บท 1: NEW BEGINNING
Today being a beautiful Sunday morning, I woke up rather sore and weary, not totally excited about any activity of the day. I lay down on my bed without any movements except my eyes wandering around it's socket trying to get use to the dark room. Suddenly, I heard a knock on my door. Along with it, came a little voice calling out my name.
"Sydney, Sydney." The voice was persistent.
Knowing who it was, I totally ignored it. A knock came again followed by the turning of the door knob.
"Ugh!" I screamed in my head. Why can't my kid sister let me be?
"How can you stay in a dark room?" I heard her ask before opening the curtains in one swift movement.
Sun rays quickly filled my room blinding my eyes. I turned to my side using the blanket to cover my head. Why did she have to come into my room? I felt the bed sinking in under her weight.
"Sydney," she called again while shaking me.
I mumbled a reply and she continued, "mum said you should get dressed and come down for breakfast. We are going to church." She finished in one full swing.
I turned towards her peeking out from the blanket. "What church?" I asked in a sleepy voice.
"The big church we saw yesterday on our way here," she replied.
My mouth formed an 'o' recalling the large church.
"And before I forget, she also said you should be quick and wear something nice since it's our first day there," she added.
I only nodded. She got down from the bed and turned to leave. Just then, I noticed her pink gown with a big bow by the side. She looked gorgeous.
Once the door closed, I hurriedly stood up, made my bed before slipping out of my yellow pyjamas and heading straight to the bathroom.
When I came down, mum had already finished setting up the table while Isabel was struggling with her pink hairpin. I took a good look at the large living room from where I stood and I drew to a conclusion that it was a total mess with unpacked boxes scattered all over the place.
After having breakfast, mum drove us to church. Church was quite interesting because the pastor was a good mentor and he was also funny. I must say, the people at this new church tend to dress lavishly. Their styles of clothing was top notch. I found myself gazing amazingly at everyone. Thank God mum had earlier told us to look our best and we didn't fall out place.
While looking around, a boy, just about my age caught my attention. He was busy chewing gum and I guess listening to music with his headphone on his ear. How mannerless of him! Suddenly, he turned towards me and our eyes locked. I signalled to him to remove his headset while muttering the words, "listen to the preaching" to him. He smirked and turned away ignoring me. Oh Lord, How rude! I turned away deciding to mind my own business.
After church service, we drove home. We ate lunch and then decided to arrange the house. During the course of unpacking, mum gave us instructions on where to put each household items. As I kept the vase on the table near the cushion, I heard mum say.
"Isn't the people at the church so nice. They all welcomed us warmly including the pastor." I could hear the glee in her voice.
"The pastor was so funny and everyone dressed so nice," Isabel added.
They both turned to me, waiting for my own contribution to the conversation but I just kept mute.
Mum spoke up, "Syd, thought we already talked about this. Why are you still making it look as if adjusting to this place is really that hard? You have been so quiet since we moved into this place. This isn't you."
"I'm taking my time to get used to the place, mum. This is nothing like our former home, everything is just different. I still don't see the reason of us coming here by the way." I answered sharply.
Immediately those words left my mouth, I regretted saying them. Well looking back, I totally don't regret it and so I added.
"I don't like it here and I will never like it here," I shouted at her.
Mum was a little bit taken aback but she replied back with the same force.
"Whether or not you like it here, we are never going back to our former house. It's high time you start seeing this place as our new home were we would live forever. Besides, I have enrolled you two in a bigger and better school. I'm keeping my promise of making this place more comfortable than our former home."
"Wow, a big school! I love it," Isabel exclaimed excitedly before picking up her french doll, Cherish.
"Even Isabel is happy so why can't you be?" Mum asked pleadingly.
I stubbornly continued, "I can't be happy, mum. Nothing will ever replace our former home." Tears began rolling down my cheeks.
"Sydney, stop this. You have to learn to accept this place. I know this is hard on you but we're not going back and that is final," she said sternly.
"But mum..." I tried arguing again but she stopped me.
"That's enough, not another word from you," she rebuffed sternly.
I ran up to my room banging the door hard. Why was she so hard to reason with? I flopped into my bed and closed my eyes, recalling the last argument we had before moving into this place.
