All That's Left

Chapter 5 | Vania

Present
2023
Seventeen years old

I stayed up unpacking and cleaning the rooms I was ready for all night long, knowing I wouldn't be able to sleep even if I tried. Dad's room, as well as my own still sat untouched, the doors closed.

Paisley's room was relatively empty since she moved to college two year's before Dad died, and all that remained in her room now was her bed, dresser, and the desk she had never used.

I had put all of her other pictures, memorabilia and possessions in boxes, and I planned to mail them to her today, even with the possibility that she would throw everything away.

Opening the front door, the chilly morning air swept into the house. I picked up the boxes I had dissembled after I unpacked them and the tarps which had covered all the furniture, and head towards the garage.

Pressing the remote, I'm surprised the door still opens, since we always had problems with it when Dad needed to use his car. No matter how many times we repaired the system, it always acted up.

I was expecting to see Dad's car parked in there, like I had every time in the past, but of course, Paisley and I had left in his car after his funeral, and Paisley had claimed it as her own shortly after that.

Paisley's old bike that she had used to ride around the neighborhood with her friends leaned against the right wall, covered in dust.

''You knew to town?'' A voice suddenly asks behind me, and I whirl around, coming face to face with a black-haired, shirtless guy who was grinning down at me.

I immediately took a step away from him. ''No.'' I had no intention of befriending whoever this guy was, so I didn't feel the need to be hospitable.

''Well, I'm Daniel Kimmons. My parents and I moved in next door a couple of months ago,'' the guy, Daniel says, pointing to the house next-door which used to belong to Mr. Anders.

Mr. Anders was a grumpy old man, but I preferred him over this dude.

"I'm Vania,'' I say, hoping Daniel would leave. He had clearly been on a run, since he was shirtless and sweating, so couldn't he go run some more? I didn't want to talk to him.

''I've got to get ready for school. See you around?'' Daniel asks, still grinning.

''Sure.''

Hopefully never again.

Ten minutes later, Paisley's old bike was cleaned and heading down the street for the first time in years.

When I arrived at the Lowe's house, Dorian's car wasn't in the driveway, and the house seemed quiet, which was unusual, since it was too early for Dorian, Kian and Aspen to be at school.

I knock on the door, ready to head back home in case no one was home, but a minute later, Avery opens the door. ''Morning kiddo,'' she says, pulling me into house.

''Who it it?'' Uncle Elly calls from the living room, where I hear a television playing. ''It's Vanny,'' she answers as she steers me into the living room. Uncle Elly glances back at me from his spot on the couch, where he's watching the news with a steaming cup of coffee in his hands.