Chapter 4

On the way back to her room, Felicia an AJ picked up some packing boxes. They got to her room and started throwing everything of hers in. AJ came to her mantle with her pictures. ”Who are these people?” he asked, thinking he already knew the answer.

Felicia looked up from her clothing box and sighed. “My mom, my Bubbie, and my sister.” He was talking about the picture of them in the hospital, the day after her sister was born.

“What’s a Bubbie?” He asked, being very confused.

“It’s Yiddish for grandma. My Bubbie hated being called grandma. She trained my and my sister to yell at anyone who did,” Felicia chuckled at the thought. She hasn’t seen any of her relatives since she came down to Columbus.

“Oh.” AJ said. He figured he could ask more about her past later. “do you want these to go with your old journals?”

“Yeah, that would work.”

“What’s going on here?” came a voice from the doorway.

Felicia looked up and sighed. It was her roommate Megan. Felicia was hoping she could leave here today without seeing her, but Felicia couldn’t have perfect luck, could she.

“I’m leaving Megan. You’ll be happy to know that now you have the whole room to yourself.”

“Really?!” Megan asked, and then realized that there was someone with her. “Oh, I mean darn….If I had known I would of given you a going away party. Do you need any help?” She asked, hoping she would say yes. AJ recognized this girl as the one asking if he was single.

“No, I think we have it under control.” Felicia said and went back to her packing.

Megan sighed. “Fine, have it your way.” She waved flirtatiously at AJ before she stomped away.

“Thank god,” Felicia mumbled.

AJ chuckled. “I take it you two don’t get along?”

“Not really. Actually, I don’t get along well with anyone here. But that doesn’t matter anymore now,” Felicia smiled.

AJ chuckled as he was putting away her journals.

“Hey, I just realized something. I know you don’t know much about weather, but that’s all I know about you,” Felicia stated, still laughing about the snow.

AJ chuckled. “Okay, how about I tell you basic stuff, and then you can ask me more questions, okay?”

“Deal.”

“Okay. A lot of people call me AJ. That’s ‘cause my middle name is James. I’m 15-years old, and I love to sing and dance. I’m actually in a singing group.”

“Really? What’s the name?” Felicia asked, intrigued by his life already.

“Well, we aren’t big or anything yet. We actually just started two months ago. We’re called the Backstreet Boys. People say we are like NKOTB.”

Now it was Felicia’s turn to be confused. “Who?”

“You don’t know who New Kids on the Block were?”

“Ohhh! Them!” Felicia exclaimed. “Sorry, I had one of my dumb brunette moments.”

AJ laughed. “That’s okay. I just thought I was really old for a second.” He turned back to the mantle where the pictures used to be, and he saw some candles. “Okay, A) what are these for and B) where do you want them?” he asked as he examined them.

Felicia looked over at the three candles. “Those are yartziet candles. I get new ones each year. I light one for my mom, one for my dad, and one for my sister.”

“Oh,” AJ said quietly. “Same box as the other stuff?”

“Uh huh,” Felicia said. She started putting her dance shoes away in another box.

“You dance too?”

“Yeah…. well, I used to. There isn’t a dance studio in here and we aren’t allowed out much,” She said as she put away her baby album. “Okay, I think that’s it.” She gave the room one final look over and saw her guitar. “Oh wait! Can’t forget this!”

AJ’s mouth dropped open. “next think you’ll tell me is that you opened for Paula Abdul.”

Felicia laughed. “I wish. Naw, I only know a few songs on this thing. I learned them at camp. I was supposed to continue my lessons after I got home…” she trailed off, remembering her dad’s promise to her.

AJ could tell she was getting upset. "Um, do you want to play one of the songs you know?”

Felicia smiled. “Sure. Megan never liked it when I played it.” She took out the guitar. “It’s called ‘Time Stops’. My counselor wrote it.”

Felicia stopped and looked up at AJ. He was looking at her in shock. “Was I that bad?” she asked quietly. After all, he should know, he was a singer!

“Are you kidding? You were awesome!” AJ said. “Song was slightly cheesy, but you have an awesome voice.”

Felicia laughed. “I always told the counselor that it was a cheesy song.”

AJ smiled.” I bet you can take that on the airplane with you, that way it will be safe.”

Felicia nodded. She put Corky in her backpack and gave the room one last look to make sure she had everything this time. “Everything looks ready to go. Lets get out before Megan comes back.”

AJ laughed. “Okay.” AJ lead the way out of the room. Felicia stopped right outside the door and looked at her room one more time. All of her painful memories would stay here. She would make sure of it.

“Goodbye Ohio,” she whispered, and ran to catch up with AJ.