On that particular day, mum came back from work looking so sad and tired.
"Sydney," she called my name dragging my attention from the kitchen to the living room.
"Yes mum," I answered rushing out to greet her. I saw her flop into the sofa.
She looked up at me with tired eyes and said, "sit down here, Syd. I have something important to tell you." She patted beside her.
"Before I sit, I will quickly get you a glass of cold water, mum." Before she could say anything, I was in and out from the kitchen, with a glass of cold water in my hand. She gulped it down all at once and kept the glass on the side table.
I looked at her tired face and made a mental note that she needs to rest.
"Mum, why don't you rest for a while. We can talk later since you looked so tired," I suggested.
She firmly shook her head declining. "Don't worry about me, I need to tell you this right now."
Seeing how serious it was, I sat down beside her. "Okay mum, what is it that can't wait until later?" I asked playfully.
She held my hands. "Syd, please don't take this the wrong way. I so hope you will agree with my decision."
I just stared at her serious face, what was she going to say?
She continued, "I found a new house for us to stay and would like us to move there." She finally dropped the bomb.
I let out a sign of relieve and then gave her a big smile. I was thinking it was something serious.
"Well mum, that's great!" I exclaimed in excitement. "I can't wait to show Lisa and Diamond the new house."
Lisa and Diamond are my best friends. The news was really thrilling and so I couldn't hide my happiness.
Amidst my excited scream, I saw mum's confused face.
"Syd, that's not what I meant," she said in a sad tone. "We are relocating to another city." She finally dropped the main bomb.
What did I just hear her say? I hope she is joking.
"Mum, you are not serious right?" I asked just to be sure.
"I am Syd. I'm really serious. We are relocating." She confirmed my fears.
My world came crashing down immediately those words left her mouth. I found my hands shaking. No, that can't be possibly true. Someone should wake me up from this nightmare.
"Mum, when did you come to this decision?" I asked trying very hard to keep my calm demeanor in check.
"Just recently, Syd," she answered calmly.
"And you didn't bother to involve me and Isabel," I screamed at her as hot tears came falling down my eyes.
"Syd, I came to this conclusion because is beneficial to you and Isabel. I can't make a decision that would hurt the both of you. Please, you have to understand me." She squeezed my hands pleadingly.
I angrily jerked her hands off and stood up. "Sorry mum but I don't see myself accepting that decision of yours," I truthfully told her.
"Syd, I promise to make our new place much more comfortable, a place worth living."
I scoffed and forcefully wiped my tears but it was still pouring down. Does she even think that's important?
"I made sure is bigger than this place. You will love it," She continued adamantly.
I looked at her in disbelief. "Who cares if it is bigger? Mum, I can't leave this house, my best friends, my school, my life and move to a strange place." I was crying profusely now.
"That's enough, Syd. You can communicate with them and you will make new friends. I enrolled you two in a new school. Besides with time, you will get used to everything so stop acting as if we sre going to live in a desert," she shouted at me.
I sniffed, trying hard without success to control my tears.
"Please mum, we don't have to move. Let's just stay here," I pleaded with her.
"I'm sorry Syd, but we are moving. I promise you will like it there," she said without no resolve.
It's really hard changing mum's mind when is already made up so found no use in pleading further. Instead, I asked, "okay then, when are we moving?"
"This house has already been bought and the new owners will move in anytime from now so we have less than twenty-four hours to move out."
Hearing this, sent a new wave of anger through me.
"What! Less than twenty-four hours? Not even enough time to get over the news or even say goodbye." I turned by back towards her. "You can leave without me, mum." I ran to my bedroom and shut the door.
I still found myself parking after saying all this. My best friends and I said our goodbyes with tears all over our faces. Isabel on the other hand loved the idea. She was still a kid, so I won't blame her. When we arrived at our new home, I noticed that none of the neighbors cared to welcome us. They all had a good way of minding their own business which was totally different than our formal place.
When evening came, I didn't bother going down for dinner although mum and Isabel called and called but I ignored them. I stayed up in my room listening to the music on my smartphone till I slept off. I got a whole new day waiting for me tomorrow.
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