Will Johnson

I never wanted to move away. My life was perfect just the way it was. I was going to college—with decent grades, even. I had a small group of friends I’d often make music with, or we’d run wild in the alleys at night, smoking together and scribbling all over the trash cans with permanent markers... it wasn't much, but I never wanted it any other way. But then my parents got divorced, and my mom decided it was time for a fresh start. So we moved. To the countryside. To a tiny village in the middle of nowhere. The first night in my new room was torture. No matter what I tried, I just couldn't fall asleep; I just lay in bed staring at the sloping ceiling, which felt like it was crushing me. Everything felt so alien; I couldn't even imagine this being my home. After surviving the night, I was sitting at the breakfast table, half-dead, when my mom mentioned we’d been invited to a neighborhood barbecue. Great. The picture isn't mine. I just picked a random voice—please ignore it :/