Pieces of Untold Stories

Mountains

Mia stared out the car window, watching as each drop of rain collided with the glass. Tiny droplets joined with the others surrounding it, and together they created a larger raindrop. Two more small drops joined in, and the droplet grew too heavy to sit still. Down it slid, weaving a trail of water through the other raindrops until it reached the bottom of the window.

Then it disappeared.

Mia watched the process repeat again and again, and she counted how many times the raindrops fell. She would do anything to keep her mind off of the people she was leaving behind. The miles slowly rolled by as the rain streaked down her window, but not even her mindless activity could keep her from thinking about the one thing she loved most.

She leaned toward the window and breathed on it, creating a foggy barrier between her and the outside world. She lifted a trembling hand and drew the outline of mountains, the same ones she'd woken up to for all seventeen years of her life. Her heart ached for those mountains at the mere sight of her drawing.

Mia dropped back into her seat and let out a sigh. If it were up to her, she would have never left. Mia would have moved into the mountains themselves before she ever chose to leave them.

Her mother's blue eyes appeared in the rearview mirror, and she raised her eyebrows.

"I know what you're going to say, and it won't make a difference," Mia said before her mom could speak.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart."

"Sorry doesn't take me back to Boulder."

"I promise I'm only doing what is best for us."

"Best for you, you mean." Mia looked away from her mom and returned her gaze to the raindrop covered window. "Staying in Boulder is what is best for me."

Mia's mother, Sandra, had accepted a job in Atlanta with a Fortune 500 company. Mia had lost track of how many times her mother had told her that the new job was going to be what was best for them. Give them a better life. Mia huffed and rolled her eyes. Tearing her away from everything she knew and loved was not what was best for her.

"I know it's hard leaving Jonathan and your other friends, but just think about all the great technology we have that allows you to keep in touch." Her mom turned on her blinker and brought the car to a halt at a stop sign. She glanced up in the mirror again. "You can Skype with Jonathan every evening after school if you want to."

Mia sank farther down in the back seat so that her mother couldn't see the tears forming in her eyes. "That's not the same, and you know it."

Mia's mother turned the car onto the next street, and the twinkling lights of a dozen grounded airplanes filled the windshield. Mia's stomach twisted as her mom drove them ever closer to the Denver Airport. As soon as she stepped onto the plane, there was no coming back. Her mom might have tried to convince her that they would come back and visit for a week during the summer, but Mia saw through that lie. Her mother hadn't taken any vacation time since Mia was six, right before her father left.

Mia's mom pulled the car up to the rental car drop off and got out of the car. She started unloading what few belongings they had, but Mia didn't move. She crossed her arms and remained in the backseat with her seatbelt still buckled. Her mom wasn't the only one who could be difficult.

"Come on, Mia," her mom called from outside.

Mia didn't acknowledge her. Instead, she pulled out her phone and checked her notifications.

Empty.

Mia's twisted stomach tightened, and her fist clenched around her phone at the sight of the blank screen. Not a single friend had contacted her since she announced her. No well wishes, no miss yous, no goodbyes. Mia turned off her phone and tossed it across the seat. What good were friends if they abandoned you at the first sight of difficult? As much as she hated leaving, Mia had thought she and her friends could still talk after she moved away. Instead, they acted as if she was already gone during their last week of school together.