"Mom?"
"Yes?"
"I want to move to America."
Her piercing blue eyes burn into my skin, and I can already sense her anger. She slams down her coffee mug and walks toward the fridge.
"You'll do no such thing."
I knew she would say this.
"I'm 18 now," I tell her. "...it doesn't really matter what you say." I murmur. I don't want to cause trouble, but this has to work. She may not understand it now, but she doesn't have to.
She whips around, her hand quickly making contact with my cheek. I gasp, my head frozen facing the floor as my mother scoffs.
"You better quit using that as an excuse to be dumb! You're young, and making stupid choices, just like I did when I was young."
My eyes find the floor. "I'm sorry, mama." I say quietly. She and I both know that I'm apologizing for more than this outburst. She shakes her head and brushes past me.
But it doesn't make a difference. Because her words no longer rule me.
I'm going to America. And I'm leaving soon.
