Falling Out of Time

Carter | Moving Day

Moving Day

Carter hated his new room. The cramped space was filled with boxes just waiting to be unpacked, and he had no idea where anything was, including his pajamas. Not that he was in a rush to put them on — Carter was way too annoyed to go to sleep.

It wasn't because he got the smallest bedroom in the house. He knew better than to think he'd have first dibs. As the youngest of three, he was used to getting the short end of the stick. Andrew and Michael claimed the big rooms before he had time to consider them.

No, he didn't hate the room itself — just, where it was. Susquehanna, Pennsylvania was nothing like home. Miles and miles of boring old grass that all looked the same. He missed his real room in South Carolina, the one that looked over the beach and smelled like the sea. Here, his room just faced the house next door.

Boring.

Throwing the last of his belongings down, he shuffled around the boxes in search of his clothes. His mom had done all of the packing, but putting things away was mostly his responsibility. Carter had argued that nine was too young to unpack a whole room; she had bent down, kissed him on the cheek, and told him to try.

So here he was — trying. His fingers were sore from ripping open the boxes, and still his pajamas were nowhere to be found. He was so busy searching and grumbling that he didn't notice the light turn on next door.

Clunk!

Carter froze, still bent over one of the boxes. It could be his mom coming to put him to bed, but the noise sounded like it came from outside.

Clunk!

He straightened just in time to spot a pencil fall down from his window to the grass below. Past the window was a girl leaning out her own, waving. He could just make out her features from the light shining behind her, illuminating a warm smile. There were a few teeth missing, but Carter didn't care — she was still pretty.

Really, really pretty.

The girl gestured for Carter to open his window; he only stared back, his heart beating wildly in his chest. Her smile brightened as she laughed, then gestured again. Somehow, he got his feet moving to the sill, but his hands were so sweaty he barely pried it open.

"What took you so long?" she asked once he did. "I wasted two good pencils."

"Sorry," he said hesitantly. His head was spinning at the sudden turn of events. What should he say to her? He had to say something. "I'll, uh, give them back tomorrow?"

"Good, 'cause I only have three, and one of those was my favorite."

He couldn't tell if she was kidding or not, but the smile never slipped from her face. Either way, he didn't have a response. His tongue was tied in a fat knot.

"So, you're gonna be the new kid, huh?" she continued, resting her chin against her windowsill.

"That's me. New kid," Carter muttered. He hated the fact he was starting at a new school mid-year.

"Everyone's already talking about you, you know. We don't get new kids a lot. Lucky me that I met you first."

Carter felt heat creeping up his cheeks. He couldn't help feeling like he was the lucky one.

She must have noticed his blush because she sat up a little straighter. "Oh, don't be worried. I can show you around and everything. Are you a fourth grader?"

"Fifth, but I'm doing it again next year, too." His face was on fire now. Why didn't he just lie and say yes?

"Then there's still hope we'll have classes together," she beamed. "Until then, we'll stick to lunch and recess. Deal?"

Like Carter wasn't going to agree to that.

"Deal," he said with a soft smile. This was the best he'd felt all day — heck, since his parents first announced the move.

Her face lit up more as she got to her feet. "Then I'll see you tomorrow, ok?"

His stomach dipped with a feeling he didn't recognize. Tomorrow couldn't come fast enough. "Yeah, ok. See you then."

Just as they shut their windows, Carter was struck with something: he didn't know her name. But when he went to ask, he found her still standing there, fogging up the glass with her breath. With a small finger, she traced out a name across her window. It was backward, but he could still read it.

Amber.

His own finger trembled when he wrote back.

Carter.