METANOIA

Chapter 1.

Green eyes by Helen O'Connell playing in the background making me uncontrollably swing to music. It's nine in the morning, and we're already set for moving out.

"Emily... Emily!!" Dad knocks one time and opens the door. "Ugh, dad!" I whimpered as I covered my upper part quickly.

He backs away slightly, talking behind the door, "I'm sorry sweetie, I've been calling your name for a while."

"Sorry, I didn't hear you. The music's too loud." I Pushed down my grey tank top, turned off the music, and opened the door for him to get in. "I just wanted to ask you if there are any other boxes left, the car's leaving in 5?" Dad asked.

"Just this suitcase," I put any piece of cloth I could possibly find on the floor in the suitcase and closed it. "Now it's ready. Are you sure you didn't miss anything?" I said.

"I really hope I didn't" He carried it and headed to the car, "just make sure YOU don't forget anything, I don't think we'll ever come back again." And before I could say anything sarcastic he was already outside.

My dad is a painter. He likes to move a lot. He says it helps in making him be more creative in creating his art. Everything around us inspires him. He even practices to increase his concentration to see through people, to see the art in them he says.

He earns a fair amount of money to make us live comfortably. After all, it's just the two of us.

My Mom passed away when I was only six in a car crash. My father said that I stayed in a hospital for days out of conscious, but mom passed right away. It got me a scar on my right leg, right on my thigh. It looks like a wave. A small sea wave.

I took one last look at the room. This has been my favorite place so far. I didn't want to leave, but my dad just got the promotion he's been waiting for in a long time. In addition to, having his own gallery. I couldn't say no to that. It would be brutal to destroy 6 months of work with just an "I have my own life too." Which is also a lie, because I have no friends. Or life.

I made my way downstairs looking at the workers all over the house, "All set, we're ready to go." one of them yelled and they started to make their way towards the truck.

I looked around the house, it's totally empty of our belongings. This is crazy. My mind keeps screaming. I wish we don't regret this afterward. "Alright, Ben. We'll see you there at 7" Dad waved goodbye to the foreman and closed the door behind him.

"7 AM? " I asked. "PM," Dad replied.

"When will we start moving?" I looked at him. "Probably now, why wait. Everything's already on the way. We should catch them now."

"We're going already?" I sighed and put my hands in my pockets looking at him watching the truck go away with all our stuff.

"Yes." He simply answered.

My Dad made a few calls to check that everything's alright, then we hopped in the car to make our way to the new home. My dad showed me a few pictures of the new house but they weren't quite clear. "Everything alright?" I asked. "Yeah.. alright." I looked at him suspiciously, " you don't seem so sure about it."

He started the engine, the car made the famous gear to make an announcement to the universe that we're about to go somewhere. "Next move is getting a new car, I can't bear that noisy sound anymore. It always gets me a headache when I get back from work." He smiled a little and sneaked a look at me and then back at the way. "What's on your mind, pumpkin?"

"Em?" Dad called my name but the world around me paused for a while, I suddenly found my self 6 years old again. Two pink ribbons surrounding my ponytails that fits my knee-length pink dress perfectly. A white pair of shoes with golden stars. My mom looks back at me from the front seat to check on me. "How's my little princess?" She says. "Suffocating from the seatbelt." I broke both my front teeth while playing hide and seek with Jordan, my neighbor from the first house we lived in.

She laughed and caressed my hand quickly " It's alright, we're almost there, Emmy" I frowned and crossed my hands.

She called my dad, but her call was directed to the voice mail, "We're almost there, honey. just wanted to check on you. I love you.. say I love you too daddy, Emmy." "I love you.." and suddenly... Everything went blank, and I heard mom screaming... "EMILY.." echoing in my ear.

"Emily? Are you there?" Dad looked at me worried, These thoughts about the accident have been haunting me forever. "What's the matter? you know you can tell me anything, right?" I grabbed his hand assuring him "I'm fine. Just thinking."

"About what, tell me?" He asked.

"The new house." I looked at him, "Everything." His eyes met mine and he knew I'm not comfortable. "Hey, we talked about this many times and I told you... " I stopped him, " I know dad, that we don't have to do this and that this is not the last opportunity you will ever have."

"You don't have to do this if you don't want to. We can still cancel it." God, no. "I'm fine. I promise" I tried my best to make him believe me. "Just don't worry."

"You don't ever have friends, you don't draw anymore, and you stopped going out. I am worried, Emily. Look, This is a new experience for both you and me. Maybe it will work out, maybe it won't. The only way to find out is by trying."

"I know dad, I know." I sighed and looked out of the window.

We spent the rest of the ride dancing to the music, laughing, and even having cynical discussions about life. Dad and I had this bond. I was the only one left for him, as he for me. He churched this, I know, I can see it in everything he does.

After five hours of driving, we finally made it. New York. The name itself is adventurous and full of stories. As soon as we got there and I stepped out of the car, everything else just vanished. I couldn't help myself. What is this!? "Shit."

Author's Note

Hey there, I really hope you enjoy reading the story. If you do just vote⭐️ and comment. I'd like to see your reactions. Thanks.