After unpacking for hours my room was a mess, I had clothes all over the floor and boxes everywhere, “Looks like a tornado just destroyed your room.” My mom said glazing at the mess on my floor. “I know right, it took everything apart,” I answered, “when I’m done cleaning we can head to IKEA.” “Yeah sweety, take your time it’s still early, and trust me my room still needs some cleaning, looks like a hurricane ran around in there.” We both laughed.
Once I put all my clothes in order and organized the boxes I just sat there, in my room, empty, alone, thinking. I thought about the girl, my dream, those names. Was that the girl I was calling for, why her? I kept trying to forget about that dream. All I remembered was that I was in a dark room, I was standing there, almost paralyzed, deep inside I felt something I had never felt before. It was a combination of scared and angry, and all of a sudden I just said those names Kelani, such strange name, I thought, never heard of anyone with that name, well not until today. Stop Lelia! You have to stop. It was just a dream nothing else. So I just layed there, not thinking about anything.
I heard my mom walking up the stairs. “You ready to go!” My mom called me from halfway up the stairs. “Yeah, I’m coming,” I answered grabbing my bag. “So where to first?” I asked my mom. “We’re going to IKEA to buy you a new bed-frame, a desk and some storage things for your closet.” “What about for you?” I just wanted to know what else we were going to get, “aren’t you getting anything?” “Yes, of course, but I’ll get those as we go.” “Ok sounds good.” I really didn’t want to go out, but I also didn’t want to sleep on the floor again, so I guess we were going.
When we got home my mom and I set up our new furniture and I finally finished unpacking. “Do you want pasta for dinner sweety?” My mom asked me while she watched the 7 o’clock news. “Sure,” I was getting a bit hungry, “let me know when it’s ready so I can come down.” “Ok.”
What to do, what to do. I have a new room, a new house, a new town, and yet nothing to do. I sat there again, laying on my bed thinking, who am I going to meet at school on Monday? Am I going to make any friends, am I even going to be noticed? I sure hope not, I don’t like being in the spotlight. I hate changing schools, I hate having to start over in a new place, when I’m only going to do it all over again. I’ve been changing schools every other year since I was six. My mom always says, “This job will last longer,” but it never does.
It’s dinner time, my mom texted me knowing I was lost in thought. I’ll be right down, I replied and headed down the stairs. “What’s new in the news?” I asked my mom because she usually doesn’t watch the news for much more than the weather. “Oh nothing, just that it’s going to be in the mid-90s the rest of the week.” “Anything else?” I knew there was something that agitated her. “Well,” she hesitated, “there are lots of fires in the mountains and there have been cyber hacks in many big companies downtown.” “That’s nothing to worry about, you know those are all fake to get you to get new things like ‘Buy this and protect yourself from hackers’, it’s all just propaganda.” “You’re probably right,” I could tell she still doubted me, “anyways, how’s your room going. Any progress?” “Yeah, I’m practically done, I just can’t find my box of books.” “Oh that’s in my office I have all those boxes in there, you can get it after dinner.”  “Ok.”
Once we finished our dinner I put my plate in the sink and headed back up to my room with my books. “Goodnight mom, love you, see you in the morning.” “You too. Also, don’t forget you have registration tomorrow in the morning at 10 am.” “Ok. Well bye.” School, one of my least favorite parts of moving, a new school.

Ring… ring… RRRIIIINNNGGG! “Alright, alright I’m getting up,” I said as my alarm went off. Ugh, it’s registration day. WHHYYY!!! I don’t want to, I thought to myself as I lay on my bed half awake. Come on Lelia get up! Finally, I got out of bed and got dressed. What to wear, what to wear. I have to look nice because well, I just have to. I  picked out this cute crop top I got at Forever 21. I matched that with some ripped jeans and some combat boots my mom got me. Ready. I walked down the stairs and saw my mom had left me a note on the table:
Good morning sweetie,
I had to go to work early to get my new
office and to get my ID. Remember you
have registration today. Don't forget to take
the papers in the white folder I left on my
desk to registration and the address is:
360 North Bellway Rd.
You can ride your bike there. Also, please
let me know when you get to the school
Love, Mom

So I'm home alone. Yes! I loved being home alone. I got myself some orange juice and a piece of toast with jelly. Now, where did I put my helmet? I found my helmet in a box I had taken to the garage. I grabbed my bike, the papers and plugged the address into my phone.
It took me 15 minutes to get to the school, Ashton High School. There were a lot of students there, some of them were registering while others were running stations. There were posters all over telling you where to go so I just followed those.  
Station One- Medical Forms 600 quad rm 604.                     
Station Two- Registration Papers 700 quad rm 708.            
  Station Three- Pictures/ID West Gym                            
  Station Four- Books and Schedule Pick Up Library.            
  Station Five- Locker Assignment/ Orientation rm 801 *new students only*

It took me a while to find all the rooms but I managed. As I headed out I could swear I saw someone who looked just like my old friend Mi. That’s impossible, I thought, he lives in Boston there is no way he’s here. My mind is probably just playing tricks on me, so I just brushed it off and headed back home.

