Saturday Morning

7:30 am

Grants, New Mexico

My bedroom

this is isn't fair. Those were the first thoughts my mind processed as I woke from my restless slumber. I'd spent the night before packing the last of my things. There was no question in my mind of attempting some sort of futile resistance toward my mother. Her mind was set, the house had already been bought, and I had to agree to whatever she said. My brother didn't mind, but then again he was only seven, and he only understood so much.

I was angry with my mom, for making me leave my friends and my home. I'd been moving ever since I was 6 years old. We might stay in a place for about 3-4 years, but then it was on again with the moving. I'm seventeen now, with long black hair, a light tan complexion, big brown eyes, and small lips. To say the least, I'm half native American, and Hispanic. My grandmother lives on the Shiprock Navajo reservation miles from here. My mom goes there for a month or so to visit her. She went longer this time, because my mom was writing a column on her heritage for the newspaper company she was transferring to in Oregon. My grandmother was the only closest relative I had. They all lived in different states. My mom is one out of 5 children, so both of my uncles live in New York City, My Aunt Kesare lived in Los Angeles and both my other aunts Ava and Luz lived together in a small house in New Hampshire.

Thoughts concerning my anger and my family were drowned out by the sound of my mom yelling my name. I had just realized I was still in bed, and sure enough my mom yelled, "MINA!, Its 7:50, you have an hour and ten minutes to get down here before the movers get here and we have to leave!" I groaned loudly and threw myself back onto my bed. My room was empty, except for my bed and the one sheet I used to cover myself last night. It was still summer, the last week of august was almost over and I had to leave. All of this was contemplated in my head, as I dragged myself towards my now empty shower. I had, of course, left out the clothes I would wear today: a towel, my laptop, and my back pack, where my pajamas and travel kit would go once I was ready. I brushed my teeth quickly and thoroughly, hopped in the shower and let the nice cool water calm me down before I had to face the glooming move that awaited me. About a half-hour later, I was packed and ready. My bed sheet and pajamas were folded neatly into my backpack, along with my laptop. I had to smooth out the wrinkles in my favorite blue t-shirt and fold the bottom of my skinny jeans once to make everything look right. I was wearing my favorite pair of white hi-top converses and my long hair was tied up into a neat ponytail with my bangs hanging just above my eyes. With a huge sigh, I turned to look at the room I cherished for so long. I had lived in Grants for 5 years, I had hoped it would be my permanent residence, but I was proved wrong once again by my mother. It felt so empty, so plain. I picked up my cell phone from the nightstand, and with all the strength I had, I walked out of my room, closing the door behind me.

Saturday Morning

8:35 am

Grants, New Mexico

My kitchen

As usual, my mom was already in the kitchen fussing over my brother Adam. He could never learn to just sit still and eat, and she tried her best to dry the stain of orange juice on his shirt. When she finally considered the crisis taken care of, she turned to me and said, "Mina, there's some McDonalds on the table and orange juice in the fridge. You all set?" I looked at her calmly and said, "Yes, I'm ready for you to move me away a thousand miles mother." She rolled her eyes at and dismissed my cheeky remark. I never got into any arguments with my mom, she was an easy person to talk to, but she knew i never liked moving at all. I put my backpack on the floor, and reached for the bag that was labeled MINA. I pulled out a sausage, egg and cheese McMuffin from the bag, and a hash brown. I took a bite from the sandwich and I realized how hungry I was. My brother was off somewhere playing with action figures. He never left anywhere without those. I finished my breakfast and threw my trash away in the small grocery bag my mom had left out. I could hear my mom rummaging through her bags in the living room, probably trying to find the blackberry phone she adored so much. I heard her say "yes!" so I assumed she's found it. She came back into the kitchen, while I was still there texting my best friend Angela. We were both very upset about my having to move:

Angela:

i dnt want u 2 leave! wat am i gunna do without u?

Me:

i dnt wanna go eithr, but my mom is impossible

Angela:

wat if we faked u gettin kidnapped or sumthin?

Me:

if i didnt mean we'd go 2 jail if we got caught, i'd do it in a heartbeat. anythin to stay here.

Angela:

i'm gunna miss u biffle

Me:

me 2

Angela:

promise meh u wont get anuthr biffle up there? lol

Me:

of course not, ur my BFF....but wut if I just had a best friend? I dont wanna b lonely the whole time there.

Angela:

in this case, I will allow it lol

Me:

ugh. i gots to go. The movers r gunna b here soon.im gunna MISS U biffle! LUV U ALWAYS!

