The Boy Who Moved Away

1

When I was younger at the age of seven I moved to a small town which was Sunnybrook and it was located in Connecticut. Now, ten years later I still do live here. I am seventeen years old and I have a pretty nice life. I have everything I could ever want. However things were different when I first moved here.

When we first moved here my parents didn't have much money. We moved into a small size house with only two bedrooms. My sister and I had to share a bedroom and also share a bed since our room was so small. That wasn't too fun for her as she got older since she is three years older than I am. Times were hard back then. We still live on the same block but my parents built on our house and made it big because they eventually got really well paying jobs and we all of a sudden became wealthier. The only thing that is different is that my dad passed away a year ago. He got sick and it was a sad time for my family. My sister and I both have our own rooms and it's a good thing because we need that right now since we are older and have a social life. My name is Peyton and my sister's name is Callie. She is twenty years old. We are exactly the same and do pretty much everything together. This story is about my life and how it changed over the past ten years and as I look back there were some pretty important people I should be thankful for because they helped me get to where I am now.

It is summer time and I am extremely happy. This means no school and less drama because of no school. I am in my room taking out all of my spring clothes and replacing them with the summer tanks, shorts, and swimsuits that I look forward to every year. In this town everybody knows everybody and their business. The kids are all pretty close here too. That is both good and bad so I try to stick to hanging out with my closest friends, my sister, and my sisters friends.

"Peyton, you in here?" asks my sister as she knocks on my bedroom door

"Yeah come in, it is open. I am just trying to get everything organized here. I have so many clothes it is ridiculous" I say as she comes in my room

Callie walked in carrying a book that looked sort of like a photo album. I wonder what it is.

"Cal, what is that?" I ask her

"Oh right, you'll never believe what I just found while I was in the attic searching for my summer clothes"

"What is it? It looks like a photo album" I say

"Yup, it is. This thing is so old. It has pictures from when we first moved here and everything. You have to see these pictures they are hilarious. Here come here let's look at it together because I didn't finish looking at the whole thing" she says

I go over and sit next to my sister on the bed. The photo album is pretty old since it is practically falling apart. I am anxious to see what's inside.

"Oh my gosh, that's the first day we came here. I remember that day. I was so excited Callie and you were so mad because you didn't want to move here" I say

"Yes, wow it seems like that happened yesterday" she says

As we flipped through the pictures I retrieved lots and lots of good memories and also not so good memories. Our house used to be so small. It looked like a shoe box. So did the other houses but today they are all huge because everyone did some work on them.

"Wait, wait, wait, Callie go back a second" I say as I notice a certain picture

She flips back one page and there is a picture of me and this boy who was around my age.

"Oh my gosh, Callie remember him. He was the kid that lived across the street from us and the first day we moved here he came over and we thought he was so weird but he turned out to be like best friends with me. What was him name again?" I say as I try to remember

"Yes I do remember him actually. I thought he was pretty annoying. His name started with a "C" I think but I forgot too" she says

"Hmm.... Chris... Craig... CJ... Connor, oh yeah Connor that was his name"

"Right and he had a sister named Tammy; I used to hang out with her all the time. Where did they go?" Callie says

"They moved to Florida, I was like eleven and you were fourteen" I say

"Oh yeah...wow those kids are like the only kids I remember growing up" she says

"No but you don't understand Callie, Connor was such a good friend to me. I wonder how he is" I say

"Who cares, it's not like you are going to see him again so just forget it" she says

But Callie is wrong. The days I spent with Connor were so interesting. We didn't do normal kid stuff. We would just sit outside on the front steps and talk and talk and talk all day long and all night long until one of us had nothing else to say to one another. He really helped me get through the hard times. We were so young yet it was like we knew about everything that was going on between our two families. Connor's family was going through a hard time with money too and I think that was one of the reasons they moved to Florida. But also his parents were getting a divorce. My problems were with the money too and also I didn't feel loved as a kid. It was like my parents didn't want me and my sister. I thought we were a burden to them and if they never had kids they would have a little more money. So Connor and I would just talk about all of our problems and it felt good telling someone about them instead of holding it all in and letting it build until you can't take it anymore. When his family moved away I was sad but I was only eleven and it didn't really hit me until pretty much now actually. I wonder if he has any family here anymore. I really would like to try to talk to him again.