“Honey wake up you don’t want to be late to your first day at a new school.” My mom said as she walked into my room. I just groaned, I hate first days of school, at least I’m almost done with them, well until college. “Hurry up school starts at 8:00 and it’s already 7:10, you have to make sure you have all your things and you have to get dressed.” She opened my curtains and started to play 80s music on her phone, the usual morning routine between us. “Lelia, please get up don’t make me pour water on you.” She always threatened to pour water on me and she never really did, but I decided not to bother her this morning. “Don’t worry I’m getting up, and I already have my clothes ready.” “Ok, I’m going to go downstairs to get breakfast ready, don’t take long.” “I won’t.”
I am so not a morning person. Why does school have to be so early? Don’t they want us to be well rested? Whatever. I got out of my bed, it was kinda cold. I wrapped my blanket around myself and grabbed my clothes and changed. Since It was getting chilly I wore a maroonish sweatshirt-crop top and some ripped jeans with my boots. I decided to do my makeup because why not. I don’t like to wear much but I did put on some mascara and highlighter, and after I eat I also put on some lipstick.
My mom was making a smoothie, I could hear the blender from my room. I walked down and started getting my lunch ready and double checking everything was in my backpack. “Do we have any granola bars mom?” “Yeah, they’re in the pantry,” they were there, exactly as she said. “Can you pass me two cups after you get your granola bar?” “Sure, here.” There were two bagels on the table. I grabbed one and put cream cheese on it as usual.
It was 7:30, “You should get going sweety.” “Yeah, just let me brush my teeth and I’ll be on my way.” Everything was in my bag so I ran upstairs, brushed my teeth and put on my shoes. “Bye mom, I’ll see you later.” “Yeah Leli, don’t forget to text me when you get to school.” “I won’t, bye,” I reassured her as I left. I biked to school, There are so many people. One thing that doesn’t change from school to school is the cliques. There’s always the jocks, the cheerleaders, the debate kids, the ‘hippies’, the super smart people, the overachievers, the druggies, the theater kids, and so many more. At least one thing is the same, I’m always gonna be the ‘new girl’.
I locked up my bike and went to find my locker. 32-16-03 that was my lock combination, now to find my actual locker, 7086 I think. I managed to find my locker, the problem was I couldn’t get it to open. “Hey, do you need help?” I recognized that voice, I just didn’t know who’s it was. I turned around slowly wondering who was behind me. “Yes please,” It was Miles, Mi, it was really him, “Mi, is that you?” “Lelia?! What are you doing here, I thought you moved to Quebec or somewhere in Canada.” “I did, but my mom just got a job here so we moved again. What are you doing here I thought you were still in Boston?” “I was,” he answered, “but not long after you left, maybe a year after, my dad was offered a job here.” I couldn’t stop looking at him, he looked so different than the last time I had seen him, six years sure did do a lot. “You look so different,” he said, “not a bad different, just that it’s been so long.” “I know, you’ve changed too.” I still couldn’t believe he was here. “Do you still need help with that locker?” “Oh, yeah, the combo is 32-16-03.” He showed me how to open it. “There you go. So, what’s your first class?” I wasn’t sure so I checked my phone because I always make sure to have it on my lock screen. “I have pre-calc with Mrs. Santez in room 406.” “Really, me too. Can I see the rest of your schedule?” I handed him my phone and he looked at it and compared it to his. “We have our core classes together and then our electives and languages are different, so why don’t you stick with me today, so you don’t get lost.” I laughed a bit. “Sounds good.” RING!!! “That’s the bell, we better get going.” We walked to class, and for the first time, in a long time, I didn’t feel completely lost.

RING! “Ok student don't forget to bring your signed syllabus tomorrow, have a nice afternoon.” “Hey, I forgot to ask you where you moved into?” Mi asked as he packed up his things. “ Oh I moved into a house on the corner of Mellburrow Ave and Maple Street I think. ” “Wait, when?” “Last week,” I answered, it sounded like he knew where, “why do you ask?” “Oh I just wanted to know, maybe I can walk with you so you don't get lost.” I knew I wouldn't get lost but I didn't want to head home alone, “Sure, maybe we can start that math homework too cause I'm kinda totally confused about it.” “Yeah sounds good.”
As we walked a lot of people would say hi to Mi and look at me kinda weird, but I'm used to that because it comes with being the ‘new girl’. “You're pretty popular Mi.” He looked at me with a kinda weird face. “ Not really, just a lot of people know me.” “ Exactly,” he's always been like that, “popular.” “No, popular is Kelani Mitchels.” That name again, I thought to myself. “Who’s that?” “She’s the student body president, she has been for the last four years.” He talked about her as if he knew her better than just ‘the president’. “How did she always win?” “Everyone knows her and everyone likes her.” So she was telling the truth when she said she knew everyone. We just kept walking home and we caught up about, well about everything.
“This is my place,” I pointed at my house, “pretty nice right.” “Yea, I actually only live a few houses down, in the blue house over there.” We walked up the steps to my door. “Well thanks for walking me.” “No problem, I'll text you tomorrow.” “Okay, see you tomorrow.” I walked into my house and watched him walk down to his. Why are you such an awkward person? Why can’t you be normal? I thought to myself.
I decided to text my mom and let her know that I was home so she wouldn’t get worried.
Me: Hey mom I'm home
Mom: ok sweetie, I'll be home in about two hours
Me: ok see you later
Now, what to do? I walked up to my room and got my homework out. What is up with teachers and syllabuses, like why, there are more important things you could be doing rather than explaining every little detail about your class over and over again. I signed each one and read all of the assignments for the week. Why give this much homework in the first days of school. I have two math assignments, set of notes due for biology, a Spanish summary about myself, and I have to read the prologue of Invisible Man.

