Moving again

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Harper’s POV

Stepdad number three lasted for thirty months. That’s a new record.

Usually, all the men my mom has been with barely last twenty-four months except my dad.

I stood at the edge of the city cemetery, rain soaking through my black dress as I watched them lower James into the ground.

My mother sobbed into Klaus’s chest, and he patted her back as he checked his watch.

Klaus is my mom’s best friend, and I have known him ever since I was little.

Out of every man I knew with my mother, he is the only one that has stayed beside her for years without dying or leaving.

I watched everyone else cry, but I didn’t.

I stopped crying after David, my first stepdad.

Soon, everyone departed from there and headed back home, and just like that, we returned to our normal life.

For the next month, everything was good—or maybe not.

“Harper, honey, come here,” Mom called as soon as I stepped into the house after a shitty day at school.

I had to deal with some jerk taunting me all day at the cafeteria, as usual.

And to make matters worse, I got soaked in the rain.

“What? I need to get some assignment done.”

“We need to talk.”

I knew that tone. That was the we are moving again tone.

My stomach dropped, and I hurried to the living room.

Klaus was there with her, munching on some muffins.

I looked around the room, and boxes were already lying around.

“Talk about what?” I asked.

“Sit down,” she said, but I wasn’t having it.

She always says the same thing whenever she wants us to move.

She is heartbroken and needs to get over her pain, so she wants to move.

In the past twelve years since my dad died, I have had four step dads and five schools. I could pack my life in forty minutes flat.

That was my superpower.

“Where to this time?” I asked, dropping my rain-soaked bag on the counter.

Mom wrung her hands.

“Well, darling, I know this might be hard for you, but…”

I cut her off immediately.

“No, you don’t know!” I snapped.

“You never do. You are just a selfish, self-centered person,” I yelled.

“How could you ask me to move again after all these times? I barely managed to settle in, and now you are doing this again.”

Mom’s mouth fell open, and she stared at me like she was hurt.

I have never spoken back to her like this before. I have always tried to stand by her and be the good, understanding daughter, but not anymore.

Klaus also seemed surprised.

“Harper, I won’t have you speak rudely to me,” she snapped after finding her voice.

I turned to Klaus, ignoring her.

“Can you please talk her out of it this time? Please?”

Klaus sighed, turning to look at my mother, then at me.

I could tell from his expression that he was siding with her again.

Whenever Mom comes up with her absurd moving ideas, he always sides with her and has even moved with us three times before.

“I hate the both of you,” I burst out.

“I hate you, and I refuse to move,” I shouted, turning to leave.

“You stop right there, young lady,” Mom yelled behind me.

I paused, fuming with anger.

“I will be eighteen soon. I don’t have to listen to you anymore and let you ruin my life.”

I headed to my room after that, shut the door, and broke down completely inside.

Tears flowed down my eyes smoothly, and for the first time, I felt sad about James’s death.

I thought after staying here for three good years, Mom would finally stop moving and running away, but I was wrong.

She just doesn’t care about anyone but herself.

I have fought a lot to remain here and maintain the top position at my school.

I endured being humiliated and bullied every day at the hands of those spoilt brats and dumb cheerleaders and endured all their harsh words because I wanted to make it out of high school and be free in college.

But Mom is ruining it again. She always does.

Moving means another school and having to adjust and face maybe even worse bullying.

I cried myself to sleep, refusing to eat dinner or even have breakfast before leaving the house the next morning.

As soon as I arrived at school, something even worse spoiled my mood.

Jace Carter. The school’s hottest jock and the nation’s golden boy.

At the age of sixteen, he managed to get into the national hockey team and is barely around for classes.

In sophomore year, he had called me “spear-chucker” in front of the entire cafeteria because I bought dumplings for lunch.

My mom is Chinese and sometimes makes meals from her hometown.

Ever since then, the name, and many others after it, have stuck to me.

Everyone at school was falling at his feet as he made his way into the locker space and then suddenly banged his fist on the one next to mine.

Reagan, his long-time girlfriend, owns that locker.

They have been dating since sophomore year, and she is head cheerleader.

Everyone else, including myself, was startled, and then Reagan twisted her face like rotten tomatoes.

“Babe, what is wrong?” she asked.

Jace raised the phone in his hand, his eyes blazing with anger as he shot at her.

“Did you sleep with Declan?”

Everyone in the hallway exclaimed, shocked, but not as much as Reagan.

She was completely taken aback.

I couldn’t help the smile on my face as I watched Reagan try to explain herself and walked away slowly as soon as Jace’s best friend, Declan, joined them.

Knowing Jace’s arrogance, there would definitely be a fight, and anyone caught would get demerit marks.

I can’t risk my perfect record for that.

Quinn joined me as I made my way to biology class.

“You didn’t tell anyone, did you?” I asked after exchanging greetings with her.

I have known about Declan and Reagan’s affair for two weeks now and only told it to Quinn a few days ago after she promised not to tell.

“Girl, relax. I’m sure someone else must have caught them and told Jace,” Quinn replied.

I nodded my head slowly, pleased at the situation.

The rest of the day at school was interesting and peaceful for me.

Everyone was so focused on Reagan and Jace’s breakup that no one even remembered that I existed.

Also, my prototype for the science fair was approved by Dr. Kellerman, and with it, I could convince Mom to let us stay here just until the final exams.

I wished every day was like this.

As soon as I stepped into the house, I met Mom in my room, picking up the laundry.

“Hi,” she whispered.

“Hi,” I replied as I opened my bag and brought out the paper.

“Mom, my last science fair in high school is in six weeks from now,” I said as I handed the form over to her.

“It’s solar-powered water filtration for rural schools. It could win state, and Principal Reid said if I finish the year with leadership experience in my chemistry project, he will write a recommendation for Harvard…”

“Wait… wait a minute,” Mom cut me off, but I was determined.

I looked her dead in the eye.

“If I move now, Mom, I will lose every single thing I have worked for ever since freshman year.”

Mom smiled, and that made me pause.

“Okay, honey, I get your point,” she said.

I blinked, surprised, as I took a seat on the bed.