“Ms. Rivers. It is time for you to wake up. Get ready for school.”
“I don’t want to wake up.”
“Come on Ms. Rivers. You don’t want to miss your first day of school.”
“Fine, I’ll get up”
“Your clothes are on the chair and I will be back to do your hair.”
“Ok”
I got up and walked over to my closet that had my school clothes hanging on the door. My uniform was made out of cotton. We have a skirt and blouse. A blue and gold tie is added too I quickly put my school clothes on and I went to my bathroom to do my makeup. It was going to be my first day of 8th grade. I am not really that nevus about the first day of school.
I live in Sacramento California in a really big house. My mom and dad are rich. My dad a lawyer and my mom sells jewelry at a jewelry story. I have a little brother named Michael. He is starting 5th grade. He and I get along ok. We don’t fight like other brothers and sisters do that you see on TV. That lady who woke me up is my maid Kim. She has been my maid since I was born, and my name is Elizabeth. Beth is for short and I prefer it more. I am popular at my school. I don’t know how I became popular. Just have been since Kindergarten.
I was just getting my makeup on when Kim came in getting the curler ready. I wanted my hair to be curly. My hair is a little curly at the ends and it is chocolate brown. I have blue eyes. They are the color blue that is really deep blue. I am short for my age. I’m only 4’11. I don’t care really. I like being a little different. I get the shortness from my mother.
I went down stairs to get some breakfast. Michael was already eating some cereal. I had eggs waiting for me. Just ham and cheese eggs. After Michael and I were down eating we walked out to Charles our driver. Charles dropped off Michael and me at our school.
My friends are Lissa, Ansha, Jill, Marley, and Marnie. There are still a lot more, but they are my real friends. Jeremy is the hottest guy! He is the quarterback of the school football team. He has brown hair and a great body. We barley talk when it’s just us alone. This year is going to be the year he asks me out. I can just tell. Most of the football team hangs out with us girls. It’s really normal.
Well I got to my locker and it is right next to Jeremy’s. My locker is 809 and his is 808. My combination is 06-28-09. Almost the same as my birthday. They can’t have 92 on the combination. It doesn’t go that far. I was putting things in my locker when Jeremy started talking to me.
“Hey Beth, how was your summer?” Jeremy asked me. I was a little nerves.
“It was great. We went to see the family.”
“O. That’s cool. Look I got to get to my class. Talk to you later.”
“Bye.”
He is so cute, even though we don’t talk much to each other. But still you can’t say that he isn’t cute.
I walked to my first hour class. Found out that Lissa, Ansha and I had the same classes together. The day was really boring. All we did was hear about the classroom rules. But I guess there was one great thing that happened today. The great thing was being able to see everyone again.
I got home and Michael had his homework on his desk and he was just studying away. I just went to my room and started talking to my friends on msn messenger. Then out of the blues Jeremy calls. I jumped up and down screaming at the sight of his name on my phone. I was so happy. But once I calmed down I went and answered it.
“Hello?”
“Hey Beth, what are you doing Saturday night?”
“Nothing that I know of now. Why?”
“I was just wondering umm that you would hang out with me Saturday night. Like watch a movie or just do nothing. What ever you want. But if you don’t that’s all right with me.”
“No I would love to hang with you or what ever we will do.”
”Really! I mean your not jerking my chain or anything right?”
“No, I’m not. I want to really. I have been waiting for you to ask.”
”Well I did ask. So it’s a yes?”
“Yeah it’s a yes.”
“Great we can talk about it later in school. To figure out what we are going to do and everything. Sounds good to you?”
“Yeah it does. See you in school tomorrow.”
“Ok talk to you later. Bye.”
“Bye.”
After I hung the phone up I started spinning in circles. That was great! I thought he would never ask.
I ran downstairs for a snake and I saw mom sitting at the table with papers all over. She was on the phone. “Thank you so much Kate. We will be over around Sunday or something. I’ll just call you again when we are leaving ok. You don’t know how much this means to me. Ok bye.” Mom put the phone down and walked over to me. I was sitting at the breakfast bar.
“Who is Kate?” I asked.
“Honey your father and I have been having some problems and well, we are breaking up. We are moving to Montana. A little town I went to school once called Roadway. We are moving in with my old high school friend Kate Wilkins. She and her husband are letting us live with them. They have four kids. On is your age. His name is Charley. And here is Mary who is Michael’s age and then the twins are five, Clay and Preston. They live out on a farm. It is where I use to live.”