Angela:

Me too. Have a safe flight, call me or sumthin as soon as ur settled. i luv u too loca

Angela wouldn't be able to come to my house and say goodbye, because she had cheerleading practice today. I knew I would miss her terribly, she was like a sister to me. I contemplated all the friends I would be leaving, and the friends, if any, that I would make at Grant High. I looked down at my cell phone to check the time, and sure enough, 9 0 am. It was time for me to leave my home. I was sad, and yet there was more than one feeling dawning on me. I was nervous and excited and upset. My stomach tied itself in knots. And I was glad I had eaten my breakfast. Within the next 5 minutes, the movers arrived. I walked around my house while my mom was talking to the men outside, and I took in the smell of the Febreze spray my mom used all over the house. Every room seemed to confirm the emptiness inside me. I was leaving my beloved home, school, and friends. It all seemed to hit me like a car crash then, and my eyes stung and burned as the tears welled up. I rushed past the movers and my mom into the car. I locked the doors and allowed the tears to flow freely down my face. My mom and my brother came to the car after I had wiped my tears and applied some eye make-up to my face to hide the red eyes. My mom turned the car on and pulled slowly out of the driveway. I turned for one last look at my house, and then, for my own closure at least, I whispered so only I could hear, Goodbye.

Saturday Afternoon

12:30 p.m.

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Albuquerque International Airport

When is this going to end? I'd been sitting in this seat for the past half hour. My iPOD was the only thing keeping me sane. I still couldn't believe that we were going to be leaving New Mexico. I figured I probably wouldn't until the plane left the ground. My stomach wasn't in knots anymore. I figured I didn't have any insides anymore. Every part of me was numb. My mom would not get off the hook so easy when we arrived at our new home. There was an awkward part to the whole situation. My dad lived in Portland, with his new girlfriend, Betsy. So my mom had grudgingly decided to let me and my brother stay over at their house on certain weekends and holidays. I was thankful, because I hardly ever saw my dad, and I missed him a lot. Although my mother was neurotic and compulsive sometimes, I still loved her. But the idea of living with my father until I graduated high school was a more bearable than this. Sure enough, while I was thinking about all of this, I snapped back to my impossible reality and realized that it was time for us to board the plane. My mom had dozed off temporarily, as had my brother. But the intercom had woken them up and I walked over to my mom and said, 'We should head the gate now mom, they're going to start calling second class.' 'Thanks Hun, make sure Adam grabs his backpack and his transformer, this move will be easier without having to hear him cry about losing his toys.' For the first time since I woke up I smiled. 'Sure mom.' Somehow I was beginning to feel better. Maybe this move would be a lot easier if I tried to lighten up a bit. Moving wouldn't be so bad, I mean I could create some new identity for myself. But I thought otherwise, I had neither the mental capacity nor the time to do all that work. I laughed to myself. My mom caught me giggling and said, 'Well, it's nice to see you lighten up Damina. Moving wont be so bad. And this time I promise, this house will be the one where I grow old in.' I smiled wide and gave her a hug. There was something in that promise that seemed real. I was sad about leaving Angela behind, but I promised myself to come and visit her whenever I could.

We were already inside the plane when my cell phone started vibrating in my pocket. I couldn't answer it at that moment. My mother was trying to get Adam into his seat, and having a little trouble. I was trying to put the carry-on luggage in the compartment above us, and after a little fidgeting with it, it fit. I plopped my self down into my seat, the one right next to the aisle. I figured it would come in handy if I had to use the bathroom. I pulled my cell phone from my pocket. It was Angela, she wished me good luck, and said that she would miss me. She told me to call her later. I promised I would. Then I sat back in my seat. I put my headphones in my ears, and played my favorite song Lifeline-Angels and Airwaves. I slowly felt the plane start moving and I fell more and more asleep, as darkness clouded my mind, I said my goodbye to New Mexico. Somehow, I had a feeling that something good was going to happen in Oregon.

Saturday Evening

9:15 p.m.

Portland Oregon

Portland International Airport

Finally. We arrived in Portland about 5 minutes ago. And it was fairly warm. I put my gray sweater on over my t-shirt, because there was a little breeze. We waited for the taxi to pull up to the sidewalk, and I hopped in the bad with my brother while my mom helped the driver with the two suitcases we had brought. My brother looked up at me and said, 'Mina, do you think I can make friends here?' 'Of course you will Junior. (My brother was named after my dad) The kids here will be nice to you I promise.' I hated giving my brother a false sense of security, the truth was, Adam had asked the same question I had been asking myself. But he was a kid, he didn't know better. I did, I just didn't know whether the kids here were like my friends back home. I pushed the thought aside, figuring I would find out eventually. My mom had hopped into the car when I turned to look back. There were about 3 cars behind us, so we drove off. My mom was talking with the driver the whole way there about how we were moving here and such. I put my head against the window and watched the rain drops start falling on the window.

