Have patience, readers. The first couple of chapters are just filling you in on some background information. :)
____________________________
"Guys, come here! I have an announcement!" I heard my dad shout from the living room. Not really wanting to get up, with a frustrated groan, I very lazily pulled my earbuds out and set my iPod onto my nightstand. The sun gazed through my open window and nearly blinded me as I pulled myself out of bed and scooted into the living room.
The family had all gathered: my mom, my dad, my little sister and brother. It was early in the morning. Maybe seven? And me, not being an early bird, slouched onto the leather couch in our living room and laid my head back on the arm rest.
The others had found themselves seats also, my siblings on the floor, my mom sitting on a matching black leather chair, and my dad... well, actually my dad was standing with a broad smile on his face. But peering through that, I could see what looked liked apprehension in his eyes.
Oh, great.
My sister, Lilly, sat in her pink Disney princess pajamas, rubbing her tired eyes while her blonde hair shot out in an unusual manner. My brother Daniel's hair was just as matted but he looked more awake than Lilly, sitting in his ninja turtle pajamas.
They both crossed their legs and slouched over their laps like all bored little children did, and yawned loudly enough to emphasize their drowsiness.
"Can we go back to bed?" Lilly complained, followed by an agreeing groan from Daniel. Mom gave them that "be respectful" look and shook her head slowly.
"No, your father has something very important to tell us and we all need to be here," she said. But even I could hear how tired she was. Her blonde hair looked like it had been quickly brushed and there was the faint droop of her eyelids that told me she had been arose unexpectedly too.
"Bella can you sit up, please! Show some manners!" she snapped, turning her attention on me. I knew her grouchiness was only because she had gotten up so early, which was something she didn't normally do on the weekends, especially Saturday. So I obeyed and groggily pulled myself up to a sitting position, only to lean my head on the back of the couch.
This time, she didn't bother to correct my actions and turned smiling to my dad. "Honey, you were saying?"
My dad glanced from me to her and back at me again before rubbing his hands together excitedly.
"Okay," he began, "You know that job I got down at that executive office, right?" My mom was the only one who nodded. "Well, my boss called me into his office the other day and told me he had a special offer..."
Mom's face lit up with what seemed like fake excitement as she tried to hide her complete boredom and sleepiness. But my siblings and I just kept our nonchalant poker faces, not caring whether or not we got in trouble for being rude.
"Really?!" Mom exclaimed. "What kind of offer?" Still, the tiredness in her voice remained, although she did seem a little more interested in what my dad had to say.
Dad looked over at Lilly and Daniel, his eyes glistening. "He gave me a promotion! I'm now the CEO of the medical research we're doing down at the labs!" Mom squealed and clapped her hands together like a overly excited school girl who just got a date to the prom.
Me, I just smiled respectfully at my dad and mumbled a quick "congratulations" that seemed to satisfy him enough. I was never interested in his work anyway, whatever it was. All I knew was he worked as some kind of medical scientist and right now his company was working on some type of drug that could possibly help cancer... or tumors. I didn't really know. And I didn't really care.
Daniel and Lilly didn't say anything since they were still half asleep and barely paying attention. Mom and Dad ignored them as Dad shot a quick glance at me. His broad smile suddenly weakened to a half smile, half frown which meant something was definitely wrong.
And that something was going to affect me.
Dad scratched the back of his head awkwardly, flashing me a hesitant look before laughing weakly. "There's just one condition," he said.
There was a sudden tension in the room between me and him, maybe my mom too. But my dad and I didn't break eye contact, neither one of us dared to breathe.
For some reason, I already had a hunch of what he was going to say.
"In order for me to keep the job, we'll have to move down to Houston, where they have the more advanced labs," he finally admitted.
Looks like I was right. But even guessing it before he said it didn't make it hurt less. My chest tightened at his words, my stomach becoming an empty pit. I tried to breathe again but the air was lodged in the back of my throat.
"We can't!" I yelled. "This is our home! It was grandma's home! Even her mom's home! What're you gonna do? Sell the house to some random stranger?!"
He flinched at my words and frowned completely, sitting down beside me on the couch.
Daniel and Lilly were fully awake now.
"Honey," he said soothingly, placing a hand over mine. I snatched back and scooted over to the far end of the couch with anger boiling up inside me.
"Don't 'honey' me."
Him and Mom exchanged guilty looks which meant they knew this would be my reaction.
"Bella... this a good thing. Being CEO also gives me a raise on my paycheck. I could give you money to go to the mall or go out with your friends or-"
"Last time I checked, I didn't have any friends in Texas, Dad," I snapped harshly, trying to relax my twitching fingers. "And I've never been a big shopper."
He sat speechless for awhile, probably trying to figure out how to convince me this was the best thing in the world. But I didn't care. This was our home. It still stood from when my great-grandmother first had it built; and it's been remodeled every time a new generation moved in and took over. It was a family house, literally. I loved it here, I loved Boston. My grandmother was dead now but I'm sure she wouldn't like my dad selling it either. And I planned to grant her her wish and keep this house apart of our family.
"Are we really moving, Mommy?" Lilly asked meekly, seeing my angry face as I glared at my father.
Mom tried to answer but I cut her off. "No. We're not." My voice was bold and furious and my statement was said with confidence. Dad wasn't going to convince me to move. Our life was just fine the way it was; there was no need for change.
All eyes were on me now, something I didn't really like, but I'd asked for it. I could already hear the scolding Mom would be giving me later for talking back with an attitude. She was already giving me that warning glare: eyes wide, forehead stretched, lips pursed.
"Young lady, I suggest you straighten up that attitude of yours. Your father said we're moving and that's final. We could really use the money and there's nothing you can do to change his... our mind," she chastised, already giving me a piece of it. "Now apologize."
Dad's look didn't change from sympathy and guilt. I could tell he was trying to be considerate of my feelings but if he were really trying, we wouldn't be moving to the south.
I couldn't imagine wearing cowboy boots and herding cattle. Stereotype, I know, but that's all I could picture when thinking about Texas. I heard it was hot there and it normally stayed like that year around. That was also something I didn't like.
"I'm not apologizing," I said to my mother, although I also felt like punching myself for even opening my mouth. If my siblings weren't here, she'd slapped me hard enough to leave a mark that would last for a good three days or so. Manners were always the number one rule in our house.
But she didn't (thank you Lilly and Daniel). I just received that menacing glare for a good minute or two as Dad continued to ramble on about how us moving was a good thing.
About how leaving our home was a good thing.
The whole time I was secretly wishing my siblings would say something that could possibly help change my parents' minds. Maybe it would be better than just me rebelling. But nope, they had their mouths clamped shut and just watched with curiosity of how this argument would end and who would prevail as the winner.
And right now, it looked like my parents were in the lead.