Francesca

Chapter 1

    Stones crunched underneath the moving-trucks tiers as it pulled out of the driveway. The little Shetland Sheepdog at my side whimpered, taking the last look at our small blue house.
    “It’s okay girl,” I reassured her, knowing that at any moment she would try and pounce on me with her little paws.
    “Come on Amelia! It’s time to go!” My long reddish, brown hair brushed against my face as I quickly turned my head to the sound of my mother's voice. I just looked at her for a moment, not wanting to leave.
    “Come, Lola!” I called to the little dog as she bounded ahead of me with excitement. I ran after her, trying not to look back. As I reached the car, my mom had the car door open, waiting for me to get inside.
    “Mom, why do we have to go?” I asked, tears filling my eyes. “I don’t want to leave all of my friends!” She just looked at me, put her warm hand on my shoulder, and guided me into the car. At that moment, everyone was silent as my dad started up the car and followed the moving truck guy’s easy directions to the new house. I just sat there looking out of the window at all of the things that I remembered and will miss. On my right I could see my best friends house, the grassy green shutters giving it character. Usually Lola would be barking to her house because of my friends dog Lucy, but she had already fallen asleep, her chin resting on my lap.
    “I know that you will love this house Amelia!” My dad said, trying to cheer me up and also breaking the perfect silence. “It has everything a curious girl and dog would ever need.” I stayed quiet, stroking Lola’s head. I just hope that he was right.

***

    In about 15 more minutes, we had arrived and the movers had already started unpacking our things and putting the boxes in the wrong places.
    “Um... I think that one goes in the Kitchen!” My mom yelled from the car as one of the movers carried a box into the old baby blue garden shed. My dad just rolled his eyes and got out of the car with Lola galloping out behind him.
    “I guess we better go help them.” My mom nodded in reply. As they walked off, I decided to go out and explore the new yard with Lola. She had already gotten out of the car and was trotting around, sniffing all of the trees wondering if she should mark them. I just smiled and went into the back yard. I didn’t know what to expect here, so I called Lola over to make sure if it was okay to cross the little bridge that went over a cute little stream. This yard was so magical, it didn’t seem real!
    “Come Lola!” I called from across the yard. Lola came bounding over to my side and we started exploring the area.
    It had been about 15 minutes and Lola had marked a few trees, showing that it was her territory. I heard soft footsteps coming from over the small little bridge.
    “Come on Sweetie. Can you help me unpack some things in the kitchen?” my mom asked as she scanned the area. Mom is terrified of wild animals. Once she believed that a cougar had snuck into our garage, but Dad had to reassure her that it was just a squirrel!
    “Sure,” I replied, not sounding thrilled at all. Mom ignored me and quickly walked back into the house. I took a quick look around the yard and slowly started walking to the front door with Lila bounding ahead of me.

***

    “What took you so long?” Mom asked getting some pots and pans out of a box. “I need some help unpacking if you would like to eat tonight.”
    I took off my boots and walked over to a slack of heavy boxes in the corner of the kitchen. “Why don’t we just go out for dinner Mom?” This was another thing on Mom’s ‘Dislike’ list. She thinks that all restaurants have bad waiters and waitresses, are filthy, have unhealthy food, and could possibly have rats. Sadly I agree with the one about them being filthy.
    “You know what I think about restaurants,” she protested. “Plus what I’m making will be so much healthier that a fatty, greasy burger.” I just rolled my eyes and opened one of the boxes, wishing that I could be outside.
    After a few minutes of being bored to death from unpacking, Dad walked in. He first walked over to Mom and gave her a little kiss on the cheek, then he came over and patted me on the head. “How’s the house so far Millie?” I just looked at him, boredom raining off of me. I could tell that he under stood and he slowly walked over to Mom.
    “Honey, why don’t you let our little Millie go outside and play with Lola?” he asked. Mom just gave him a stern look and pointed out of the window with the cloudy glass.
    “Do you want her to catch a cold?! Plus she needs to help me make dinner.”

Dad looked at her sweetly. “Can’t I help you? I think that she needs to unpack all of her things into her new room.” Dad was always good at getting me out of these situations and I winked at him. Dad winked back when Mom wasn’t looking. Quickly I dashed up the stairs with Lila on my tale.

A few minutes later, I was laying on my new bed that my parents just bought me last week. It was still covered in plastic from the move, but I didn’t care neither did Lila because she was already next to me, head resting on her little paws. I was too tired to do anything. I just laid there, looking up at the colorless ceiling.

“I wish that we could go back, don’t you Lola?” I asked turning around to see Lola fast asleep. I watched her for a moment, thinking. “You’re right girl. Maybe if I sleep, this dream might just go away.” My eyelids slowly shut as I slipped off into a sleep; thinking, dreaming that I could go back.