Chapter 2

Mum's smiled wavered a fraction. She took my reaction totally the wrong way. I could tell she was about to say something, so I had to speak quickly.

"The room is beautiful, so nice that I thought it was yours." Her smile returned even bigger.
"Ha, as if your Dad would want to climb all those stairs every day!" she laughed and Dad rolled his eyes.

"Our bedroom is on the second floor. I guess we need to show you where everything is." She beamed at me. She loved this kind of thing.

She started with the kitchen and I noticed the fridge and the pantry were pretty empty. Plus we only had the bare about of kitchen stuff.
"We have to go shopping tomorrow and get food and other stuff. But we have the necessities for now. Plus I bet your dying to go shopping!"

Mum knew how hard it had been getting rid of most of our possessions so she promised we would replace all the things we had to get rid of. Plus I had been working on weekends at mum's cafe for almost a year and I had saved over $2000.

The rest of the house was gorgeous, she explained to me that the house was probably about 70 years old but it had been completely remodelled in the past 5 years so everything was brand new. When they had shown me the rooms on the second floor, their bedroom, dad's study and the bathroom, I realised Josh's room must be the one opposite mine.

I didn't mind so much but I had kind of hoped I had that third floor to myself.
"So do I use this bathroom then?" I pointed to their ensuite?

"No sweetie, your bathroom is upstairs." Dad said. "Here I'll show you."

He climbed the stairs to the third floor and opened the door opposite my room. Inside was an empty smaller bedroom with another door at the end. He walked to that door and opened it.
"This is your bathroom."

I peeked past him into my bathroom. It was perfect. And it looked brand new. The white tiles were sparkling and the huge bath looked so inviting.
"What's this room then" I asked walking back into the smaller bedroom.
"We thought you could use it as a study or something" Mum smiled. Huh?
"Where is Josh's room?"
"Ah well, maybe we should let him show you." Dad chuckled.
I looked at him with a raised eyebrow but he didn't say anything. Okay.

"Come on then." He walked back out onto the landing and I followed him down to the ground floor. He went through the kitchen to a door I didn't notice before. He knocked on it.

It took a few minutes then Josh opened it up, he was about a foot shorter than me. Then I realised he was on a staircase.
"Basement!" I squealed. "We have a basement?"
"Yeah Georgie-Porgie and its mine!" Josh growled at me.
I sighed and poked him in the ribs, "Show me!" I begged impatiently.
"Ok come on then."
Mum & Dad motioned for me to follow him but they stayed put.

The stairs ended at the end of a very large room that was probably as big as the whole ground floor. There was a bed and dressers and the floor was even carpeted.
"This is awesome Josh! You are so lucky!"
"Hey your room is pretty damn nice too kid."
"Yeah I know!" We both kind of jumped around on the spot, no one would think we were almost 17. Dorks.
"Hey mum said we are going shopping tomorrow. I want to get a computer. Would you help me chose one?" I asked him when we had finished jumping.
"Yeah sure. I might get a Wii for down here. That would be cool."
I noticed he also had a TV and a sofa on the other side of the room.
"Do you have to go upstairs everytime you have to pee?" I asked him.
"Nope, check it out." He walked around to the wall underneath the stairs and opened a door. I looked in and there was a toilet.
"Brilliant!"
"Yeah but I have to use the shower upstairs but that is better than nothing I guess. Not as cool as your bathroom though. And you get that other room too!"
"So you had a good old look around while I was asleep huh?"
He just smiled and nodded. He walked over to the sofa and flopped down on it.
"This house is sweet. I just hope the school we go to is ok."
I didn't say anything. I just nodded. He looked over at me, noticing my change of mood.

I had grown up with the same group of people all my life. I had the same friends in did in kindergarden. I never had to go to a school where I didn't know anybody. I was terrified. And Josh knew it. He got up off the sofa and walked over to me.

"George, I know you don't give a shit what I say, but it will be ok. Okay?"
I just nodded again. He put his arms around me and gave me a tight almost suffocating bear hug.
"Ugh, can't breath." Was all I could manage.
He laughed and let me go.
"I'm beat, I am going to sleep. Now get out of my room." I loved it when he pretended to be a mean brother.
"Night J." I started up the stairs.
"Georgia."
Shit.
"I've got your back. Just remember that ok."

I had to wipe the tears that had welled up out of my eyes before I opened the door and when I thought I was ok, I stepped out and closed the door behind me. I would hear the TV coming from the front of the house and followed the noise. My parents were on the sofa watching something on tv. I realised everyone was speaking in an American accent which was really no different to tv back home but for some reason it was more noticable.

"So what did you think of the basement?" Dad looked at me smiling.
"It's perfect for Josh. He seems pretty happy down there."

I sat down in one of the armchairs and we watched tv till I could feel my eyes getting heavy again.
"I think I am going to go to bed guys. Oh hey I want to take a shower before I do where are.."
Mum interrupted me, knowing exactly what I was going to ask.
"All your stuff is already in the bathroom, towels, toothbrush. Your clothes are in our dressers too."
Wow she works fast.
"Thanks mum. Night dad."

The shower felt great. I realised I hadn't had one since Perth more than 2 days ago. Yuck. I brushed my teeth and put on my pajamas. I was way too tired to dry my hair so I just combed it and left it wet.

I grabbed my book out of my bag that was hanging over the door handle. As I walked past the window I noticed I could see the moon outside. I got up and turned off the lamp and sat down on the bench and pressed my face up against the glass. I could see millions of stars and the moon was almost full. I don't think I had ever seen the sky so clearly.

I finally got up and walked to the bed. I got in and realised I had turned the lamp off so I couldn't see to read. I considered getting back up but the bed was so comfortable I just laid down and drifted off to sleep.