2

Today is one of the hottest days and it is only the beginning of summer. I would go in the pool today but I decided I want to begin my search for this kid instead.

"Mom, I have a question" I tell my mom

"What is it honey"

"Um, do you remember the family who lived across the street from us when we first moved here? They had two kids, Connor and Tammy." I say

"Yes actually I do remember them, they moved to Florida a while ago. Why?"

"Well I was just wondering if maybe you knew anybody who still lived here that is related to them" I say

"Well Connor's father, Mr. Collins probably does. He stayed here when his ex-wife took the kids and moved" she tells me

"Really? Okay thanks mom that is all I need to know" I say and leave the house

Maybe if I find their father I can find out where Connor is. I am on my way to the library. I Google his name and find out where he supposedly lives right now. It is about ten minutes away from here.
The neighborhood Mr. Collins lives in is pretty decent. I wonder if he has a new wife and family. I wonder if he even talks to Connor and Tammy anymore. I wonder if this is going to be a mistake to come here today. When I reached his house I rang the doorbell and a woman answered. She looks about the same age as my mom and she has long straight blonde hair and blue eyes that look so fake they must be contact lenses. She had a pretty face though.

"Hi, may I help you?" she says to me

"Hi, I'm sorry if you were busy or something but does a Mr. Collins live here?" I ask her

"Um, yes. Yes he does. Who are you?" she says

"Sorry, my name is Peyton Pointer. I live about ten minutes from here in Sunnybrook. I actually would like to meet Mr. Collins please" I say

"What for?" she asks

"I just would like to ask him something" I tell her

"Yeah, well my husband isn't home right now"

So she is his wife. She is going to be a tough egg to crack.

"Well is he going to be home soon or should I come back later"

"Yes he is going to be home soon and no you shouldn't come back later because I have no idea who you are or what you want from us so please leave now I am kindly asking you to please leave" she says with a little bit of an attitude

"Honey, is everything okay?" says a voice that is coming from inside the house. It sounded like a man's voice.

"Hi who are you?" asks the man

"She is looking for you I don't know you deal with her" says his wife as she walks away

"Nice meeting you...um" I say without knowing a name

"Wendy. Her name is Wendy. I am Steve Collins"

"Hi Mr. Collins my name is Peyton Pointer"

"Pointer? That sounds so familiar"

"You used to live across the street from me. You and your two kids and your wife, well I guess ex-wife now but..." I tell him

"Oh yes I remember you. You were good friends with my son right"

"Yup, and I am here today actually because I was wondering if you knew where he is or a phone number I can reach him by....something" I say

"Well he still lives in Florida, but I heard that they were planning to move back here during this summer actually" he says

"Really? Well do you have his cell number or something because I would really like to talk to him, I haven't seen him in so long" I say

"Sure, it's 555-687-4527"

"Thank you so much I really appreciate it. Have a nice day" I say and leave

3

When I got home from Steve's house I told my sister everything and she thinks I am crazy but she is impressed. I am so nervous to call Connor. What if he doesn't even remember me? That can't be possible though can it? I don't know but I am really scared. It's got to be done sometime though so why not now.