So my first few days of school had gone pretty good, but something felt off. After school, I decided to get some work done for the sake of not having anything better to do. Ding! It must be my mom, I thought, but it wasn't; it was Mi.
Mi: hey
Me: hey
Mi: did you get the math homework?
Me: I'm doing it right now
Mi: can u help me with it?
Me: yes sure why don't you come over and we can work on it
Mi: ok I'll be over in like 5 mins
Me: ok see you then
Shoot! My room is a mess. I quickly cleaned up my boxes and put them in my closet. Clean enough. Ringgggg! “Coming,” I yelled as I ran down the stairs. “Hey, come in, come in. Let's go upstairs and we can work on the homework.” “Ok sounds good. Your house is really nice.” “Oh, thanks.”
We walked up the stairs to my room and finished our work. Once we finished we just sat there and we talked and talked and talked. I forgot how much I missed him.

Thump!
“Did you hear that?” I said as I turned over to Mi. “Yea, do you think it's your mom?” She wasn't supposed to be home yet. “I don't know,” I kept getting more nervous, “maybe she's early, let me check.” We walked down the stairs cautiously, and when we reached the bottom there was nothing. “Hello… is anyone there?” There was no one. “That’s strange,” Mi looked around, “I swear that the noise came from down here.”
The sun was starting to set. “I should probably get going,” Mi said as he looked at the time, “if anything weird happens let me know.” “I will, don’t worry.” He grabbed his things and walked over to his house. After a few hours, nothing happened.
“Hey sweetie I’m home.” The sound of the door had startled me, but I was comforted by the calm tone of my mom’s voice. “Hi mom, I’m upstairs in my room.” I didn’t want to mention the thump Mi and I had heard earlier because things like those make her a bit paranoid. I knew what she would think, how do I know, well I was thinking the same thing, it was my dad. That’s impossible, there’s no way he already found us. He always followed us, that’s why we were always moving. He always let me know he was here first, I never told, but he never came this early. I thought of instances where he might have been there in the last week. Not with the movers, not at my school, but then I remembered that day at the store, the day I saw Kelani, there was a man in the back who I ignored, but I felt he was familiar. I thought about school, He wasn’t one of my teachers, I don’t think I saw him, but there was still something, the janitor, I saw him a lot my first day. I texted Mi to let him know everything was ok and that my mom was home. Knowing he was close in a way made me feel safe.

On my birthday a few months later, I received a card, it was from him, my dad. The letter read:
I’ve been watching you sweety, I have seen you grow into the lovely young woman you are today. Remember I am always near you, no matter how far away your mother takes you. I love you with all my heart, stay safe.
Love, Your Father
Along with the letter came a picture of the park he would always take me to when I was little with the words: “I will always be there.” I didn’t know what to do. If I told my mom she would freak out and we would have to leave again, but who else could I tell? I couldn’t tell Mi because I didn’t want him getting wrapped up in this mess, but I felt as if I had to.
Between the start of the school year and my birthday I had befriended Kelani, but what would she do? I decided to tell Mi what was going on and he was completely in shock, he couldn’t believe what I had told him. “So that’s why you are always moving,” he said. “Yeah, and now I don’t know what to do. If I tell my mom she might make us move away again and I don’t want to lose you again.” “You have to tell your mom, if she doesn’t know and something happens to you, what would we do then?” He convinced me to tell my mom about the letter, I just didn’t know how to. I couldn’t be like Hey mom, so that guy we’ve been running from for like the last ten years found us and sent me this letter, she would go crazy.
When I told my mom she didn’t react the way I thought she would. She told me she knew he was here. “Over the last decade your father and I have somewhat been in touch, I never tell him where we are or where we are going, but somehow he always figures it out. Every three or four months I get a report on his activity to see if he had gotten drunk or high, and in the last two years he has worked very hard to be clean.” “Why, why did you keep this a secret from me?” I couldn’t believe she had kept this under wraps for so long, “how long has he been clean?” “He’s been clean for about a year and a half. He contacted me last year that he wanted to be able to see us again, and I told him we were moving to Maine, not far from where he was, and he said he would stay away from us until we were ready for him, until I was ready.” “Well then, when will we see him, when will you be ready.” “I am ready, you party tomorrow,” she hesitated, “What, what about my party,” I said quickly. “There will be a surprise for you.” She wasn’t lying.
The next day as we were dancing at my party there he was, just as I remembered him, my dad.