SHADOW OF LOVE

chapter 5

Chapter 5 – Moving Day & Morning After

“James! Hurry up! You’re going to miss the flight!” Mrs. Claudia’s voice cut through the chaos of their apartment.

James groaned from the corner of the room, sprawled against his dresser, his bag lying half-packed on the floor. “I’m coming, Mom,” he muttered, dragging his feet, but the words sounded hollow even to him.

“Coming?!” she snapped, hands on her hips. “You’ve been saying that for the past hour. Pack. NOW!”

He shot her a look that screamed rebellion. Miami was his home. His friends, his basketball games, his girlfriend, everything he loved was there. New York felt like punishment, exile.

“James, your sister’s ready,” Mrs. Claudia continued, nodding toward the little bundle of energy bouncing around the room. Mirabel, barely ten, was already dressed and twirling in her dress, her cheeks rosy, her hair perfectly in place. Her joy was impossible to ignore. She didn’t care about moving. She didn’t care about leaving her friends, her school, or the city she loved. She only cared about the adventure ahead.

James glanced at her, muttering, “Of course she’s fine. She’s… perfect.”

Mrs. Claudia raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”

“Nothing,” he said quickly, stuffing a few shirts into his bag, still dragging his feet.

Packing had been stressful, made worse by last night’s party. The house smelled faintly of perfume, spilled drinks, and pizza boxes left forgotten. James ran a hand through his hair, still hearing the echo of laughter and music from the night before. Somehow, the city had roared with celebration while he had pretended to be fine, smiled for photos, and nodded through conversations he barely remembered.

“James!” Mrs. Claudia’s voice rose again. “If you don’t move, we’ll miss the flight, and you’ll be stuck here!”

With a heavy sigh, James finally slung the bag over his shoulder and trudged toward the door. Mirabel skipped past him, a whirlwind of excitement. “Come on, big brother! Adventure awaits!”

“Adventure,” he muttered, more like a curse than a promise.

The flight was long, and James didn’t speak much. Mirabel pressed her nose against the window, marveling at the clouds and the sun. Mrs. Claudia chatted nonstop about New York, the new apartment, and the opportunities awaiting them, but James barely listened. Miami had been home. New York was… unknown.

When they finally landed, the chaos of moving in only worsened. Their first apartment had problems: storage malfunctioning, missing furniture, and a few unwelcome surprises in the basement. Mrs. Claudia muttered curses under her breath while movers hustled around, and James collapsed on the stairs, exhausted. Mirabel, In contrast, ran from box to box, laughing at every minor obstacle, completely unaffected by the stress.

After hours of chaos, they finally secured a neighborhood to settle in. Boxes were stacked in the corners, furniture arranged in approximate order, and for the first time, James slumped onto his new bed, staring at the ceiling. He thought of Miami, his friends, his girlfriend, and sighed. Nothing about New York felt like home yet.