Astrid’s P.O.V.
*Two weeks later*
I head outside to check the mail and when I pulled it out, I began to flip through the mail until I came across a letter addressed to me. I went inside the house and placed the mail on the kitchen counter and I went upstairs to my room with the envelope. I opened it up and I found a letter from Duke that says, “Along with this letter is the divorce papers, I’m sorry Astrid but it has to be done.” I sigh aloud knowing that this would happen and then I went downstairs to show dad the letter. Five days past by and then dad comes home and he tells me that he sent the divorce papers to the judge. I decided to destroy and sell away everything that Duke gave me. I decided to sell the ring first so I wouldn’t have to look at it anymore. To take my mind off of Duke and everything else, I began to write my songs about betrayal, hate and loss. I became angrier about how Duke just jerked me around on a leash; I mean did he even love me?
As the days gone by, just me writing away in songs and me writing with a sense of evil on my hands. When a year and half came by I had gotten a letter in the mail from the court saying that in two days I needed to appear. When two days arrived, I dreaded going knowing that I would be seeing Duke there. I got in my car and drove off to the court listening to ‘Buried Alive’ by Avenged Sevenfold. When I arrived in court I saw Duke and a girl who was standing beside him. I realized then that it was Lily and when she noticed that I was staring at her she gave me a sympathetic look. I looked away from her and shook my head. When I had my back turned I didn’t realize that Lily had walked up to me until she calls my name.
I turned to face her and she says, “I’m sorry.” I smile at her and say, “Not your fault.” Then Lily asks me something that I didn’t expect and what she says is, “Can I have your cell phone number?” I tell her my number and she plugs it into her phone and heads back over to Duke. I never once talked with Duke even though he tried talking to me. I left the court then and when I was heading out, I could hear Duke calling my name so I ran outside and towards my car and I drove off quickly. I went to the park to cool off but I didn’t get out of the car just couldn’t make myself do it.
An hour later, I felt cooled off and then I decided to head home, I felt that today was the day that I would tell dad about me wanting to leave to Las Vegas. I drove away from the park and drove towards home. When I arrived home, I saw dad sitting on the porch steps and when I got out of the car, he began walking towards me and when he stopped in front of me he says, “How are you?” I shrug my shoulders not really knowing how I felt but I say, “I want to leave the state dad.” Dad gives me a blank look and he says, “Where?” I then told him everything that I want to be a singer and that I want to go to Las Vegas to peruse it and when I was done talking, dad was shocked and then he says after three minutes later, “I’ll support you and what want to do with your life.” I hugged him and he says, “Are you going to need money for a plane ticket?”
I nod my head and dad says, “I’ll give you money to get a ticket plus more.” I nod my head and dad says, “You should go pack and then afterwards you need to say goodbye to your brothers.” We go inside the house and I head upstairs to my room to begin packing. Ten minutes later somebody begins knocking on my door so I put the shirt I was folding on the bed and answer the door to face Matt and he says, “Dad told me… anyways, I want to help you pack.” I nod my head and say, “I would love to have you help me.” Matt comes in and he helps me pack and an hour later, everything is packed. We put the suitcases down on the floor and sat on my bed and Matt says, “Are you sure you want to do this?”
I nod my head and say, “I’m sure I want too.” Just when we were about to talk more, dad walks in and he says to me, “Can you follow me downstairs?” I stood up and follow dad downstairs and he says, “I think you should head to the airport to get your ticket, I don’t know how many they have.” Dad hands me money and I began to make my way to my car when somebody runs up to me. I turn around and it’s Matt and he says, “Let me come with you please.” I nod my head and we both get in my car and we drive off. We stop at the airport and Matt gets out too and he says, “Coming with you to protect you.”
We head inside and we stood in line for an hour waiting to get my plane ticket. After I received my ticket, Matt grabs my keys right out of my hands and before I can say anything Matt says, “I’m driving this time.” I sigh aloud and when we stopped in front of my car Matt says, “I want a hug first.” For once I didn’t say no; I hugged him and he hugged me back tighter. We get inside my car and we drive off heading home. When we arrived home dad was sitting on the steps and when I walked up to him, he hugs me tightly and he says as he’s giving me an envelope, “This has money in it and when you find a place to stay at, call me and I’ll send you more money.” I tell him I will and then I head up to my room to grab my three suitcases.
When I arrived in my room I was ambushed by my brothers and all three hugged me tight and all of them say at the same time, “Please make sure you call us!” I tell them that I will and then my brothers grab my suitcases and they took them out to my car I hugged everybody again for the last time until I came back home. I got in my car and began to drive off and all I could think about was, ‘I hope I can survive living in Las Vegas.’ But I knew one thing for sure; I couldn’t take living there anymore. Even though I knew I wouldn’t see Duke again, it just would bring back unwanted memories. So that’s why I decided to fly to Las Vegas to peruse my dream of singing. I just hoped that Raven’s uncle would help me.