I dial his phone number and then hang up when he answers. Then he called my cell back and I didn't answer it. I think I am just going to call him once and for all right now..... It's ringing...oh my gosh....it's ringing

"Hello? Hello?" he says when I hesitate

"Hello. Is this Connor Collins" I say

"Yeah, who's this?" he asks

"Peyton Pointer" I say and hear a long silence

"Peyton? Oh my gosh....Peyton Pointer, the girl who lived on my block, Sunnybrook Peyton?" he says in surprise

"Yes oh my gosh you do remember me. Connor how are you?" I say

"Yeah of course I remember you. Wow this is so weird that I am talking to you right now but I'm good I guess, how are you?" he says

"I'm okay"

"So why the sudden call....it has been like ten years" he says

"I know I'm sorry...but I was looking through an old photo album my sister found the other day and I saw a picture of me and you when we were little and me and my sister started talking about the first day we moved and met you guys and I just thought of everything we did together....we were like best friends and I was like I wonder how he is I should get in touch with him" I tell Connor

"Wow, that's so crazy that your sister found it now because....wait how is Callie anyway?" he asks

"Oh she's really good, how is Tammy"

"Good, she is good"

"So why is it weird you were going to say something" I say

"Oh yeah um because my mom wants to move back there this summer and we found a house on the same block. It's that one on the corner with the huge windows. The people are moving." He says

"Oh my gosh really....that is awesome. When are you moving?"

"In a couple of weeks, I am packing all my stuff and I am going crazy doing it" he says

"Oh my gosh that is so funny because right now I am getting all my summer clothes out...unpacking lol" I say

"Cool....um can I call you right back Peyton, I'm sorry just give me like five minutes" he says

"Ok yeah sure take your time"

Wow. I can't believe I was actually talking to Connor Collins again. I can't believe he is moving here too. I am so excited now...I wonder what he looks like. He was cute when he was little. Five minutes later my phone started ringing again.

4

"Hi Connor" I answer

"Hi sorry about that"

"Oh no it's okay" I say

"So, tell me. How did you get my cell phone number?" he asks

"Oh um I actually went to see your dad and ask him for it" I tell him

"Wait, you went to see my dad?" he asks

"Yeah, why is that a problem?"

"No, no. I mean I just haven't really talked to him since like two years ago"

"Really? Why what happened?" I ask

"Listen Peyton um why don't I wait until I move back there and see you again to talk to you about that okay?" he says

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I would rather tell you in person since you were the one there for me when they were going through the divorce" he says

"Sure, no problem. I can't wait till you guys move back" I say

"Good. I can't wait either. Do you still look the same?" he asks me

"Does it matter what I look like Connor? No I'm just kidding. Yeah I guess that is what people tell me. I haven't changed a bit, well except for some bigger boobs and some kind of a figure to my body but yeah that's pretty much called puberty so....what about you?" I say

"Lol....yeah same here I mean I got some facial hair...but I shave so it's all good and my voice is deeper" he says

"Yeah I think I noticed that already lol"

"Right....you sound the same except thank God you lost that squeaky little girl tone to your voice" he says

"Ha-ha. Yeah I know my voice was a screechy one" I say

"And I had to listen to it all those years" he says

"Sorry about that....oh Connor do you have a myspace?"

"Yeah oh do you?"

"Yea...oh my gosh what is your name on it we should totally be friends and then we can see what each other looks like lol"

"Go to search and type in my name, it should come up. I will do the same for you" he says

"Okay, hold on" I say

I go on myspace.com and search for Connor and I found his page. Wow he is so hot. He really grew up and he is hot, hot, and hot.

"Wow Connor you look hot" I say and decide to be honest

"So do you Peyton, lol wow you changed but I can still see the little girl I grew up with" he says

"Aw. Thank you. Yeah I can see a little bit of Con in you" I say

"Well listen I got to go but I will definitely keep in touch with you until we move there and I will see you in like two weeks itee, I'm excited now Peyton" he says

"K. I am too. Bye Connor"

5

As the days went by I grew more and more excited. I was psyched and ready to see Connor and his family. I am so happy they are moving back. I thought I would never see him or hear from him again. By the way he is the same age as me...17. My sister is pretty happy too, as her and Tammy used to be so close. They did everything together. I wonder if she still looks the same. As a kid Tammy was a little bit on the heavy side but she was hilarious and so much fun to hang out with. She did all these voice impressions of famous people and she was really good at it. She was a talented kid. We all had such good memories and I hope we have some more again.