“But mom we can’t. I love living in California and all my friends and my soon to be boyfriend. No. This isn’t happening. It’s just a big bad dream right now. You and dad are fine. Everything is great.”
“No Beth. It’s over weather you like it or not. You are coming no matter what. That’s how it has to be. We are moving this Saturday in the morning. Kim will help you pack and since school started Wednesday, tomorrow you and Michael are checking out so we could move and pack faster ok.”
“Fine you can ruin my life forever.” I said in a snare kind of way.
“Elizabeth Lidea Rivers. That’s enough! I won’t take that attitude from you. I have to deal with enough right now and I don’t need a snotty teenager to top it off.” Mom was pissed now and I was happy because she is ending my life.
I ran back up to my room. I started crying. I really hate my mom now. I didn’t want to move away to a country place. Once I got into my room I saw Kim packing my things. I was really mad. I ran back downstairs and ran out side. I walked around the block and then just sat a bench at the park. I was crying really hard now. I couldn’t believe this. Why did this have to happen to me? How is my life supposed to get better in BFE? (Bummed Fucked Egypt)
After I was outside crying and thinking about everything. Knowing that there is no way for me to stay here in California, because my dad won’t do anything. He really hasn’t done much with our family but pay my brother and mines allowances for the week. So I decided to do what mom wanted and not fight it. How can my life get any worse now?
Once I got home it was supper time. I didn’t really feel like eating supper with my mom or Michael. So I just went upstairs. I guess I better start packing and get it over with. I didn’t answer any of my messages on my phone or computer. I was to mad and sad to tell them about anything.
I herd dad come home and herd him come up the stairs. I opened my door and I could see the top of the stairs and dad coming up. “Dad.” But dad didn’t stop or even look at me; he just kept on walking down the hallway and into his office. Like he always does. I was mad at him too. I looked at my floor still in the door way of my room. It was like the man I called dad wasn’t really my dad. He was just a stranger that walked by with out a care.
I went back into my room with most of it packed. That is all I did was pack because I didn’t want to leave my room. I had my stereo cranked up to help me not think about why I was packing. Just that I am packing up my room. That’s all I needed to know.
Mom came in before I fell asleep.
“Honey I know you still have your clothes to pack but only pick a few of them because we are going shopping that way we have the right types of clothing’s.”
“Yeah, fine.”
“Goodnight.”
I stayed up until 12:00am picking out my favorite clothes. Then I thought about since I was going out in the country I should pack my clothes that looked some what country. I only found three outfits. I thought that would be fine since we were going out shopping. But I also packed my favorite clothes that I would use if I ever decide to dress up for something out there.
Michael seemed fine about the move. I don’t know why he just doesn’t seem to care. I don’t get it. I don’t know where Michael got the easy going gene from. I sure as hell don’t have it.
Once I got to school all my friends were waiting for me. Well the once I mentioned before and they noticed I was sad.
“What is wrong?”
“I am moving to Montana.”
“Why?”
“My parents are braking up.”
“O that’s a bummer. Well since you are screwed I am going to ask Jeremy out.” Snared Ansha.
“What, you can’t!”
“Well you are moving to Montana so we won’t be hanging around you anymore. And there is nothing you can do about it when you’re in Montana. So there. Have fun with your shitty life now.”
“Why don’t you just go get another nose job. It might fix your face a bit better so that people don’t see that you’re a bitch right away.” I just walked away from her and all the rest of the girls that I thought were my friends. I was mad at her and well all of them. I felt alone.
Jeremy came by his locker to get his books for the first hour. He closed his locker door and turned to me.
“Hey Beth, so I was thinking what we should do on Saturday.”
“Umm Jeremy you should find something else to do.”
“Why. I thought we were going on a date?”
“Well I will be moving across the state on Saturday.”
“What do you mean?”
“I am moving to Montana. My parents are braking up.”
“O I am sorry. Well couldn’t we just have a long distance relationship? You see people do that all the time. It works for them.”
“No we can’t Jeremy. If we haven’t even gone out then what is the point starting something when we can’t see each other?”
“O I see.” He had a sad look on his face. I went up to him and kissed him on the check and gave him a hug. “I am sorry that it has to be this way. Good-bye Jeremy.”
“But Beth I don’t want to never see you again. I don’t want to say good-bye.”
“Well your going to have to. I don’t want it to be this way, but it’s for the best.”
“Ok if you say so. But I don’t see the best in this.”
“I know.” We both kept on hugging each other until the first bell rang.
“Jeremy you have to go. This is good-bye right now. So say it even though you don’t want to. Just for me please. Just say good-bye Beth.”