It was about a 20 minute drive to our house. When we pulled up, I was amazed at how big the house seemed compared to the one back in New Mexico. It was a gray house, with white window panes framing the outside. We had a small porch out front, and a sun room that lead into the house. I walked up to the house and stood in front of it. I was lost in my own thoughts when my brother jumped up behind me and scared the living crap out of me. 'Adam! That was not funny. You're trying to get me to have a heart attack' I started laughing and he did too. My mom had already gone inside, and I threatened Adam that I would get him, so we both ran into the house. I had to stop, almost abruptly when I entered the house. There was a beautiful chandelier hanging from the ceiling in the entrance. There was an elegant staircase with a shiny wood polished railing. From where I was standing, the living room was in the room next to the staircase, and the kitchen was a little ahead. There was a room on the opposite side of the staircase and the living room, and I assumed it was the dining room. I guessed that upstairs was my room so I yelled to mom that I was upstairs if she needed me. The movers had already brought all the furniture inside and I opened to the first door on the left. There was a medium sized hallway and I liked the feel of it. I walked into my room, and I loved what I saw.

It was a big room. The walls were painted a creamy tan color. And the wood floors below were polished so much that I could see my own reflection when I looked down. At the other end of the room, there my very own walk in closet, with a shoe rack that I figured would hold my collection of Converses and flats. I smiled and walked out, in complete awe of what I just witnessed. I put my bag down on my bed, and walked over to my very own bathroom, just like I had before in New Mexico. I had to sit down for a while. I couldn't believe that this was MY house now. It would take some time getting used to I'll admit.

I started unpacking my things, when I heard someone coming up the stairs. Of course, it was my mom. 'How do you like your room Mina?' 'Its great mom, I love it. I guess you were right when you said this whole thing wasn't as bad as it seemed. I'm just going to miss everyone in Grants, especially grandma.' My mom sat down on my bed and brushed her jet black bangs away from her eyes. My mom was young for her age, seeing as she had me when she was 18. She says dad and her were both in love. I believe them, thought I don't really understand it much. 'Mina, things are going to change for the better. I'm going to making a lot more money with this new job, and you'll get to spend time with your father'and'(it pained her to say the name)Betsy.' I laughed and so did she, she got up from my bed as soon as Adam came running in, 'Mommy, I'm really hungry! What's for dinner?' 'well, I'm not going grocery shopping til tomorrow, so I'm thinking Chinese?' Adam and I simultaneously said 'Yes!' and my mom and Adam left my room. I had unpacked almost all my stuff. My bed was made, my clothes and shoes were all in the closet, and my drawer and night table were all setup as well. I heard the doorbell ring downstairs and my brother yell, 'Food!' so I put the last three unpacked boxes in a corner near my bed, and sat down on my bed to get my laptop out of my bag. I plugged it into the wall. Then I went downstairs to get some yummy Chinese food.

After dinner, I was upstairs talking to Angela online. I was telling her everything about my house and the neighborhood. I felt a like a sports caster, announcing a play by play of my entire day. I heard a soft knock on my door, and said, 'Come in' it was my mom. 'Mina, I wanted to tell you that tomorrow, you'll be starting school tomorrow. Grant High School, it's a nice school, I did some research before I signed you up. Its only a ten minute drive from here. But since you've already got your license, it'll be a little easier for you.' I was dreading starting school tomorrow. I knew no one there, and I had no idea what to expect. 'Thanks, for the update mom. I will admit, I am a little scared. But I guess we'll just see what happens.' My mom smiled, 'That's my girl, I want lights out in 15 mins. So wrap up your little conversation with Angela. I love you spunky.' Spunky was the nickname my mother had given me since I was a kid, right after Mina. She was walking out the door when I called out behind her, 'Love you mom.' So I hurried to explain to Angela about school the next day and told her that I missed her and loved her. It was already midnight when I finally shut my bedside lamp off, and snuggled underneath my covers. I thought about Grants, about Portland and about my new life here. It was finally the darkness that dragged away all my problems, and finally, I was asleep.