one-eighty

one

Death.

A word that held so much sorrow. A words that broke families apart. A word that always seemed to follow me around.

Six months after my mothers passing, my dad decided to tell me that we are making a spontaneous move to the beautiful and sunny, California.  When I asked why, he responded with, "Your grandmothers getting sick and I want to be there for her when she joins your mother. I don't know how long she has, so we're moving out there for at least a year"

Of course I was mad. I would be leaving the comfort of my childhood home, the last place my mother lived before she died, and all of my friends that helped me get through her passing. Now don't get me wrong, I love my grandmother to pieces, in fact I write her letters every week because she refuses to get a landline or a cell phone, but the last thing I want to be doing right now is moving half way across the country and having a "fresh start" as my dad liked to put it.

However, I have no input on the situation because I am still seventeen, so legally I can't live on my own. So that is why I am currently on a plane, flying from Boston to LAX. After we landed, my dad and I grabbed our luggage from baggage claim and proceeded to walk outside and wait for my Aunt and Uncle to pick us up. 

As soon as we took a step outside, I could feel the California heat and I immediately regretted my outfit choice. I was wearing ripped black skinny jeans, with my white hightops and an over-sized sweater.

Luckily we weren't outside for long because before I knew it, Aunt Kathryn and Uncle Steve pulled up in their black pick up truck.

"Charles! Emma!" Aunt Kathryn yelled while getting out of the truck. "It's so nice to see you! I haven't seen you since-since- well, the accident." She stated sadly. The accident was a tough subject for all of my family members, but I have tried my best to move pass it and focus on my future instead of dwelling on the past.

I moved to give Aunt Kathryn and Uncle Steve a hug, and afterwards my father began to greet his sister and his brother-in-law. We all jumped back into the truck and began the long journey. You see, my grandmother doesn't live in L.A., she's about 3 hours north where I will have no chance of seeing a celebrity randomly walking down the street. 

The excruciating drive consisted of small talk and catching up. I barely even said two words before I was knocked out from the jet lag. 

I was awoken by my father as he shook my shoulders calmly. "Honey, we're almost at your grandmothers" he said softly. I opened my eyes to see the beautiful house I had fallen in love with when I first saw it at the age of three. It was a huge white home with a porch that wrapped around the entire house. There was ten or so windows that ran along the front of the house, bordered by rustic gray shutters. The front door was a classic red, accompanied by two porch lights on either side, and the most adorable 'welcome' mat. This house was one that I always wished to live in, and for the next year, I actually get to.

I got out of the truck once Uncle Steve parked it in the pebble driveway, and my grandmother came running out of the house. "Emma! Oh, how I've missed you!" She said as she quickly made her way over to me.

"Grandma!" I said as a threw my arms around her and embraced her in the biggest hug I thought was possible. "Why aren't you inside resting? You shouldn't be out and about like this."

"Emma, dear, I was just diagnosed with skin cancer, not a brain tumor."  looked at her like she had three heads because after all, it was cancer! How can she so easily play it off like that when the doctors told her it was spreading!

After dinner I helped Grandma and Aunt Kathryn with the dishes. Afterward, they both showed me to my room which was the only one on the third floor, and then they went back downstairs. I opened the door and was surprised with what I saw. I was expecting a plain white room with a small bed. But that was definitely not what I found. In what was apparently my room, there was a queen sized bed clad in a white duvet, with what looked like at least 10 pillows. The walls were painted a dark gray, and there were tumblr-like Christmas lights. Hanging above the bed, there is a black and white mandala tapestry. There is a huge walk in closet and a full bathroom (that I will definitely take full advantage of) along with a white desk equipped with a lamp and some pencils for homework. Along with it, there was a little note that said,

We hope having the perfect room makes the transition a little more easier.

Lots of love, 

Aunt Kathryn and Grandma

I decide that I should do some unpacking, so I take out a few framed pictures of my friends and I  from back and scatter them in various places around the room. I take out my laptop and place it one the desk, and plug my phone charger into the wall and connect it to my phone. 

I start school tomorrow and decide to make it easier on myself in the morning so I take a shower. After I get out I throw on some pajamas that were in one of my suitcases since the rest of my stuff won't be here for another few days. Stupid moving process. I wash my face and brush my teeth, then climb into bed. I can't believe I'm going to a new school in the morning. I tried my hardest to fall asleep quickly, but it didn't work. I stayed awake for at least an hour after getting into bed, and finally drifted off around 11:30.

Let's see how this new school year treats me.