Today is the day before they move back. I can't wait until tomorrow. I am a little bit nervous though, I'll admit it. I hope he likes me again and I hope everything is still the same and it feels like they never even moved away. What should I do when I see him? Hug or kiss? I am thinking a hug. Stick to something simple. I don't want to scare the kid away or make anything awkward between us.

"Peyton, one day away" says my sister

"I know Callie I am so excited" I say

"Oh um Peyton, Gundy Stevens just called the house. He wants to talk to you so call him back" she says

"Oh no not him again. This kid is so annoying he is like begging me to go out with him Callie but I don't want to ....what should I do?" I ask

"Tell him you have a boyfriend" she says

"Yeah who, he knows every boy in this town and he will ask me who" I say

"So make up someone, I don't know. Tell him that Connor is your boyfriend" she says

"No, are you crazy" I say

"Well what do you want me to tell you Peyton, just call the kid back because he will just keep on calling"

"Okay I will"

Gundy Stevens is a kid in my town. He has been trying to get with me for such a long time but I don't like him at all. I only think of him as a friend plus he is such a playa. All he does is see how many girls he can get to go out with him. If I said yes we would go out on one date, hookup, and then that would be the end of it and I will never hear from him again. He uses girls and it's not right.

"Hi Gundy it's Peyton, did you call before?" I say when I call him

"Yeah Peyton what's up, how are you" he says

"I'm good. What do you want because I am really busy right now" I say

"Oh nothing I was just wondering if you would go out with me tomorrow night" he says

"I can't Gundy I have a boyfriend" I say

"Who?" he asks

"None of your business" I say

"Yeah okay, you don't have a boyfriend Peyton"

"Yes I do Gundy now thanks for the invite but no thanks I have to go now goodbye" I say and hang up

Well that was pretty easy. I just hope I never see him now so I don't have to explain who my boyfriend is. I think I put myself in a deeper hole.

6

Today is the day. It is nine in the morning and I am so tired but I have to get ready now so I can look very pretty for when the Collins family comes back. As I was getting ready I received a text. It was from Connor.

Hey Peyton. In an hour I get to see you.

Aw. How nice is this text message. I text him back.

Awesome. I can't wait Connor. I will be waiting outside.

Good. I will see you in a little while.

It is now twelve in the afternoon and Connor and his family should be here any minute. My mom is excited too because she was such good friends with Mrs. Collins. I wonder if they know what happened to my dad. This is going to be an emotional first day. My mom baked cookies and is having them all over for dinner tonight. She already spoke with Connor's mom about it. It is now twelve thirty and I see a car coming down our block and it is them. I run outside and I am anxious but so nervous to see him in person.

Tammy got out of the car first and came across the street to our house.

"Tammy? Oh my gosh hi how are you, look at you. You look so good you lost so much weight" I say as I hug her

"I know thanks so do you. You really grew up Peyton. My brother is going to like that" she says and laughs

"Ha-ha where is he?" I ask

Then I see Mrs. Collins

"Hi Mrs. Collins it is so good to see you again. I love your hair it's different but it looks really nice" I say as I hug her

"Thank you honey, how are you"

"I'm good...go inside my mom is in the house"

Tammy and Mrs. Collins go inside our house. Next was Connor to say hello to. He runs up to me and picks me up and gives me a big hug. I hug him for a long time.

"Connor oh my gosh I missed you so much" I say as I am hugging him

"I missed you too Peyton, like crazy" he says

"How are you, you look so good right now oh my god" I say and laugh

"You do too...what's new with you" he says

"Nothing really Connor....oh I can't stop saying your name" I say and laugh

"Lol ...Peyton...Peyton...Peyton...Peyton...Peyton" he says

"Come on lets go inside" I say

Everyone reunites and it is like they never left. Just how I pictured it. I think my mom already told Mrs. Collins about my dad because it looks like they were crying a little bit. Connor doesn't know yet and my mom and his mom told me that I should tell him later after dinner.

7

We ate dinner and it was really good. We talked about everything and got along very well.

