In a weak attempt to run from her past, Valley moves away from home after she graduates high school. She keeps to herself in this new small town like she plans and she thinks she is doing fine this way. That is until she comes across a boy who won't...
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I scrolled through my phone contacts, searching for my mom's. When I found it, I begrudgingly tapped the screen and brought my phone to my ear, listening to the dial tone. It only took a few rings before my mom's voice broke through. "Hello, V. Are you out of class?"
"Yes."
"Is that why you didn't answer your phone earlier?"
"Yes."
"Sorry, love. I'll remember not to call at that time. So do you have a lot of homework?"
"Not a lot, but some."
"Hmm. Is it normal that you don't have a lot of homework or-"
"Oh, no," I quickly corrected myself, wondering why I even still had to. "I have homework, it's just not too difficult."
"Oh."
"What were you calling about earlier?" I asked, changing the subject.
"Nothing. Just checking in."
I sighed. She checked in too often. I was pretty sure even the most overprotective parents didn't do that. And she wasn't even overprotective, what my mother was was overly involved and authoritative of my studies.
"Is Sadie there?" I asked not wanting to talk to my mom anymore. I didn't need her asking about specific law classes because I had no clue.
"You don't want to talk to me?" I heard her pout through the phone. I could easily imagine her face morphing into a pathetic, sullen look, effortlessly manipulating me into feeling guilty, practically turning me into her workhorse.
"I haven't talked to her in a while," I lied.
"But-"
"I want to talk to Sadie," I said with a shaky voice.
I heard her sigh. "Alright, give me a moment." Her voice no longer sounded soft and hurt like my rejection physically pained her. Now it was cold and flat.
I breathed out a sigh of relief, thankful she didn't fight me any longer.
"She wants to talk to you," I heard my mom saying to Sadie. "Here."
"Hello?" Sadie's peppy voice rang through the phone.
"Hey," I smiled brightly even though she couldn't see.
"Thanks for pissing mom off," Sadie joked.
Immediately I felt bad. If my mom was pissed off then she would take it out on everyone else. "Shit, I didn't mean to make her mad. I just didn't really want to talk to her right now, and-"
"Don't worry about it, V," Sadie laughed. Even though Sadie was always better at dealing with my mother's antics than I was, it made me feel bad. Sadie could say 'no' and my mother wouldn't usually pressure her, and if she did, Sadie never caved.
"I didn't mean it."
"It's whatever. So what up?"
"Um, I don't know. Nothing really. I didn't want to talk to mom but I know I had to call her back."
"Oh, I get it. You don't actually want to talk to me, you just don't want to talk to mom," Sadie laughed.
"Shh!" I hushed, afraid my mom would overhear her.
"Relax, she's in the kitchen making dinner. So, what are you hiding from her?"
"What?" I ask flabbergasted Sadie would guess I was hiding something from our mom.
"Oh, come on. Since when have you ever defied her on such a minuscule thing as talking-"
"That's a big word. Brava!"
"You are hiding something," she said smugly.
"Sadie, I don't want to do this with you."
"Do what?"
"Lie."
"Why would you lie to me?"
"So you don't have to lie to mom."
"You do know who you're talking to, right? I am always lying to mom. I'll lie for you too so come on, spill."
"Fine. So you know how I'm in the law program here?"
"Mhm."
"And that's my major."
"Yeah, get to the point."
"I'm not actually a law major."
"Wait, what?"
"I'm not taking any law classes."
She gasped loudly, "Vienna!"
"Shh!" I hushed her again. "She's going to hear you."
"What the hell are you doing?"
"I'm just getting my GED right now, taking some subjects I think I might be interested in on the side. I'm testing the waters and all."
"No, I mean what the hell are you thinking?" She hissed. "Going against mom like this. What happens when she finds out her golden child isn't all that golden after all?"
"I don't know! Why do you think I don't want her to find out?"
"So what? You're just going to continue this charade until five years from now she thinks you're taking the Bar Exam and in reality, you were like, a Psych major or something and you've got a job and house already?"
I groaned, hating the idea of having to tell my mom.
"Oh my god," Sadie breathed out. "That's why you left. That's why you flew across the country to attend some tiny college. Because you knew she wouldn't follow you."
I waited a long moment wondering what I was supposed to say. Sadie knew and even if I were to deny it, she would still know.
After an achingly long pause, she let out a hearty laugh. "Oh, my god! Oh, my god! What is she going to do? What's she going to do when she finds out her golden child dropped everything to go out on her own to explore her career options? Man, V. Do you even know what you want to do?" She asked excitedly.
"No clue," I chuckled, nervously, afraid Sadie would think I'm stupid.
"This is amazing," she praised. "You have no idea what you're going to do with your life."
"Well, shit," I breathed nervously.
"But it's amazing!" Sadie said sincerely.
"How?"
"It's your turn, V. You've made it this far out of her grip, don't panic and come back yet. I've gotta go, mom's calling for dinner, but you're doing good, Vienna. Mom chose your past but you get to pick your own path now. You get to choose from here on out. I love you, V."
I didn't even get to respond before Sadie hung up the phone, leaving me alone to think about my future, something I never really had the choice to ponder.
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a/n
okay, so because this is a really short chapter, I'll post another. But what do you think? Please comment, vote, share, fan, and all that crazy fun stuff. Thanks!
