Coming Home

Asher sat on his bed, staring at the moving boxes. " - I don't want to move," he said to his brother Rowan. " - But we have to," Rowan replied. " - Grandma and Grandpa are waiting for us in Montana." Asher sighed. He knew they had to leave, but the thought of starting over was scary.

The car ride seemed endless, and Asher felt restless. He looked out the window at the passing landscapes. " - When will we be there?" he asked. " - Soon," Mom replied, turning up the audiobook. Asher tried to enjoy the story, but his mind kept wandering to the uncertainty of their new life.

They stopped at a rest area, and Asher stretched his legs. " - I miss my friends," he said. " - You'll make new ones," Dad encouraged him. But Asher wasn't sure if anyone would like him. The thought of being the new kid made his stomach churn.

As they approached Mount Rushmore, Asher's eyes widened in awe. " - It's incredible," Rowan said with a smile. But Asher couldn't shake his worries. " - I wonder if I'll fit in at school," he whispered. The excitement of the monument was overshadowed by his anxiety.

Finally, they arrived in Helena, and Grandma and Grandpa were waiting with open arms. " - Welcome home!" Grandma exclaimed. But as the days passed, Asher struggled to adjust. The new house felt strange, and he missed Belleville every day. He wondered if he'd ever feel at home again.

At school, Asher felt like an outsider. " - Do you want to join us for lunch?" a boy named Kol asked. Asher hesitated, fear bubbling up inside him. " - Maybe tomorrow," he mumbled, retreating to his corner. He longed for the comfort of his old friends.

Rowan tried to cheer him up with music. " - Let's practice for the band," he suggested. Asher nodded, drumming half-heartedly. But the rhythm felt off, just like everything else. " - I miss home," Asher admitted to Rowan. " - This is home now," Rowan reminded him.

One night, Asher lay awake, feeling defeated. " - I don't belong here," he whispered to Kira, who lay beside him. His heart ached with homesickness. " - I just want to go back," he thought. The courage to face a new beginning seemed like a distant dream.

Grandpa Archie took Asher fishing the next morning. " - Sometimes, it takes time to find the right spot," Grandpa said as they cast their lines. Asher watched the water ripple, a sense of calm washing over him. " - Maybe I just need to give it a chance," he thought. His courage began to stir.

Asher decided to join Kol and Sawyer for lunch the next day. " - I think I'll give it a try," he told Rowan. The boys welcomed him warmly, and Asher felt a spark of belonging. " - Maybe this place isn't so bad after all," he realized. Slowly, Helena began to feel like home.