Shifted by Denis Daniel (best ebook reader for surface pro TXT) 📕

I was walking down the quiet street of home with the girl I’d come to love so much, my girlfriend, Christine. We were coming back from school, we were holding hands, and her head was on my shoulder, just the way she always liked it. I was pulling my bicycle from the other side; I did that most of the time because we always came back home together.

That time my life was perfect. I had a normal perfect life; my parents, my younger brother and a beautiful girl by my side, who loved me so much, and whom I loved as much. School was great, I was doing pretty well with my grades, and no one was bullying me or anything like that. I was left with one year until I finish school and join college, MIT, it was one thing I wanted to do ever since I was nine years old. Unlike some people, I wasn’t confused about this, I couldn’t wait to go to college.

“Babe, I guess you’ve got guests; very rich guests I presume,” Christine said, while focusing on the car that was in front of my house.

It was a black limo shining under the fading sun of evening. I never saw that car before and I didn’t know why it was there.

“I’ve never saw that car before. And we don’t have any relatives who are that rich, at least not those our parents have shown us, or the ones we saw in family reunion last year. There was no one with a car like that,” I explained myself shocked and surprised.

“Well, it looks like you are going to find out.” She stated as we stopped on the path heading to the front door.

“No, I will escort you first,” I refused to go right away, that person whoever it was could wait.

“No, go ahead. You do that all the time. It won’t harm me if you’d skip today.” She reached for my lips and brushed a kiss as in persuasion, “I love you.” She said softly.

And with that, I was left with no choice but to give in and let her go by herself. Her home is a couple houses down the street, other times I always escorted her then I would come back home afterwards. She wanted to leave but I grabbed her hand and pulled her back to me. Then, I kissed her passionately, and said, “I could let you steal my goodbye kiss. I love you.” I kissed her one more time before letting her go.

“I know, I’ll see you tomorrow.” She concluded and turned to head home.

I looked at her athletic body with the perfect shape, probably because of all the exercises. Her brunette hair swung as she walked, they were long and thick; I loved the way she walked, I don’t whether it was because of her height which was almost six foot or it was because she was a cheerleader. She walked like some kind of model and she did look like a model. She turned around and looked at me with her captivating attractive emerald eyes, she blew me a kiss and disappeared at the corner.

After she was gone it was time for me to meet this person, this guest. When Christine was with me, I wasn’t that curious, but now, I was very curious about this person. I rushed through the porch to the front door and barged in right away.

I went to the living room which wasn’t a very big room, but which I was fond of, I had lots of good memories in it, with all the games we’ve played in it. I always loved being in it, but today, I didn’t think it was going to be as comfortable being there as any other days. When I got there I found these two elegant people, a man and a woman, which explained the car outside. And right at the moment they saw me, they flashed me this million dollars smile, like they were very fond of me. While I on the other hand didn’t have a clue who they were.

My parents were sitting on the opposite couch from them. They, however, had different expressions on their faces. They were nervous, even though they smiled as well, they couldn’t hide it. Something was wrong with them, or the guests who had just arrived.

“Hello Henrik.” The man greeted me warmly, but that just set me on high alert, defcon one. A stranger wasn’t supposed to know my name, and if my parents told them my name, why?

“Mom, dad, what’s going on?” I couldn’t reply his greeting, I wanted to know what was going on first.

“Henrik, have a seat first, then we will explain everything to you.” Mom said, and I was surprised she used my full name, she always called me Rick.

For a second I hesitated because I had a weird feeling in my gut. I felt like I wouldn’t like what they were going to tell me.

“Listen to your mother, Henrik.” Dad said in authority tone, which he used in critical situations, like when I almost got expelled in school for getting myself in trouble. But now it was a different situation and he was just as serious as back then, so I instantly obliged. However, that just proved my suspicions that something was seriously wrong today. I sat down and looked at them back and forth because I sat on the small couch that was at the middle of the room. Then suddenly, it felt like one of those talks parents have with their children, but except this one, there was two strangers who seemed to be the reason why I was sitting on the couch awkwardly. The strangers who nobody wanted to say who they were.

A while passed and nobody said a word; my parents seemed like it was hard for them, and the guests were waiting because even if they tried to say something I wouldn’t have believed them, if it was something serious. What were they so afraid to spit out anyways?

“Ahm! The man cleared his throat signaling my parents for something.

