After Midnight

Chapter 2- Star

As the morning sun shines through my window. I toss and turn, trying to get a few more hours of sleep. The smell of coffee fills our small home, and a smile creeps onto my face as I subtly make my way out of bed. I stumble to the bathroom and quickly shower to wake myself up. Once out, I get dressed for the day and head downstairs.

"Morning Mom, morning Dad," I say as I take a seat at the table. My mom greets me with a warm smile and hands me a cup of coffee. I take a sip and feel the warmth spread through my body, energising me for the day ahead. "Morning, sweetheart." I grab a piece of toast and begin to munch on it, daydreaming of the stranger from the night before.

"Morning, princess." Dad smiles as he drinks his morning cup. I take a mental picture of this beautiful morning, knowing it will be a long time before I see them again. Dad interrupts my thoughts, and my face goes red as he says,

"So where did you go last night?" I choke on my food and look at him. His dark green eyes pierced mine. "Don't even think about lying; I heard your car." He laughs.

"Umm, I couldn't sleep, so I went for a drive." I lie. He raises an eyebrow skeptically, "At 1am?" I nod, trying to keep my composure. "Alright then," he says with a shrug before returning to his own meal. But I can't shake the feeling that he knows I'm not telling the truth.

"Eric, stop that. She's an adult now; she doesn't have to tell us where she is going." My mother tells him.

"Whatever you say, Lydia," my dad responds as he continues his breakfast. I try to hide my relief as I quickly finish my own breakfast.

Finished with my meal, I wash my plate. After saying my thanks to mom for breakfast, I hurry back upstairs to double check that I have everything I need. When my phone rings, I can't help but crack a grin when I see Laura's name appear.

"Hey," I say as I put the phone on speaker.

"Hey! So I'm heading down to the house tonight if you want to head out with me. I heard there is supposed to be a wild party tomorrow night with all the kids from campus, and I don't want to miss it." She tells me.

"Oh, I don't know." I start to stutter. "I mean, it's totally up to you. But I heard it's going to be epic. What do you say?" She says and I grunt in response.

"Star, you're not with Levi anymore, meaning you're allowed to have fun. Let's start this new year fresh and leave all the negative people behind us. Pleaseee." She begs.

"Fine." I cave. "I'll see you in a bit." I hang up the phone and decide to run through my list one last time to make sure I have everything I will need.

Mom enters my room and sits on the edge of my bed. Her brown eyes are covered in sadness as her baby girl is leaving the nest. I sit beside her, giving her a big hug, assuring her that I will call all the time to check in and that I'll be home for the holidays. We spend the day making sure I have everything I need and spending the time we have left together.

The day goes by faster than expected, and anxiety fuels me as I know I'll be on my own. My phone rings, and it's Laura.

I've headed out; I'll meet you at the corner store. Hurry up; I'm so excited.

My dad helps me with my bags, even when I insist that I can manage on my own. I appreciate his support and feel grateful for his kindness. I hug my mother good-bye as tears stream down her face. My dad's presence and assistance make leaving home a little easier, but I still feel emotional about saying goodbye to my family. I know they will miss me as much as I will miss them. I make my way to my car and start the engine. I wave one last time before heading out on my new adventure. As I drive away, I feel a mix of excitement and sadness. It's bittersweet to leave behind the familiar and embark on something new, but I know this is an important step towards my future.