Life's a Party

Chapter 3

We got down to packing immediately the next day, since we had to pack for quite a long time. We got suitcases from the attic; suitcases we hadn't used for ages because we hadn't gone on vacation in so long.

By eight o' clock that evening my clothes were all packed and I was currently sitting on the floor in front of my desk, going through it and packing everything I needed. I had one drawer left, which held all my good memories and dreams. I hadn't opened that drawer in years. I picked up a pile of papers and glanced at them, briefly looking at each. I saw paintings I had made when I was a little kid in school, some birthday cards and a few odd pictures.

Something slipped out and fluttered to the ground. As I bent down to pick it up, I saw it was a picture of the four of us in Hawaii, taken around seven years back.

I still remember that day as if it were yesterday.

It was a sunny day and we were spending it at the beach. Both my parents basked under the warm sun with a huge, colourful umbrella stuck in the ground a few feet behind them while Taylor and I had run off to play in the water.

Dad was wearing a bright pink shirt with yellow flowers on it, typical Hawaiian style. Mom, Taylor and I were all dressed in skirts with flowery garlands and crowns, looking all summery.

All four of us were grinning at the camera, our eyes shining with happiness. A passerby had commented on how we looked like the perfect family, and had offered to click a picture.

Not anymore.

It saddened me to see how happy we used to be, but now we hardly even spoke to each other.

A sharp knock on my door startled me out of my reverie and I cleared my clogged up throat, saying a hoarse 'come in'.

Taylor gently opened the door and slipped in, her face a mask of confusion at my expression. When she saw the picture I was holding, she wordlessly put her arms around me, silently telling me that she understood.

We stood there for a while, the only two members of the Anderson family that were still close, embracing each other and noiselessly grieving for the love filled life we used to have.

"It's okay, we don't need them anymore. We have each other. That's more than enough," Taylor gently coos at me, stroking my hair.

Determined not to let it bother me, I pulled back and smiled at her, glad she was there. I won't let my ignorant parents or broken family affect my life or my relationship with my sister.

"All packed?" I inquired, avoiding saying anything more about the subject.

"Yeah, are you done? Honestly, I can't wait to get out of here. I've never packed so fast in my life," she joked.

Chucking, I said, "Yeah, I'm done, I just need to put all this in the trash," I gestured being me, talking about all the rubbish that had come out of cleaning my room until it looked new.

I stretched and yawned loudly, the day's work catching up with me. "We should get some rest, we have to leave very early," Tay suggested, yawning herself.

"Okay. I'm actually really sleepy, so I'm going to crash. G'night," I mumbled, flopping face down onto my bed and groaning at the relief that seeped into my aching muscles.

Taylor giggles at my silly antics, "Goodnight, sleepyhead," she whispered, "Sleep tight."
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Loud banging invaded my dreamless sleep, sounding like there were hammers being whacked against my skull repeatedly. I slowly rolled over, then winced at my mother's yells from the other side of the door.