A Different Life, A Different Story

Indie - Another Road to Another Life

"We've been on the road for hours," I complain shifting myself in the uncomfortable situation I'm in.

"I know, I know. You've said it a hundred times." He states his eyes focused on the road.

"Then why is it taking so long?" I snap.

"Because, Indie, I don't know!" He raises his voice making me raise mine even louder.

"Well, if you and Cass wanted to move so bad then go fucking ahead but leave me out of it!!" He pulls over as I get out.

I walk to this nice little town with nice houses lined up next to each other with a fair amount of land for kids and dogs to play maybe a nice swing set but not an underground pool like my old house did. I miss that like all the other treasures in Tennessee. There's a fountain in the entrance, white plastered fences filled with flowers as the geese swim in the pond behind the fenced entrance. It's so fancy and so pretty. Who knows, maybe, just maybe Ohio doesn't seem so bad. I hope.

I get back in the car, "Sorry--"

"I know it's hard, honey. And I'm sorry, too for raising my voice."

I hug him crying. I'm afraid of losing him. Who knows what will happen in the future? All I can do is hope things get better from here. I just hope.

We drive past St. Est avenue to Kossuth st. The traffic's terrible just like in Tennessee people cursing and honking at each other. I remember one time in traffic when Cassy was a teen, she rolled the window down and screamed. "Suck on this!" And then flip the driver off in the car ahead. We lived on the other side of Tennessee.

I think this might be the first time in my life that I left Tennessee. It was the only place I knew. It was the only life I knew, now just a few roads away into a whole new life, my whole new life. I do miss Mrs. Gardner I'd always help babysit her cats before she passed away last summer. She was my fifth-grade teacher and my next-door neighbor. In my neighborhood, in Tennessee, it was only little kids and old people. I was the only teenager. So, I don't expect much change here, but I didn't then. I didn't when we left Cassy behind.

A blond dude knocks at Uncle Kimmy's door. He unlocks it.

"Hey, man, can I come in?" He sounds like he just ran around the world.

"Sure, just get in the back."

"K, thanks!!" He hurriedly gets in the back. Throwing his luggage in the seat beside him. He looks about sixteen. He's muscular, blond, and blue-eyed just like the basic American. I pay no attention to him.

"This is it, Indiana, another road to another life," he smiles broadly at the cars ahead. The one thing about Uncle Kimmy is that he's patient and positive during any situation even when Cassy came home crying as she told us about her...incident. I shake that memory out and form a new one. A fake one. I hope it can be a real one. My phone vibrates against my thigh.

Trey: hey

ME: hey?

Trey: I miss u

ME: clearly you didn't because you never talked to me before

Trey: I tried to but I was too scared

ME: don't play with me

Trey: I'm not I'm not

ME: ...

Trey: Ryan and Britney broke up

ME: really??!!

Trey: yeah @ lunch I saw it and she slapped him haha

ME: that's not funny trey

Trey: but all Imma say is you were the cute girl in class and now you're gone

ME: I'm not gone I'm just not there find some other girls and move on

I put my phone back in my pocket and scoff. That, I don't miss.