He didn’t let go of me. He just held me tighter. Then he gave me a quick kiss on my lips and whispered into my ear.
“I won’t forget you Beth. Good-bye.” He let go of me and just walked away to his class. I didn’t want him to let go of me. And that kiss. I now know what it felt like to kiss Jeremy Night. I turned around and watched him walk down the hallway that was slowly getting quieter. He opened the door to the class and looked back at me and smiled then disappeared into the crowded class room.
I handed in all my books and Ansha moved into my locker right after I signed out of it. I couldn’t believe her. But I am glad I don’t have to be here to see her hit on Jeremy.
I walked outside the school and looked at it once more. For this would be the last time I would be at this school. Charles picked me up and took me to the mall where I met with Mom and Michael. Michael looked like he was pumped about the movie. I got some boots, a cowboy hat and some jeans and shirts, tank tops, and bigger button up shirts to go over my tank tops. Michael got some of the same stuff like the boots, the hat, and button up shirts, jeans, and belts.
Once we got home the Uhail trailer was hooked up to the car mom was taking. We where pretty much packed. And mom got us ready to go to Montana. I had a backpack full of CD’s and magazines to read on the way there. Michael and I said good bye to Kim. Then we went up to dads office to say good bye. He let us in for the first time ever. Michael went and hugged him. Dad didn’t hug him back. He just patted him on the head. I guess Michael didn’t realize that his father was being an ass. But I think it was the best for Michael to not notice. For what I saw he was now just a stranger. Not my dad.
Michael went out of the office and down to the car. I just stared at the stranger and thought real hard what I should say.
“Well George, its good-bye. It was nice knowing when ever you were out of this office.”
“Elizabeth, don’t say George. I am your father. You call me your dad. You hear.”
“No George my father would have been there for my brother and I when mom told us that we aren’t living here. My father would have hugged us when he got home. Would noticed that I called your name last night when you got home, but all you did was just walk on by and closed us out of your life. My dad would have tried to keep us here but no. The man that says he is my father is just a stranger to me. You’re not my dad; you’re the stranger that lives here named George.” My once father just looked down at the floor, knowing that he just got told that he screwed the hell up for the first time in his life.
“I am leaving.” I started walking out the door when George said something.
“Wait, Elizabeth.”
“What? Are you going to say something that will bring back the dad that Michael and I needed for the past five years?” he just looked away and I walked out of the room. I herd him say my name again but I just slammed the door. So he can know what it felt like what he did to me last night.
I was in the back seat of the car and turned up my head phones. And we drove off. We drove all day until it was getting dark and then we went to Burger King for supper. My first fast food restraint. I got the fish sandwich, and a small cup of water. I didn’t really like it but mom and Michael loved it. I didn’t want them to see me bummed.
That night Michael and I fell asleep in the car and mom just kept on driving. She would drive though all of Nevada. When Michael and I woke up we were in the beginning of Idaho. We stopped at a restraint. It was good. Better than the Burger King last night. By the end of the day we would be in Montana. It was boring the whole day, stopping at fast food restraints and seeing Mountains. Soon we stopped in Bolder and slept in Supper 8. Mom needed a rest and it felt good to move around and sleep in a bed instead of a car seat. Plus mom drove across Nevada and all of Idaho. She has to be pooped out by now.
We woke up a little late. Hell we slept the whole night. It was about 10:00 when we all woke up. I took a shower and put on one of my new outfits so I didn’t look like a foul in front of them. Mom’s friend was really nice from what I herd. Kate and Mom both look good in there year book. Mom was so happy about us moving with in with Kate. But she was also nerves. She was walking all over the hotel room trying to find her brush then wasn’t sure if this looked good on her or not. Then I just walked up to her and told her to calm down. Everything is going to be ok. Mom hasn’t seen Kate in over 15 years. But they always sent letters to each other and things.
We got back into the car and started heading towards Kate and her husband Jake cub’s house. They lived in a little town past Billings. It’s not on the map. I tried finding out about the place in the hotel on my computer and you didn’t see it on the map. Once we got to billings witch just took a few hours to get there, Mom called Kate telling her that we were almost there.
We arrived at Roadway. We drove through the town that mostly has hotels. We started passing a small school and some small town housing. Then before you know it, we were out of the town and into the country. We where passing cows and ten more cows. Then we turned to the right and followed up a dirt drive way. Dogs came running towards the car. Mom was laughing at the sight of them. I felt a little happy seeing mom laughing.
