Sincerely, Emily ✓

02 • Don't 'Emily' Me

"SO, WHY DID YOU MOVE?" Mom asked.

"We were always thinking of moving, it's just that we've been hesitating a lot," Mrs. Grant replied. "Vancouver just wasn't right for us. We love it but it's a very expensive city, if you asked me. There was always too much pressure and the kids were getting tired of it. So since Andre's attending Seattle University, we figured we should move here as well. It was all the kids talked about!"

I wasn't really surprised that Mom invited Mrs. Grant to our house just a few days after they moved in. It was her speciality to be the "social mom" and always welcoming new people in the neighbourhood. I, on the other hand, preferred the seclusion of my room. And Mom never had a problem with that.

However, with this one, it's clear that she's just trying to make me eavesdrop in their conversation. The kitchen and the living room wasn't really far from each other, so I grabbed the remote and increased the volume of the TV.

"Seattle is a great city," Mom remarked, quite loudly than before. "The locals are nice here. There's a lot of diversity. There's green spaces everywhere, and it's also America's Best Coffee City! Did you know this was where the first Starbucks was made?"

"Oh my, I didn't know that!"

I rolled my eyes.

"So how's your family doing?" Mom finally brought up.

Oh my God. The dreaded question.

I start to stand up slowly and quietly, like those ninjas I see in the movies.

"They're pretty good!" Mrs. Grant answered cheerfully. "Actually, I can call them here right now. They're still waiting for the guys to clean the place up, and it's going to take a while."

"That'd be delightful!"

Shit. That's five more steps to the staircase. At least, when I make it, Mom wouldn't be cruel enough to force me to go down again. She'll just make an excuse to Mrs. Grant that I have a stomach ache or something.

Four steps, three steps, two —

"Emily, where are you going?" 

Mom and Mrs. Grant had stepped out of the kitchen and were looking at me weirdly. Guess I wasn't being too stealthy enough.

"I have homework," I said lamely.

"You haven't started school yet."

We both knew I had lost. "Mom."

"Emily."

"Don't Emily me," I groaned.

"Don't Mom me," she mimicked.

But I still had no time to retaliate. Because the next second, the front door burst open, and everything went into chaos.

"WHAT IS UP?" One boy hollered.

"Zip it, nimrod," a girl snapped. The one I heard earlier.

"Can I just stay outside?" A younger boy whined.

Mrs. Grant held up her hands. "Be quiet, children!" Then she clapped her hands and gestured to us. "I'd like to introduce you to the Woods."

"Isn't the woods suppose to be a place full of forests and animals?"

"Seriously? In the morning?" 

"Don't ruin the mood, Raphael."

I really couldn't figure out who was talking over who.