"Connor come outside I want to talk to you" I say

We go outside and sit on the front steps like old times

"I am having major déjà vu right now" I say

"Me too. I feel like we are seven again" he says

"So um do you want to talk first or should I?" I ask

"Ladies first" he says

"Ok well this is kind of big so...please take it the best you can. Um, you might have noticed that my dad isn't around today and that is because about a year ago he got sick and he passed away." I tell him

"Oh my god Peyton I am so sorry I didn't even know"

"No it's okay um I just wanted to talk to you about it" I say

"Are you okay?"

"I'm alright....right now no but ..." I say and start to cry

"Come here shh it's okay....it's okay" he says as he hugs me

"I'm okay" I say

"Good. I just wish I could have been here for you when it was happening Peyton. I am so sorry I wasn't"

"No it's not your fault you weren't here....I was ok I had my sister and my mom to get us through so..."

Connor is rubbing my back. I stopped crying and now it is his time to talk.

"Well, I don't talk to my dad anymore because when I was fifteen, two years ago, I found out the real reason why my parents got a divorce" he says

"Why did they?"

"My dad, he had an affair." He says

"Oh Connor that must have been so hard to find out. So now you are mad at him. You don't talk to him anymore" I say

"No, and I know I should but he just made me so mad you know I mean I saw how my mom was when they were getting a divorce I mean even you did, she was so upset and hurt" he says

"I know you do have a reason to be mad at him but Connor he is your dad. I would do anything to get my dad back and you don't even talk to yours" I say

"I know Peyton, I know I am sorry but I just can't get myself to do it. I can't forgive him, you know?" he says

"Yeah but sometimes we all have to forgive and forget"

"I don't know maybe your right but...I am just so confused right now so..." he says

"So we both had our share of problems over the last ten years"

"Yeah....it sucks but that's life you know" he says

"I know"

"Peyton....when you went to see my dad to ask him for my number what was he like. How is he?" asks Connor

"Um, well I don't know if you want to hear this but he looked good and everything but he is married. She answered the door first and let me tell you she is pretty bitchy. She has long straight blonde hair and these fake blue contact lenses."

Connor slams his hand on the steps and puts his hands over his face and his head on his lap. He is angry.

"Are you okay?" I ask

"No, I knew it. I think that's the woman he had the affair with. I can't believe him Peyton. I can't believe him."

"It's okay....talk about it. That's the best thing to do. I am here for you"

"Thanks ..."

"Maybe you should go to his house or something and talk to him about everything" I say

"I don't know I might kill him while I am there"

"No ....just promise me you will think about it ok?"

"Aright I will. Come here" he says and gives me another hug

That night was very emotional. We really opened up to each other. I just can't wait to see what happens next. I hope he goes to see his dad.

8

The next day we all went to sit by the community pool. It is a really hot day. I am now lying on a lounge chair and Connor is laying on one next to me. We are getting our tan on. All of a sudden I see Gundy. He is approaching me.

"Oh no Connor can you do me a huge favor please" I say quickly

"Yeah what? What's the matter?"

"I need you to pretend you are my boyfriend for like five minutes....I will explain later" I say

"Itee yeah"

"Hey Peyton....so is this him" says Gundy

"What? Oh yeah Gundy this is my boyfriend Connor"

"Hey man nice to meet you" says Connor

"Yeah what's up...I haven't seen you before"

"I just moved here recently" says Connor

"Oh nice. Alright well you two enjoy yourselves" says Gundy and walks away

"Oh thank you, that kid is so annoying. He kept begging me to go out with him so I had to tell him I already had a boyfriend so..." I say

"Oh itee no problem...."

It is now nighttime and I am hanging out with Connor. We are outside again on my porch swing.

"This swing is fun" he says

"Lol yeah I love it" I say

"So today was fun at the pool and stuff" he says

"Yeah it was" I say

"So I was thinking and maybe I do want to go see my dad"

"Really? Oh good because I think you really should"

"Yeah um do you think you can come with me?" he asks

"Of course."

"Thank you. When should we go?"

