The Lust List

1.

Home Sweet Home

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"Everything packed, Amity?"

I glance back at my father and frown, nodding as I look back towards the house. I place the last box into the back of the truck and smile, "Yeah, all done."

He sighs and smiles, moving closer to me. "This is for the better, you know that, right? Your mother and I just aren't happy together."

I nod again and force a smile onto my face. "I get it, really dad. You can't force yourself to love someone you don't love anymore."

My father's smile falters slightly, "Now, Ami, I love your mother and your mother loves me. We're just not-"

I cut him off quickly, "Happy, yeah, I get it."

Before he can say anything more, I turn and head back up the sidewalk to the house. I walk inside the house and past my mother who stacks boxes by the front door. I walk upstairs and push open my bedroom door, stepping inside. My bedroom is left mainly intact; the only things I packed are all of my clothes and personal items. My twin bed sits against the far wall, a bedside table sitting beside it. My dresser sits against the wall beside my bedroom door, a large mirror hanging over it.

Besides the furniture, my bedroom is bare of personal items. Since I'll need a bedroom set here for when I visit, we decided to leave the furniture here and buy a new set for the house.

Now, what I can't grasp is, why can't we stay here in this town; the town Caleb and I grew up in. I don't understand why it's "for the best" if we just up and leave town completely, but both mom and dad are adamant about it.

Today is the day I lose the only best friend that I've ever had. Kira and I have been best friends since preschool. I also don't understand why we can't wait until we finish this school year, as we're already half a semester in.

My ringtone goes off and I pull my phone in my pocket, raising it to my ear. "Speaking of the devil."

"Hush you," Kira mutters and then squeals. "How excited are you?"

"EXcited?" I roll my eyes as I look around my bare bedroom, sitting down on my bed. "Why would I be excited to leave Livermoore? And you?"

"You should ecstatic, Amity! It's a fresh start and a chance to make more friends! For as long as I've known you you've always been a quiet girl, a recluse... and you know it. Can you do me a favor please?"

I stare down at the floor in sadness, "Yeah?"

"Just make some friends, please. It's literally the only thing that will keep me sane; knowing that you won't be all alone over there and that you'll be okay without me. If not for yourself, then do it for me."

I wipe the tear that drops from my eye, nodding softly. "Okay, yeah, I'll give it a shot, Kira."

"Pinky promise?"

"Pinky promise."

"Good, I'm holding you to that." She chirps, her tune changing. "Are you guys about to leave?"

"I think so, yeah. I just finished putting my last box in the truck."

"Alright, I'll come on over. You better not leave before I get a goodbye hug!"

"Okay, I'll see you in a bit then."

I hang up and slide my phone back into my back pocket. I lean into my mirror that hangs above my dresser, wiping the tears on my cheeks. I turn off the light and pull open the door, peering back into my room. The afternoon sunlight shines through my window, sending streams of light across my bed. I frown as I realize that I won't be seeing this place for quite a few months.

Turning away, I close my bedroom door quietly and walk downstairs, seeing dad speak to Caleb quietly by the front door. "Okay?"

Caleb nods and smiles weakly, "Alright."

Dad smiles and straightens, looking up as I walk down the steps. "All ready? The truck is all packed."

I nod my head and walk closer to him when he holds his arms out, inviting me in for a hug. I step into his arms and wrap my arms around him, squeezing him and fighting the urge to burst into more tears. After a minute of hugging, he pulls away from me.

"Okay, so, what's your battle plan, Ami?"

I chuckle softly and shrug my shoulders. "I have no idea, I've never been the new kid."

"Right," Dad mumbles and bows his head. "Well, keep me on speed dial and tell me how your first day goes, okay?"

I nod and smile, "Alright, I will."

Caleb and I walk out the front door and I pause briefly as I see Kira standing on the sidewalk beside the truck, chatting with my mother.  They both fall quiet as they see us and mom gives Caleb a look and drags him toward the car.

I look over at Kira as she smiles tearfully. "I guess this is it then, huh?"

"I guess so."

"I'll see you at Christmas, right?" Kira asks and I nod quickly.

"Yeah, we already made plans to come here for Christmas. We're closer to our dad's family than our mom's family." I explain and she nods, her eyes becoming glassy with tears.

I frown and quickly step toward her, pulling her into a tight hug, her tears soaking my shoulder. "God, I'm going to miss your stupid jokes, Amity."

"And I'm going to miss you being the little devil on my shoulder." I chuckle and she squeezes me, laughing softly.

"Me too."

After a few minutes of silent hugging, I finally pull away from her. "I'm sure mom is getting impatient."

"Probably," Kira smiles and glances over to our car, seeing her and Caleb sitting inside it. "Are you driving the truck?"

I nod my head, "Yeah, someone has to."

"Be careful, okay? Text me when you get there and send me a picture of the new house!" She grins widely.

"I will do that," I murmur and she pulls me into another quick hug, and then let's go.

"Okay, okay, I will see if I can manage to come to visit you before Christmas, alright?"

"Alright, bye Kira, love you."

"Bye, love you too," she says softly as I walk over to the truck and climb inside, twisting the key that sits in the ignition. I watch as mom starts the car in front of me and pulls away from the curb, me quickly following suit. I glance in the rearview mirror, watching as my father and best friend wave from the sidewalk, soon disappearing from my view as I turn a corner. 

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The next day, we pull up to the house with a carload of groceries and general items for the house that we needed. This morning, mom enrolled us in the school here in Middleton, which is another small town like Livermoore is.

When we got here yesterday afternoon, she explained to me that she had the basement remodeled for me, which includes my own bathroom and a small kitchenette. I quickly realized she was trying to kiss up to me for ripping us away from our father and our friends. The rest of the house had been given modern upgrades.

She knows both Caleb and I would've preferred to stay in Livermoore with dad. But she had to have it her way.