Jovial - Chapter Three

Five days have passed. We are all packed up. For Auntie Viv and Garette, this is splendid news. As for me, on the contrary, this is terrible news.

Auntie Viv and Garette step out of the house, both of them holding heavy luggage, grunting and slouching towards our cab. I follow behind, simply carrying one suitcase. I take one last look at our home behind my shoulder.

The same red door. The same white walls. The same red roof. The same green lawn. The same brown mailbox. Everything will be the same... Except for the new people who will be moving in our home. I wonder if that family has a daughter around my age, possibly having the same, depressing feelings about not wanting to move. I close my eyes and smile at the thought.

I tuck my silky, red strands of hair behind my ear. The strands don't hang back very well, because they fall over my eyes again. I roll my eyes and make my way down the small balcony steps.

I hear the cab honk twice as Garette calls out, "Hurry up, Juniper! We don't have all day!"

If only we did.

I slowly walk towards the cab, set my suitcase on the backseat, step inside, and close the cab door. Garette is in the middle, and Auntie Viv is on the other side. The man in the front seat starts the engine, then drives off.

I look out of the window, feeling my heart sink as I see frosty trees quickly speed past us. Birds fly in a large group up in the sky, going to the opposite direction from where we are driving to. How I long to follow those birds. How I long for so much, yet I get so little day by day. If I had wings, I could spread them. I could soar.

"Hey," Garette puts his hand on my shoulder, "Don't be so down. I've visited London several times before with Mum. It truly is fun there, Juniper. Trust me."

"Not as fun as it is here in Seattle." I say.

Silence.

I lean my head against the window and close my eyes. I begin to hum the tune to Christina Perri's "Jar of Hearts."

Who do you think you are
Running around leaving scars
Collecting your jar of hearts
And tearing love apart
You're gonna catch a cold
From the ice inside your soul
So don't come back for me
Who do you think you are...

I sigh, and stop. Not even humming a song can keep my thoughts busy from this situation.

"Juniper." I feel Garette's hand shake my arm, "Wake up. We arrived at the airport." I blink, then rub my eyes and carelessly yawn as loud as I want. I haven't noticed that all that happened this week has made me tired. I've fallen asleep in the cab.

The sky isn't a bluish-grayish color anymore. It is now plain black, with a glowing, white moon hanging above the stars.

"What time is it?" I ask.

"7:49 pm." Auntie Viv replies, her voice low and drowsy.

I don't look at her. I need to recover from all this pain that's flowing through my body. I slightly nod my thanks.

We all step out of the car. Auntie Viv slaps a large bill into the cab's driver's hand, says something to him that I can't quite hear, and waves goodbye. The man waves back with a grin, then drives away.

I gather all my things and follow Auntie Viv and Garette to the airport building.

Look out London, here I come.