TO THE NEW HOME

December 2022,

"Two years have passed since we are under pandemic times, many of us have lost their jobs. Others are looking for a part-time job on the side just to earn money. The government relies on handling relief goods so that people can survive. But it was still not enough for a family that counted on four to thirteen per household."

A reporter says: Well, that was what I heard on the news as I watched TV and drank my coffee.

I am Abby Jezz Urdanzo, seventeen years old, and my family is one of those affected by the pandemic.

"My husband and I decided to sell our house and lot. Our savings have also been depleted because I lost my job one year ago. That's why we're here to inform you."

My mom talked nicely to our neighbor, who rented a room with my parents. The woman she talked to didn't react anymore and seemed to understand the situation. She thanked her for accepting and letting them stay there for a long time. "It's OK; we understand." Our neighbor said "Thank you very much for your understanding," my mom added.

After two days, we left our home; the new owner of the house and lot is now accepting our neighbor to stay there at the same time. They are still the renters on it. while me..?

It just makes me cry to think that we are leaving the house where so many memories have taken place since I was a child. I watched the trees whip by us as we drove along the highway. I was full of anxious excitement. "What would my life be like in this new place"? I wondered. On the road, Mom and Dad sat in the front, discussing everything from decorating the house to their new jobs.

and also...

I'm going to miss my best friend, and I was still optimistic that this was a positive step forward for the future of my family. This is like what I heard from someone else: "You need change in order to grow; experiences make a fuller life." This is what I will keep telling myself.

However, I kept wondering. "Will I make any good friends?" Are there many places to have fun there?" I truly hoped so. Mom said that the world is full of friends that you just haven't met yet. I believe her wholeheartedly. She moved away from her home around my age. But she was starting college. I am starting midway through my senior year of high school. It's going to be really awkward being new in the middle of the year. Everyone has already established their group of friends. I'll be an outsider. But I will try my best to make the most of it. Because this was a good move for my parents.

My dad is getting his dream job. He will be one of the mathematics professors at Gutierrez University in Zamboanga City. That's one of the big schools in the city. It's been a long few days. We stayed overnight with some relatives at my mom's side. Just to break up the monotony of driving. We are in the SUV that my parents bought when I was little. Also, my parents confirmed that our house and lot were already sold one week ago before we left. "Dad, Mom, can we take a vacation in Surigao if possible?" I asked.

"Yes sweetie. Do you remember your aunt Clara? She invited us to go to the Enchanted River in Hinatuan. I said we would go on vacation next year. We will fix the necessary things first. Especially your school," Mom said.

My heart seemed to jump when I heard that. I felt excited, and I hoped time would go by quickly. A long ride has actually been pretty fun. We've always loved family road trips. Although I usually bring my best friend, Tagi. Fortunately, even though we are far from each other now, I can still talk to her on social media. I'm going to miss her like crazy.

"What the..!!"

Dad shouted all of a sudden, as if he was in shock.

"Dad, what happened?"

"Solidad I saw it; it jumped in front of us! much bigger than our car. It's not a bear. It was like a wild dog in a tree, like a wolf. Yeah right! a wolf..."

Dad nervously explained to Mom after he suddenly stopped the car. So the two of them go outside to check it out. Luckily, there are no animals around.

While the two of them looked for something and talked from the outside. I heard something strange far from the woods.

I felt that there was something out there. I couldn't tell what it was, but it was looking at us.

Shhh....zzzz...ssshh.. a thrilling sound

It whispered through the air.

"Jee...hhh.....zzzz.....

I see its eyes surrounded by darkness because of the lush vegetation around it.

Then I stopped in motion to hear the door open, and my parents got in the car.

"OK, honey, try to calm yourself. I believe in you; there are no wild animals around, so maybe it was safe and it was still alive. Don't worry about it. Let's go before the sun's down." Mom says. So, Dad started the car and started to drive slowly.

"There is something strange in there," I said. Mom looks at me and says, "There's nothing strange, sweetie. We are in the middle of the forest; it is a good thing to see animals living around." In fact, Mom was right. So, I didn't say anything. I've got a pocket novel by my side. I decided to read it to forget what I'd seen in the woods. I choose to be silent.

Emotionally, I felt the scenario for the leading man who gets hurt by his lover. He was cheated by his girlfriend and made a move to take his revenge. I was about to finish it but Dad exclaimed.

"Honey, we are almost there!"

