The Promise

5) Aurora

They say travelling is hard, but the preparations to travel while your parents have absolutely no idea that you are doing so is harder.
Two months passed since I got my acceptance letter.
Two months of exhaustion, preparation, shopping, studying for the exams and finishing the flight papers.
All of that without the knowledge of my parents or relatives except my brother.
Now is the time to throw the bomb and tell them at home that I am traveling for an internship.
In another country.
The coming week.
And my first holiday to visit again is next year.
“You ready?” my brother asks “no” I hesitate.
I just became twenty-one years old, which means that I’m an adult and I can travel alone also, no one can think of stopping me.
“you’ll be okay” he reassures me, I take a deep breath and face the consequences of my actions; I didn’t think it’ll get this serious and I’ll get accepted anyways.
I head to where they’re sitting and tell them “Mom, Dad can I talk with you for a bit?”
They look at me then they pause their series.
“Look I know what I’ll say will upset you, but look at the bright side please and be happy for me” I tell them
“Out with it, Aurora” my father says as my little brother holds my hand and nods,
“I applied for a scholarship in London and I got accepted weeks ago.”
I could hear my heart beating in my ears as I hold my breath,
“What did you say, when and why didn’t you tell us?” mom rushes
“I didn’t think I’ll get accepted, but I did”
“I do not approve” Father says coldly after pausing too much,
“But dad this is my decision and I want to go”
“I don’t care about your decision, you treated us as blind people, I’ll treat you as a kid. There is no going anywhere” he finishes standing up to end the conversation.
“I. Am. Going” I challenge him stating my final decision,
He stops at my tone turning “what did you say?”
“I said don’t make this difficult dad because I am already going”
“Try to go and I’ll break your legs so you couldn’t walk” he starts losing his cool,
“Then I’ll crawl” I stand facing him,
“Aurora, don’t make me lose my cool, I don’t want to hear this conversation ever again” he warns
“Why can’t you let me go, let me have my life and learn”,
“I said what I said no going anywhere” he yells,
“You will not forbid me “I say reaching for any confidence inside me hiding my terrified inner child and standing for her for the last time.
“You did this to yourself” he says raising his hand towards my face slapping me and pulling my hair after that,
I look at my mother and brother, but as usual no one comes to my rescue, no one tries to free me from his grip,
He pulls me towards my room and he pushes me inside closing the door.
I sit on the ground as I always do when he violates me, not a single tear sliding as I hold on to my inner child begging her to stay put till, we get out of here.
I’ll do it, at dawn. Today.
It’s 2 am and both of them are asleep and I’m still in my bed, feigning sleep and I still didn’t make a move to implement my plan.
I hate that I still am hesitating whether to go and let everything burn or to stay and get myself oppressed more and more till I lose myself.
That’s when it clicks and I stand up gathering my stuff that I hid all over my room, my suitcases, money, gadgets and the childhood picture of me and my brother next to my bed and head outside.
I reach for the door when I hear the door to my brother’s room open as he comes towards me with tears in his eyes and hugs me tightly.
“I’m so sorry” he whispers, “go” he lets me go and opens the door.
“Will you be, okay?” I ask one last time.
“I deserve it” he concludes, I lower my head and nod.
“Stay safe, my baby, I’ll see you” I say as a farewell and head for the door going and not looking back.
I reach my best friend’s place and find her standing waiting for me as I fall into her embrace.
“You did it, you’re okay” she whispers.
“Two days and you’ll be free and out of here” she pats my head pulling me inside her house.
She pulls me in her embrace as we lay down in her bed “sleep sweetie” and I drift off in a peaceful sleep.
It’s hours left and I am having a shower to have a final girl’s night with my best friends before I leave.
I finish looking at my reflection remembering the past days’ events; me running away, or the preparation, or the exams; this really explains the darkness under my eyes, but it’ll pass.
I head out hearing them laughing outside, smelling the food and watching them laugh together from afar with a smile on my face as two arms wrap around me from behind,
“we’ll miss you” Kira says softly planting a kiss on my cheek.
“I’m coming back, I always belong here” I whisper.
“I can’t wait for you to come back again” she says on the verge of tears.
I spin around looking at her and pulling her in my embrace my eyes stinging as well.
“it’s okay” I tell her as she starts crying with my tears sliding too when I feel other pair of arms wrapping around us,
I look at Nour, she’s composed as always, but I see them. Those tears in her beautiful eyes.
I let them pull me in their warmth for a while, when Kira’s younger sister interrupts us to go to eat.
Kira looks in the watch and says “4 hours left”
After food, we are sitting alone in their garden outside the house and it’s 12 am listening to the silence of the night and the crickets, we had an amazing night, we played, danced, ate, sang and talked; we did everything, then they went to sleep before the time comes so they can say goodbye to me.
“Let’s make some promises so next year when we’re sitting like this again, we see who fulfilled her promise and who did not” Kira suggests,
I laugh and say “you start girl”,
“Okay, I promise to be successful and get rich also, to call you both every week if I traveled or not” Kira says holding both our hands,
I smile at her promise squeezing her hand before looking at Nour
“I promise to check up on you both and to be gentler on myself, to meet you both here again next year as well” she says softly a single tear setting free as she looks at me taking my other hand,
“I promise to be another person for all the people and to stay the same for you both” I whisper letting my tears fall.
“This shouldn’t be sad, you guys” Nour says voice shaking,
“I’ve always hated goodbyes since my sister” Kira says between tears “now another sister is going away” she finishes as I wipe her tears,
“You made me apply for this and now you’re crying” I tell her,
She laughs, “bitch”
“I think it’s time, let’s get ready, you need to be at the airport three hours early” she says and I nod; all of us standing to change heading for the airport.
We reach the airport and I gather my luggage to leave, we exchange hugs each one of us having tears in her eyes,
They walk with me till the gates as we hold hands “don’t forget make sure to tell us everything and if you faced any problem just call” Kira says,
“Yes, mom” I laugh and she slaps my shoulder,
“Make sure to call, love “Nour says squeezing my hands,
I nod before looking at them both and the gates in front of me,
Finally, I let their hands go and smile for both of them,
“Go and don’t look back” Kira says.

I nod and head inside the airport leaving everything behind and escaping my cage to my new life.