Unexpected

Chapter 12

Somehow four hours pass and my mum is calling me for dinner. I go downstairs and sit down. I look at my plate to find chicken stir fry. I had a mouthful and it was quite good. I soon ate it all and I then went back up stairs. I lye on my bed and just stare at my ceiling and I fall asleep. I didn't mean to. I swore I only blinked but when I woke up it was seven a.m and it was Monday.

I check my phone and find a message on twitter.

*Good luck with your exams this week!* Niall messages me. I smile at his cuteness before I get up and get dressed in quite scruffy clothes but it was exam week. I don't really care what I look like when I'm in the middle of an exam.

.......

Monday passes to Friday too fast. It's hard to believe I have sat through three exams and likely failed two of them. It felt strange not to have anymore school. It felt quite freeing like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I wanted to explore outside of England and travel. It wasn't practical, I understood that it wasn't practical, but it's something I've wanted to do for such a long time.

It also felt strange not talking to Niall. He is visiting family for a week which is sweet and I respected that.

In the kitchen I can her my mum tittering around, cleaning things that have already been cleaned. I wanted to tell her that I'm going to go to a few different places but I knew she wouldn't like it. She wouldn't approve but it was my life and I'm almost eighteen so she couldn't tell me what to do after June the fourth. She could only advise me but it was still daunting.

"Mum?" I question and walk into the kitchen.

"What Jessica?" She turns around. I hate it when she calls me Jessica.

"Since I've finished college, I want to go travel. Like see outside of England." I say and wince whilst I wait for her reply.

"Absolutely not. You're only a child. It isn't practical, you barely have any money. I can't believe you even thought about that." She laughs.

"I'm not a child mum, I'm eighteen soon. So even if I can't do it now. I can do it then and you can't stop me. You know I've wanted to go Brazil since I was little and this is a perfect time to go. And nothing is ever practical for you. There's always something wrong." I say a little harsher than I intended.

"Jessica Carter. I will not be treated with so little respect. I am your mother and I am supposed to look out for you!" She shouts.

"Mothers are supposed to care about their children's dreams!" I shout back.

"You can hardly call that a dream. Its a silly little fantasy. You're not leaving that's final."

"I'm not your prisoner. You can't keep me here. Just because you can't have what I can, you want to stop me completely. You're calling me the child but its you who is acting childish right now!" I scream and regret it. I can see the tears forming in her eyes.

"Leave then! Go. See if I care." She is furious but so am I. I really didn't think it blow up so quickly.

"I will and I'll be glad to finally be gone." I hiss and run up to my room.

I quickly throw some clothes in my suitcase and wipe away the tiny tears from my eyes. I grab my phone.

*Going to my Nans in Ireland. Won't have no wifi.* I quickly tweet and then get all my savings. I have three hundred pounds in my room and over seven thousand in my bank account.

I call for a cab. It will be here in fifteen minutes.

I pack a little more and then get a DM.

*Where in Ireland?* It's Niall but not even he can lift my mood.

*Northern Ireland* I reply quickly as I pack a few more things.

*Dublin?*

*Yeah, near the hospital.*

*Ahh.*

*I got to go Niall. My cabs here.* I reply and stand up. I take my bag down stairs and I walk through the front door making sure I slam it. I wish I could say bye to Ryan but he's not here.

I climb into the cab and tell him to drive to the airport. I switch my 3G on and quickly buy a plane ticket to Northern Ireland on the cheapest site and the only leaving as soon as possible.

I relax for the hour drive to Manchester because it would be very hectic from then onwards until I got to my Nan's.

.......

After a long hour or so waiting, I can finally board the plane and enjoy sitting next to a stranger for the ride to Ireland. Luckily enough it is a girl not much older than me but I still didn't start a conversation. I enjoyed avoiding strangers.

The ride goes by faster than I would have though and so did the drive to my Nan's. I had spend over one hundred pounds just on taxi fares.

It had felt like ages since I had been knocking on the little blue door. I wasn't sure if my Nan would be in and if she wasn't then I would be literally screwed. After waiting a long two minutes, the door finally opened.

"Jessica? Is that you?" She asks.

"Hi Nan." I smile and hug her.

"What are you doing here? Come in." I walk in and I vaguely explain what happened. She tries to empathise but she just lets me settle in anyway.

I go up to my room to see the baby pink walls still live. I half smile as I unpack all my clothes and put them in the almost empty closet. My Nan's wedding dress lives in there. It looks beautiful underneath the plastic bag.

I go back downstairs and my Nan has made me my favourite meal of hers. Chicken pie and homemade chips.

As we sit and eat, we talk about the years that we haven't seen each other. I decide to tell her that I have been talking to Niall but she doesn't know anything about him which is lucky.

I go to bed early after a stressful week and I am so glad I came to Nan's. I think it's really just what I needed.