A Life Beyond the Mirror

Chapter 2

The drive seemed so much longer than it actually was. I've never been a restless or impatient person, but 4 hours felt like 8. Probably because every corner my mother stopped to a rolling speed. She never was a confident driver. My Father always was the chauffeur on every trip home. One section we actually nicknamed 'the bendy wendies' because of the sharp corners, my mother would close her eyes as my father drove like a pro, taking the corners and making me squeal. The scenery flicking past showcase beautiful woodlands rich in greens and rhododendrons in every hedgerow. Hillsides covered in shale rock and tall evergreens and the small villages dotted throughout. I stare out the window, stroking Toby's soft fur as we go. He is a Jack Russell with tan, white and black markings, scruffy most of the time but after a trim, it makes him look mean. Laying down next to me, his paws on my lap, His damp tongue hanging out of his mouth. It was July. The temperature was warm, hotter in the car. I crack open a bottle of water and pour a little in the bowl. He lapped it up happily.

"Are you excited for your new school tomorrow?" Mum shouts from the front of the car.

"Not really. There is only a week left. Not even a week, it's already Monday! I've done all my exams, so surely, I can miss one week?" I plead again.

"The head teacher insisted. I'm sorry honey. Just look at it this way, you may find some new friends for the summer! And you can invite them to your birthday party!" Doing a little excited dance.

"I'll be turning 18, no one will care to come to your annual party Mum. I don't even want to go to it this year!" I reply, sounding harsher than I mean it. She always throws me the same party and I learned early on that the party wasn't for me, it was for her. To keep everything as normal as possible after Dad. It was like a kid's party. Bunting in the garden, party hats, she even fills a piñata with candy. I would be truly mortified if anyone saw me. Especially since her signature gift is my party dress that usually contained frills. And was most certainly always pink. Let's just say, me and Mum have completely different tastes when it comes to what I wear.

"Hey! What's wrong with my parties?" she says, offended with her hand on her chest.

"Just that they usually only consist of me, you and Toby seen as my friends never wanted to go."

"Nick liked to come to the parties. He could come this year." I roll my eyes at the comment.

"Seen as Nick is my ex-boyfriend; I have a feeling the answer is going to be a no." She always brought him up. She still can't believe I ended things after I found out we were moving a few months ago. It wasn't really a relationship anyway. We hardly saw each other, and this was my chance to give him his life back. He was there for me when my dad disappeared and I'll always love him for that, but other than that I don't think we were anything more than friends. That liked to make out a lot. He was devastated, but I knew he like Rachel from Science anyway. They basically got together as soon as we broke up.

"You'll work things out, I'm sure." She said, looking at me in the rear-view mirror and giving me a wink. I furrowed my brow at her.

"How about this year we just don't do anything? It won't be a bad thing. I just don't see the point in celebrating with a party."

"But it's you eighteenth!" she screeches.

"I know, but I just want to start this new chapter on a less embarrassing note than trying to get random strangers to come to a party."

She sat awkwardly, pondering. I could see the disappointment on her face. She looked hurt but I couldn't keep having a party every year till I'm 50!

"Okay." She finally replies with a sigh, barely audible. "We will be there in about 20 minutes. Your Grandmother can't wait to see you. She hasn't seen you in a few years... well in person." I FaceTime her sometimes even though she doesn't really get it. The number of times I have been face to ear with her I can't even count. We haven't been back in Pembrokeshire since the summer before dad disappeared. When the investigation was going on, she came to stay with us for a while but after a few months, she had to go home and try to move on.