We've started going through a more residential neighborhood. The houses are beautiful. They look old, but nice. My mom called them historic houses. I can see the appeal. They have a sense of grandeur that our neighborhood doesn't possess. Mom said it would need a little work, but not much. I'm looking forward to it. Bringing back the original beauty of something can be therapeutic.

Now, we finally pulled up to a simple two-story home. It has pillars holding up the beautiful front porch. It's amazing! I never expected this. It looks like it has a fresh paint job too. Dad really did well. He found this place on his own when he came out here to get his job interview. He wouldn't show me a picture, saying that he wanted it to be a surprise.

"What do you think?" Dad asks proudly with a big grin on his face. "Very impressive." Mom tells him while hugging him around the waist. "I love it, Dad. I'm proud of you! You actually have a taste." The three of us laughed.

The house is gorgeous inside. Hardwood floors, and a spiral staircase with a big chandelier hanging above us. It has a big, open floor plan. Mom and I walked to the kitchen to have a look. We both love to cook. It does not disappoint. It's a huge gourmet kitchen with marble countertops. I can tell this place is newly renovated. But they kept the charm that was probably here many years ago when it was first built. I turned in a circle, looking at everything. I ran to my dad and gave him a big hug.

"I love it!" This part is for you, sweetie. I knew this was the key to making you want to stay." Mom laughs when she hears it as she walks towards us in the living room.

"Solidad, Honey, This place might bring us fortune. Not as much as our house in Surigao. The property value is a little lower here. Hmm. More blessings are coming into our family. I love you, honey." Dad said, with sweetness in his voice, and kissed Mom on the cheeks. It's a relief to hear it. I would hate for Dad to break his neck while making the mortgage. But I assume he is getting a pretty good salary at the college. They tell me not to worry about those things. But I am a worrier. It's what I do. I don't want my parents to ever have to struggle to make sure I have nice things. That's why I don't ask for much. We looked around the rest of the downstairs and the backyard. It was open to the trees in the back. The lot was large. So, we didn't really need to worry about privacy. The trees would take care of that too. It was so peaceful. Then we headed upstairs to see the bedrooms. Mom and Dad's were gorgeous, with a walk-in closet and a suite bathroom. But I was really interested in mine.

"Go ahead, baby; I know you are excited about seeing your room." Mom told me as I ran down the hall to check it out.

"Wow! " That's all I could think when I walked in. It was big. Twice the size of my old room. It faced the backyard and had a balcony looking over the woods. Dad's voice startled me because I was in my own little world at that point.

"Gorgeous, isn't it? I knew as soon as I saw it that this would be the perfect room for you. It even has a little window seat for reading!" Dad explained. I looked next to the doors and saw a window with the same view as the balcony. "It's perfect." I imagined doing my homework by the window, looking out at the sunset. Dad gave me a big bear hug as Mom started talking about how we should decorate. After inspecting the inside and outside of the house, we decided to head out to eat. There couldn't be any cooking until we could complete the kitchen supplies. It will take a few more months to save up for the purchase. Mom and dad will take care of that, as they say. We each had a suitcase of necessities for tonight. It felt like we were on vacation. However, our dinner conversation was full of speculation about our new life in Zamboanga. Dad was replacing a much older professor who had a heart attack a couple months ago. He would be starting midyear, just like me. Mom would be joining the team at a hospital only ten minutes away. She was a psychologist. The same profession I hoped to get into. But I wanted to be a kindergarten teacher. I love children. And I hope that I can help anyone who needs it.

The long, tiring day ended with us blowing up air mattresses that we put in the living room like we were having a sleepover. That was Mom's idea. Before I fell fast asleep.

I thought again about starting school in a few days. The anxiety was still there. I would be thrown into the unknown world of school when I left my childhood friends in Surigao. Tagi has been my best friend since 4th grade. This was a huge change. A big, frightening, thrilling change.

"Tagi, we're here in our new house. I wish you had been there beside me. I miss you, Besh." I sent her a text message with photos that I'd taken at our new house.

"Wow, it's a new blessing for your family. I'm going to visit you there someday". Tagi replied in a text.

"Sure, we will have fun here" I replied.

"Ok besh. soon. I'm going to take a leave now. I need to help my customers."

On the following day, we spent some time unpacking our things. There were still a couple of boxes that we hadn't opened yet. But Mom was very organized and kept us focused on getting things as normal as possible.