Love Me Or Hate Me

Chapter 1 : Moving

Chapter 1

Riker POV

"Riker! Could you come downstairs for a minute?" My dad called.

I grabbed my phone and sent a quick text to my best friend Ellington as I walked down the stairs. I found my dad in the kitchen, and sat down at the table.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"You know we're tight on money. And it's getting to the point where we're barely making it through every month. Your mother and I are going on a business trip to Italy so we can try to get our lives back on track again. We're just too low on money."

"What about me?"

"That's what I called you down to talk about."

I could feel my heart start racing.

"Riker, do you remember your mom's old friend from high school? We met her a few years ago, and she had a daughter your age."

"Lexi?"

"Yeah. Well Lexi's mom has agree to let you stay with them until we get back."

"When are you coming back?"

"Not for at least a month."

"A month!?"

"Riker, it's a series of projects, and we desperately need money!"

"I'm going to be living with strangers for a month!"

"They're not strangers! You just said you remembered Lexi."

"Barely! I was like 8!"

"Riker, we wouldn't be letting you stay there if we thought this was a bad idea. We've talked about this, and we talked to Lexi's mom, and we've decided that you're staying there."

I sighed. As an only child, I didn't like being away from home. I was super close to my parents, and I didn't want them to leave me with a random family for a month!

"You have 3 days, and then we leave."

"Where do they live?"

"New York."

"New York!?"

"Yeah."

"But that means I'm not going to be able to see Ellington!"

"You can still text him."

"Why do you have to go!?"

"Riker, do you want us to lose the house?"

"No, but I don't want you to leave either!"

"I'm sorry."

"How are we getting to New York?"

"You are getting to New York by plane."

"What do you mean, me?"

"You'll be flying alone."

"You're not even going to make sure I get there safely!?"

"Riker, you'll be fine. You're 16 years old, and totally capable of flying alone."

I turned and ran up the stairs before my dad could see me start to cry. How can they just ship me off somewhere and leave for a month!? The only time I've been away from home was when I slept over Ellington's. But that's completely different. Ellington was my best friend, and I was fine about sleeping over his house. But I'll be in a state I've never been to before, with a family I've only met like once! This is not ok!