how could you possibly make such a stupid decision? You're leaving behind your school, your friends, your boyfriend--even your hometown! Why would you do this?

I had my reasons.

1) Family.

2) Not having to pay bills or rent aside from car, wifi, and phone payments, and obviously tuition (Lydia made the rule, not me)

3) Being able to live in the mountains in a cottage-core-slash-mansion-esque-house (I wasn't excited for this one. I hated cold weather.) (A/N I have just been informed that North Dakota is very flat so please ignore me wkskwkskkwke)

4) Not having to have an actual job while still in college

See? I'm not entirely stupid.

...

Okay, I get it, I probably had a million other options, but let's not forget that I would do anything for my family.

I collapsed onto the bed--this was the last night I'd ever be in this bed. Ugh, I'd slept on it for four years now, I wasn't prepared to leave it.

As many jokes as I made about moving, I was scared. Despite it, though, I forced myself to ignore the fear.

I started to walk around the apartment, running my hand along the walls, soaking in the memories of Nick laughing in the kitchen, playing DDR in the living room, streaming with me--God, I missed it already.

Nick and I made a promise that I would come visit him as much as possible, and once I was comfortable with Lydia, he would visit me too. I just wanted to hug him again.

***

OCTOBER 2ND

When I started driving the next morning, I could barely concentrate on the road. My boxes were stacked high in my back seat. I'd taken out all my kitchen supplies last minute, remembering that obviously Lydia had her own pots and pans.

As I drove through Austin the last time, I felt a pang of guilt hit me, and I wasn't entirely sure why.

I turned onto the interstate and turned up the radio, singing along to some of the songs to avoid falling asleep. I was definitely the type of person to fall asleep while driving, especially on the interstate; I'd done it before.

My home city became smaller and smaller, and eventually, it was completely out of view. I took a deep breath. That was it, wasn't it? There really was no going back. I'd quit my job, left the apartment, moved to class online--part from Nick, there was nothing left in Texas for me.

Henry cried in his cage on my passenger seat. He hated car rides, but I couldn't really do anything about it. I didn't want to give him free run of the car for the next 22 hours. I turned up the radio again and tried to ignore his sad mewling.

***

OCTOBER 4TH

Lydia opened the door excitedly and enveloped me in a hug.

"I'm so glad you've made it here safe!" She exclaimed, taking me by the wrist and leading me inside. "Come, come, we can get your things out later. I made dinner!"

She sat me in a chair and presented some odd meatloaf concoction that looked like God himself hated it. We sat and ate it hesitantly, but I was overwhelmed with it's taste. I knew Lydia was a good cook, but the presentation of some of her food was...questionable.

"We can have that lovely boy, Tom, help carrying in the boxes!" Lydia clasped her hands together and pushed out from the table.

I finished eating and washed the plate off, putting it in the dishwasher before following her outside. She started to walk up the street, and I timidly followed.

Tom was older than me. He had to have been at least twenty-five or so, but he was rather attractive. He answered the door and smiled upon seeing my aunt.

"Lydia!" He grinned, eyeing me awkwardly. "Is this your niece?"

She nodded and pushed me in front of her.

"I'm Tom," He stuck his hand out for me shake it.

"Elisabeth," I replied, feeling quite uneasy around him. "You can just call me Elisa, though."

"Well, Elisa, what brings you to North Dakota?"

"Um...I'm moving in with my Aunt, Lydia. Just up the street. She wanted to ask if you'd help us take my boxes in, though I'm sure you're a very busy man, so it's totally fine if you can't--"

He had already stepped outside and closed his door, giving me some sick smile. God, I hated it. Oh no, what if he's a serial killer? What if he serial kills me?

"I'd be happy to help," Tom said, walking up the road to my aunt's house.

One by one we brought my boxes inside Lydia's rather large house and up the stairs to my room. Lydia thanked Tom profusely for his help, like we couldn't have possibly done it by ourselves. I started to unpack while they talked downstairs.

I didn't have a lot. The majority of my clothes didn't even take up half the closet space I was allotted. I guess that just meant I had more room for some more clothes.

I finally put my desk back together and positioned how I wanted in the room--I was surprised to still have a bunch of space in the bedroom--before taking out my PC and my monitors, finally plugging everything back in. I'd gotten permission to hang up my posters and lights again, so while my PC was starting up, I used command strips and tacky putty to hang everything on the walls.

When I was done, it definitely felt like my room again, and I sat in my pink gaming chair, spinning around awkwardly. It felt like my room, but it didn't feel like my home.