I’m missing out on much by being away from Long Beach. With cute shopping centers and a vibrant community, it’s the perfect place to call home. Gorgeous trees line the streets outside of the various shops and businesses. It all feels so homey and inviting. It reminds me of a town you’d see as the backdrop in a Hallmark movie.
I pass the Downtown District, smiling at the traffic and people as I go by. Yeah, I know, total weirdo, right? I think I’m the first person who has ever been excited to be stuck in traffic. I’m just ecstatic that I’m here. That I’ve made it this far. After my broken engagement to Reid, I didn’t think I’d ever be happy again. Because, for a long time, he was what I defined as my happiness, and without him, I felt like I was drowning. It took a whole month of crying in my old bedroom back at my parents’ house to hit my lowest low, and another month for me to get my life together. That third month? It was the tip of the iceberg for me. It was when I realized how shitty my relationship with Reid actually was. I needed the time away to see just how toxic and unhappy we were.
It’s my turn now. It’s my journey. And all that starts here.
I turn down Clearlake, toward the end of the quiet cul-de-sac where my new house is, sighing happily at the beautiful homes that roll past my windows. Campbell is a fairly residential suburb, and by the infinite stream of well-kept neighborhoods, it shows. This house, in particular, was a bit out of my price range, and I’ll have to put even more time and money in to fixing the house and making it presentable, but overall, I’m quite proud of my purchase. It’s in a great area, and anyone else would kill for a place like this, especially at the price point here in Campbell.
My smile brightens when I stop the rental truck in front of said house and throw it into park. It’s a one-story Craftsman-style bungalow that has the potential to be great. The home is a bit of a fixer upper, but it has a whole lot of character, it just needs a little TLC, that’s all.
My eyes trail up the inclined driveway, with my head tilted back the slightest bit to take it all in. The front of each of these houses in the cul-de-sac is designed with big windows to maximize the view outside and allow natural light to filter through. Even with a dilapidated shingle roof and a leaning, broken down fence, the home isn’t the worst I’d considered while searching.
I’m sure I’ll be getting an earful from my parents when they actually see it with their own eyes, instead of just in pictures. That’ll definitely give my dad something else to psychoanalyze.
Is this a cry for help, Olivia?
A quick scan around the neighborhood widens my smile. Everything is the same as it was in the photographs. I was half-expecting to get here and be completely bamboozled and catfished by a crappy property. As the realtor stated, most of the families and people living down this street have either been here for five years or longer or have moved in not too long ago. I make a mental note to introduce myself to the families in the houses next door to mine. On the right, the house is a mirror of mine, only that one is well put together: the lawn freshly mowed and no car in the driveway. When I glance to the left, I see a Prius and a Hummer parked in the drive, which prompts me to frown.
A gas saver and a gas-guzzler? I’m sure an interesting individual lives there. This house is a Colonial Revival-style home that towers over mine, and I wince just thinking about the mortgage on a place like that here.
When I’ve had enough staring, I get to work, unloading all the lighter boxes from the truck, and it takes me the rest of the evening, much longer than I anticipated. The house is in dire need of cleaning, but I’m not too worried about it. My mom promised she’d help me tomorrow when they got in.
My little brother has a game about an hour away from here this weekend, so my parents figured they’d drive my car down for me from Long Beach and help me with the move. Two birds, one