Inevitably Me

Chapter 1: The Weight of Expectations

"Allora Raelynn Whitestone! Come downstairs now!" Her mother's voice pierced through the walls, each syllable dripping with irritation.

Allora closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and glanced at the clock on her nightstand. It wasn't even seven yet. Her heart sank as she already knew what this morning would bring. The tense air, the way Helene's sharp eyes would narrow, searching for something to critique. Allora grabbed her bag, adjusted her shirt in the mirror, and headed downstairs, knowing she couldn't avoid the inevitable.

In the kitchen, Helene Whitestone stood by the counter, her arms crossed and a look of exasperation on her face. The breakfast Allora hadn't yet touched sat in the middle of the table—scrambled eggs, toast, and a smoothie. Typical. Helene always believed a good breakfast would help Allora "focus better" during the day, though this was more about control than concern.

"Allora, I don't understand why you can't just tell me what you want," Helene started, her voice calm but cold. "Every time I ask you something important, like about your college applications, you just sit there and nod. How am I supposed to know what you're thinking if you don't speak up?"

Allora bit the inside of her cheek, the words burning at the back of her throat, but nothing came out. There was no point in trying to explain herself. She'd tried before. She'd told her mother she wasn't sure if she wanted to stay in town for college. She'd mentioned she might want to explore her options, maybe even apply out of state. But Helene had dismissed her ideas as reckless, impractical. Now, Allora wasn't sure what to say anymore—because every time she spoke, it seemed like it wasn't really her speaking.

"I am expressing my opinions, Mom," Allora said quietly, already bracing for the response.

Helene's eyes narrowed. "No, you're not. You're agreeing with everything I say, and that's not the same as having an opinion. You need to start standing up for yourself, Allora. You won't get far in life if you let everyone walk all over you."

The irony wasn't lost on her. Allora nodded again, the familiar weight of her mother's words pressing down on her chest. Standing up for herself? Allora couldn't remember a time when Helene had ever allowed her to do that. Every choice she'd made had been filtered through the lens of what her mother expected—college, grades, friends, even her hobbies. There wasn't much room left to figure out what she wanted.

Helene let out a sigh, a signal that the conversation was coming to an end but not without a parting shot. "I just don't want you to end up making poor decisions because you were too afraid to speak up. You're going to be an adult soon, Allora, and adults have to make choices."

Allora swallowed the frustration rising in her throat and grabbed her car keys. "I'm going to be late for school," she mumbled, walking out the door without waiting for a reply.

As soon as the door clicked shut behind her, the cold morning air felt like freedom against her skin, even if just for a moment. Her chest loosened, the tightness of the kitchen conversation starting to ebb away. School wasn't necessarily an escape, but it was better than home. And at least there, she didn't feel like she was constantly failing to meet some invisible standard.

Allora pulled into the parking lot at school and spotted Brielle King, her best friend, waiting by their usual spot near the bike racks. Brielle's face lit up when she saw Allora, her bright blue hair catching the sunlight in vibrant waves. It was a stark contrast to Allora's more subtle style—Brielle was bold and unapologetic, everything Allora often wished she could be.

"Hey, girl!" Brielle called, skipping toward her. "Why the long face? Helene on your case again?"

Allora gave a half-hearted smile, pulling her bag over her shoulder. "You know it," she said with a sigh. "Same thing as always. She thinks I don't express myself enough, but when I do, it's never the right answer."

Brielle rolled her eyes, falling into step beside Allora as they made their way to the main entrance. "You'd think after all these years she'd realize that the problem isn't you. It's her. What's she on about this time?"

"College, of course. I mentioned maybe applying to some places out of state, and now she's all upset that I'm not being clear about what I want. But every time I say what I want, she just brushes it off." Allora's voice dropped to a whisper as a wave of frustration crashed over her. "It's like I'm talking, but she's not hearing me."

Brielle snorted. "Classic Helene. Look, you know what you want, and you shouldn't let her get in your head about it. If you want to get out of this town and do something big, you've got to take the leap, regardless of what she says."

Allora nodded, but the knot in her stomach didn't ease. It wasn't that simple. Brielle made everything sound so easy, like breaking free from her family's control was just a matter of saying, "No." But it wasn't like that for Allora. She wasn't Brielle. She didn't have that built-in confidence, that ability to stand up and declare her choices without fear of the consequences.

"I wish I could just... I don't know, say how I really feel and not worry about it," Allora said softly as they entered the building, the warmth of the hallway wrapping around them. "But it's like every time I try, there's this wall."

Brielle looped her arm through Allora's, giving her a reassuring squeeze. "You'll get there. It takes time, but one day you're going to stand up to her, and it'll feel amazing. You've got me here to back you up, remember that."

They made their way through the crowded hallways, passing familiar faces along the way. Remi Sylvester was laughing with a group of friends near the lockers, probably making some joke that had the whole crowd in stitches. Aria Steele and Zoey Steele, cousins who were polar opposites in personality but always together, waved in passing. Ashley Hall was already buried in her planner, no doubt mapping out the rest of her day.

Allora smiled at them all, but the tension from the morning still clung to her. She couldn't shake the feeling that everyone else had it easier somehow—that they didn't have the constant pressure she felt at home. She envied the way they could laugh freely, make choices without second-guessing themselves.

But then, as they reached their first class, Brielle shot her a grin that instantly lightened her mood. "Today's gonna be better. I can feel it. And if it's not, we'll skip lunch and go grab coffee. Deal?"

Allora let out a small laugh, grateful for Brielle's endless optimism. "Deal."

Maybe today would be better. Maybe.

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Thoughts on Chapter 1?

Love,

Phoenix <3