The Lines Between Us | ✔

|.03.|

September 2nd, 7:30 am,

Bella

After the mishap with my Mom, times have been slow. I received my acceptance letter for college, but other than that, I have done nothing. I have always wanted to go to college since I was young, always working overtime to get the grades I need. I always liked the thought of freedom, to have the capability to run away from my past life and live my very own. At home, it is not enjoyable; having to hide my lines from my family and friends is not ideal, I feel isolated from everyone else.

Opening and closing my white drawers for the hundredth time, I frantically check to see if I have left anything behind. All my things have already been carted off to college, all except a small, white backpack that I sling loosely over my shoulder. It consists of pens and what feels like hundreds of new textbooks I had to purchase from my local shop.

"Today is the day," I hum as I race down the stairs, my legs moving faster than my brain can comprehend.

"Do you want me to drive you, honey?" My Mom says, turning her head up from her phone and looking in my direction. She lives in fear of being by herself. She would do anything to make me stay at home with her, away from any potential harm.

It's not her choice to make, though.

"It's fine. I'll walk. Thanks anyway," I reply, happily, it's only a half-hour walk to college, but I want to make the most of it. My Mom is always reluctant to let me go out by myself, but since I told her I was walking with friends, she allowed it.

I'm not though, walking with friends. I figured lying to her would give her a bit of peace of mind. None of my friends are going to college, barely any of them got in. Besides, these so-called friends cease to exist in my mind- they have probably forgotten about me already. I don't think they mind though--not going to college--as they get to stay at home with the safety of their families.

Walking over to her, I lean down and place my chin on the top of her head. "I'm going to miss you," I whisper. As much as I love my Mom, what we have is more of a love, hate relationship. She is angry at me all the time for breaching the rules of the house- she never wants me to leave in fear that I will get killed earlier than expected.

"Me too darling, I promise I will visit as often as possible," She replies reluctantly, clinging to my jacket, hoping to make me stay.

"You don't have to do that," I reply, laughing in hopes of breaking the tension. Nobody wants their mother to embarrass them at college, especially on their first days. Releasing her from my clutches, I grab my bag and throw it over my shoulder, sprinting towards the exit. As I open the door and walk out into the unknown, I feel my mother's eyes stab into my back like darts. Not looking back, I bite my lip and head out, closing the door tightly behind me.

Doing this, I feel like I just shut out a lifetime of pain, sorrow, and worry. As soon as I exit, it all goes away, and I am at peace.

After about 20 minutes of walking, my legs begin to ache, and I wonder why I went on this walk instead of driving. In an attempt to suppress my boredom, my eyes travel to the scenery surrounding me. There is so much more in the world than what I have experienced. I've only ever seen trees like this on the internet. The only time I ever left the house without my mother is with 'friends'. I would often lie to her about going out with them when really I would go out by myself. Horrible, I know, but necessary to get relief from her rules.

Hearing the last remnants of the song I am listening to fade away, I pull out my phone in order to play the next one. My feet stumble off the curb as I reach down to return my phone to its place in my pocket. Out of nowhere, I hear a loud car horn and the sound of tires screeching against the ground.