I stepped into the gates of the private school I had been going to my whole life. The school I couldn’t wait to get out of! I was going to be the envy of the school. I was leaving this all this boringness behind and moving to flashy fast-paced America. All my peers would watch me as I walked out, never to come back, thinking “I wish that was me”.  I was moving soon but soon couldn’t come fast enough.

As I sat in my English class listening to the announcements, I passed every one of my friends in my vicinity a note telling them to meet me at the water cooler after class. They passed along the news. After class, we stood, by the water cooler blocking half the lockers in our area.
“I have to tell you guys something,” I leaned in closer  so that only my closest friends would know, “I’m moving…”
Every one of my friends’ jaws dropped before I even had the chance to finish my sentence.
“To America,” I finished my sentence and gulped.
Nobody said anything for a good 5 minutes. We were all going to be late to Math, but we didn’t care.
“Oh. My. God,” Lea said the first one to speak, “You’re so lucky”
What came next was a chorus of, “I’m going to miss you so much,” “I’m going to come to visit you all the time!” and “Wow. America!” 
“I’m going to miss you guys so much, but I’m so excited!” I exclaimed.
We all walked to Math Class arm in arm. The last time this would ever happen. I didn’t even think of that.
In a small school like the British School of Bahrain, news travelled fast and by the end of the day everyone in my grade knew. They were all congratulating me, asking me questions, and some friends telling me how much they were going to miss me. As we all left for winter break, some of us never to return, I said one last goodbye to the friends I thought I wasn’t going to see again before I left.

When I climbed into my mom’s car that day I handed her the form I couldn’t wait for her to sign. Checking the box that said ‘’ My child will not be returning next semester’’. The box that I had been waiting for her to sign for the last 9 years. But she didn’t, she signed the box that she had been signing for the last 9 years. The dreaded box that read ‘’ My child will be returning next semester’’ My heart sank to the floor and my face turned red. I thought it would be different that year. I thought everything would change.
“What do you mean, mom?” I asked, the twinkle in my eye gone, replaced by sadness and despair.
“We’re moving next year now,” My mother said with such dismissal.
“No,” I said, in denial, “We’re moving this year,”
“Your dad needs to finish something at work and I want you to finish this school year and start the next one so you can get caught up,” My mom said sternly, “That’s the end of this,”
I was instantly filled with sadness, disappointment, and confusion.  We went through the rest of the car ride in silence. No noise other than the A.C which was an essential in the scorching Bahrain heat even in November.

When we got home, I shot out of the car like a bullet and ran up to my room before I even had a chance to grab something to eat. I stayed in my room for hours, 1 passed then 2 and so on. I was in my room for 6 hours before my father came home from work. He came into my room, in his work attire and sat on my bed. He sat there in silence for a while, trying to think of what to say to me.
“I know you’re upset,” He said finally.
“Well yeah, captain obvious,” I mumbled refusing to look at him.
“Your mom and I just want what is best for you, we want to move as much as you. There are just some reasons that you don’t understand right now, and they are none of your concern.”
“But I’ve been looking forward to this for so long,” I finally looked at him, “I’ve told all my friends, and I just hate Bahrain so much.”
“So,” He stood up, “You mean to tell me that you’re not going to miss Bahrain, not even one bit when you do move,”
“No,” I sighed, “I guess not, but- “
“Okay then, so just enjoy the time you have left,” He opened my door before pausing, “And I think you owe mom an apology.”
“Fine,” I smiled, contemplating what my dad had just told me.
I could smell my nanny’s famous homemade pizzas and I ran downstairs just as fast as I had ran to my room. As I ran past the living room I could see my mother watching T.V with a cup of coffee in her hand, I walked in and sat down, fighting the urge to just get up and leave.
“I’m sorry,” I said.
“It’s okay,” she put her coffee and the T.V remote down to look at me, “But you have to understand that I just want what is best for you, even if you don’t know it’s what is best for you,”
“I know, and I understand why we are not moving, and I’m fine with that,”
“Thank you, and I know it isn’t an ideal scenario but we have some stuff we just have to take care of, now let’s not worry about this and go get something to eat.
We walked into the kitchen together and sat down at the table. My mother passed out pizza in a kitchen I loved, with the people I loved and the pizza I loved. I realized I had taken Bahrain for granted and I would enjoy the time I had with my friends, my school, and my family.