My mother straightened her shoulders and it was the second time I saw her doing it, she did it again once before when we were in middle school, my brother and I; when she refused to let us watch TV before finishing our homework’s.

Then she introduced them, “Henrik, this is Mr. And Mrs. Richards.”

“Hi, nice to meet you.” I said and shook their hands just the way I was supposed to do when meeting new people.

“And they are your parents; your real parents.” Mom continued.

It hit me like a silver knife, square in the chest. And for a minute, I couldn’t breathe, I dropped back to the couch and mom, Vivian, not the new woman; she came by my side. But I raised my hand up stopping her. I didn’t real want anyone near me at that time.

I was shocked because I never went looking for them. I knew I was adopted and I was totally okay with that. But to see them in my house just now meant one thing, they came to take me away. I didn’t care if he were my real parents; they abandoned me, Vivian and Michael took me in. They are my parents, my real parents; they took care of me since I was little. Not these two strangers. I wasn’t going to go anywhere with them, if they came to visit that’s okay. I would accept it, but not taking me away. My family was here and nowhere else.

“Rick darling, are you okay?” Vivian called me and I was back from my stupor.

“Yah, I’m okay. I was just taken by surprise.” I said, but it couldn’t even cut what was going on in my mind at that time. For seventeen years, I’d lived without knowing them. And now they popped up out of nowhere coming to me, claiming to be my parents.

“Why aren’t you saying anything son?” Michael asked, with a nervous smile on his face.

“What’s there to say? I mean, I’ve lived for seventeen years without knowing them. They are practically strangers to me.” I knew I sounded rude, but that’s how I felt; suddenly, dad’s expression changed and his face contracted, signaling me to behave, so I suddenly looked down.

“We know that and we will explain everything on our way home.” Mr. Richards explained and something caught my attention.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked curiously,

“It means, you’ll be leaving with us, home.” Mrs. Richards spoke for the first time since I entered the room, and her voice was sweet motherly kind of voice; I would’ve gotten comfort out of it, if I wasn’t on a verge of losing my home.

“Wait, wait, wait; nobody said anything about leaving. Mom, dad tell me you’ll not agree with this, I don’t want to leave, please!” I was begging and I could see how much Vivian was hurting, but it was as if they already surrendered.

Michael shrugged, “I’m sorry son, it has to be done.” He said sadly, he was as sad as Vivian was, which was something I couldn’t understand, if they didn’t want me to leave, why did they agree me being taken away then?

“No, this cannot happen to me. What if I refuse to go with them? Will they force me?” I blurted, and I was going hysterical now, I could frown and smile and grin and frown back again. I wasn’t going to give up my life, my family, my girlfriend and my friends just like that.

“Of course, we won’t force you.” Mrs. Richards said.

“But it’s necessary and very important for you to come with us.” Mr. Richards added.

“What’s important for me right now, is for me to stay with my family, and keep living my life. And for you to go back wherever you came from. Thanks for the visit though,” I said as sarcastically as I could then, I got up to leave.

“Son, please sit down. Arrangements are already done, leaving now won’t change anything.” The seriousness of his tone and face made it clear that there was no going back. How can this happen to me? Why did my life had to change now? Right when everything was perfect. Here I was going to be an outsider once again, somewhere I didn’t even know where. After trying so hard to fit in, and belong to this place, but it was being stripped away from me and there was nothing I could do about it.

“We’ll leave tomorrow morning. We will come back tomorrow after you’ve arranged everything for the trip.” Mr. Richards said.

My eyes were wide open in shock, then I said, “But tomorrow I have school. Besides I haven’t said goodbye to my friends and my girlfriend.” I complained.

“You’ll call them then. I’m sorry but it’s urgent that we leave tomorrow.” Mr. Richards explained.

“Yah right, urgent.” I repeated under clenched teeth, so no one heard.

I was so pissed I would’ve ran away, if I didn’t cherish Michael and Vivian so much. I didn’t want to get them worried, so I was going to do what I had to. Go living with these two perfect strangers calling themselves my parents.

“Okay, with that done; we’ll leave till tomorrow. We’ve booked a hotel nearby.” Mr. Richards concluded. Then they got up and shook hands with my parents, thanking them and say their goodbyes. After, they escorted them to their limo, and soon after, they left.

I was at the door waiting, didn’t real want to follow them, after all I was going to live with them anyway. I needed to spend my last few hours in the house that I’ve had the best time of my life. Mom came back rushing to me and I felt a sudden warmth,