"Anytime you want"

"You know my mom was telling me yesterday how she thinks you are such a nice girl and everything. Peyton you really are you know that?" he says

"Thank you. Connor you know I would do anything for you so..." I say

"I would do the same for you" he says and kisses me on the lips 

"Sorry I, I don't know why I just did that" he says

"No, no it's ok. I liked it." I say and kiss him again

"How about we go tomorrow to my dads" he says

"Tomorrow sounds good" I say

"Good. Alright well I am going to go in now because I am really tired. Give me a hug come here" he says and I hug him

"Thanks again Peyton"

"No problem I will see you tomorrow...goodnight" I say

9

Today is the day I am going with Connor to visit his dad. Connor is really scared and so am I, but I have to be there for him.

"Are we almost there?" he says as we are walking

"Almost"

"This town really changed a lot over the past ten years" he says

"It did, except for the houses on our block. Were you here when we all built on the houses?"

"Yeah I got to live in it for a whole two months" he says sarcastically

"Oh, right"

"Peyton I am so nervous."

"Don't worry everything is going to be fine and you are going to work it all out with your dad. I want you two to be close again Connor"

"I hope your right. Is that his house" he asks

"Yeah, wait here" I say

I go to the front door and ring the bell. Steve answers the door and he does remember me.

"There is someone who wants to see you" I say and motion Connor to come over

"Connor is that you?"

"Hey dad" he says and hugs him

"Hey buddy how are you did u guys move back"

"I'll let you guys talk a little bit. Connor when you are done meet me at the café"

"Okay thanks Peyton"

I walk around the block to this café. I figured we would get lunch after this. I really hope everything is going well at Steve's house. I have been sitting here for a little over an hour now. I wonder where Connor is. Then I see him come in the café. He sits down at the table I am sitting at.

"Hey how did it go?" I ask

"It went alright. I told him how I felt about what he did and that it is really hard for me to forgive him. Then I told him how you lost your dad and I didn't want to lose him in my life. So then he apologized and said that sometimes things happen that we don't like or want but maybe it is all for the better. To make a long story short I forgave him and we played some basketball for a while and he said he wants to take Tammy and me out for dinner tonight with Wendy. So that should be interesting."

"Good. That's good though. I am so proud of you Connor" I say

"It was all because of you though. You are the one who encouraged me to go see him. Without you I don't know what would have happened. And he got me thinking Peyton. Maybe it was a good thing he stayed here when we moved away because then you never would have called me and I probably never would have seen you again. We became so much closer because of all this. I don't know if I would want it any other way Peyton."

"Aw Connor that is the nicest thing anyone has ever told me" I say

He kisses me

"I am crushing on you big time Peyton. "

"Lol yeah me too, on you"

"I don't know how I could ever repay you for everything" he says

"You can be my boyfriend" I say

"Oh that's nice .... Deal" he says and smiles

"And this isn't awkward to me at all" I say

"It's really not" he says

"Can you walk me home?" I ask

"Come on"

As we are walking home we are holding hands. I am so happy we are together now. This was like fate.

"Have fun later with your dad ok? Try to be happy for him even if you don't like Wendy" I say as we arrive at my house

"Okay I will try. I wish you can come too but I think I should do this one alone."

"You should. Call me when you get home later k" I say and hug him

"I definitely will" he says and kisses me

10

Later that night at around ten Connor called me.

"Hey how was it. Tell me all about it"

"It was pretty good. Wendy is alright but I think it went good and now we get to go to our dads every other weekend" he says

"Good I'm happy for you. I told you everything was going to work out" I say

"Thank you so much Peyton. You are the best girlfriend and you are also my best friend"

"You're my best friend too and you are a decent boyfriend...lol no im joking...you are great. Goodnight Connor....sweet dreams" I say

"Goodnight. I'll see you tomorrow"

So everything worked out really well. Connor and I became more than friends, he made up with his dad, our families became so close, and my life is pretty sweet right now. I am at my happiest and I wouldn't change anything. Age seventeen was the first time I believed in fate when the boy who moved away came back.