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Chapter One

|Saturday|

"Lili!" I groan as I hear my mom shouting for me. I get out of my comfortable bed, put my book down and walk downstairs. I realise I'm just in my pyjamas and shrug. I hear her shout again and I ignore her.

"I'm here" I say, walking into the living room where my whole family is watching tv. My mom, dad and brother, Olly.

"Oh good" she smiles and stands up, she gestures at my father to stand up and he groans pulling a face at me. I laugh slightly and my brother joins. "We wanted to talk to you"

"About?" I ask raising an eyebrow

"About university..." she trails off "Look I know you're taking nursing and that's absolutely fine but me and your father want you to continue the business" she grabs my fathers hand and I watch as she squeezes it slightly.

"I don't want to run a business mom" I roll my eyes "and besides I'm doing great at uni, my work is outstanding and I'm getting better at the practical work" I smile and I see hers fade.

"I know it's just... you've been working so hard and with the business you won't have to, won't that be more convenient?"

"No thank you, I really want to be a nurse and you know that. Why can't Olly run the business anyways?" I shrug taking a seat.

"He can but you're the eldest, sweetheart. All these university bills we're getting are-"

"Don't try and tell me you can't pay for them to guilt me into working for your boring business!" I raise my voice a little and my dad glares at me

"We're sick and tired of waiting for you to come around. We want you to work now. This nurse business of yours can be a hobby just we need-"

"A hobby?! Listen to yourself" I almost laugh "you can't be serious?"

"Don't interrupt me!" She shouts. "And yes I am serious, we just want you to have a good life. Look at your parents Lili, we're living the life" she smiles and gestures at our large house.

"Do you not believe in me?" I ask and my eyes begin to water. I know I'm not usually emotional but I feel as though they're going to take away my studies to work for their boring business.

Like honestly why would I give up nursing school to work for a wine business. I know sounds stupid.

"We do believe in you. We just think you being a nurse would cause you stress and you'd be tired. Plus they don't get as good a pay as we do" she winks and I roll my eyes discreetly.

"I'm not going to give up what I've been studying for your business. Do you have any ideas how hard I've worked?" I sob

"Yes dear, we do" she wraps her arm around my shoulder and pulls me into a short hug. "We just want the best for you" she whispers into my ear.

"The best for me? That's letting me finish my course and becoming a nurse!" I pull out of the hug, exclaiming.

"We will no longer fund your university course" my dad says and even my mother is taken back by his words.

"Wha..what?" I stutter

"You heard me straight" he says blandly.

"You're not serious" my mother wraps her arm back around dad and leans into him with a sorry look on her face. None of them reply and my blood starts to boil "this is so childish of you!" I shout

"We want you to have a good life, a life that if you're ever bored of living here in New York you can fly anywhere you want and not worry about your bank balance" She states but I just stare, mainly with shock but also disappointment.

"I don't care about money! I want to help people and making your stupid wine isn't going to achieve that!" I yell back.

"Don't you dare shout at us young lady!" My dad threatens

"Or what? Are you going to take something else important away from me? Jake maybe or my lungs?" I shout back sarcastically and storm upstairs making sure to slam the door behind me. I locked the door and grab my phone quickly texting my boyfriend, Jake.

Lili
Can you come over pls x

Jake
My bad, I'm out. Talk tomorrow x

I groan in frustration and throw my phone onto my bed. I need to clear my head and there's only one place to do that. The roof.

I climb up onto the roof from my window and perch myself right at the top where it's slightly level and I'm not likely to fall.

The sky is jet black and the lamppost lights are bright shining on the road. I sigh and breath in the nights air, it's cool and refreshing and totally take my anger away.

How am I going to afford my university fees? What an earth am I going to do? My parents aren't serious. What will jake think when I stop my course? Why isn't he coming round? What-

I stop in my thoughts when I hear a sniffle. I start to edge back towards my window as I spot a person directly across from me on the next roof.