Ancora Imparo

-1- Happy Birthday to Elle Mason

The cicadas were deafening tonight, the full moon illuminated the backwoods behind the cabin I had spent the past year in. I was trapped. The illusion of freedom was being able to freely roam the grounds and the cabin, but the ones who kept me here had ensured secure measures to keep me in. I knew that they weren't worried about keeping anyone from breaking in - I had been told that pretty much every day that no one was going to find me. Things were comfortable, at this point, I wasn't even sure that I wanted real freedom anymore. It wasn't like I was fighting; and besides tonight was the 12th full moon since my life turned a full 180 degrees. A full year without freedom.

My name is Elle, I'm 23 years old and I have been held captive by my parents ever since learned werewolves are real.

/*/one year ago\*\

Today is my 22nd birthday. My life has been pretty dull up until this point, my parents were always those helicopter-parents from as long as I can think back; and although I know they mean well I am ready to fly the coop to spare myself from their vigilant attention. I was homeschooled all throughout school... I didn't mind it, I enjoyed the family time and I would even consider homeschooling my future children. However, the problem was that my parents were "overprotective" to put it nicely. Homeschooled really meant homeschooled: as in they did not let me leave the house. When I was still a minor this wasn't an issue, I didn't know any better.

That came later when I insisted on going to college which - of course - my parent's didn't like at all. I managed to convince them to let me do classes online; that's how I got my foot in the door. I went to school for early education, just recently graduating two months ago. When it was time for me to do my field work that is when my parents had to relinquish part of the leash and let me finish my degree. It caused a lot of tension at the time, I don't even think they've gotten over it because since graduating they haven't even asked about my post-grad plans. Do they not expect me to get a job with my degree?

I actually have an interview with an elementary school today. My supervisor from my field work put in a good word for me and essentially threatened to barge me with job applications if I didn't give this one a shot.

The school wasn't exactly in walking distance and I didn't own a car, but I had a pretty solid plan. I had been looking up (when I wasn't under my parent's scrutiny) the most straightforward public transit method to get near my target location. Currently, I had successfully managed to leave the house before my parent's woke up - they can be mad at me later - and was walking the few blocks it would take to get to the closest bus stop. From there, I would just have to sit for awhile, take a second bus, and then walk 5 blocks to get to the school. If everything was on schedule, I would get there with an hour to spare... I left A LOT of time to ensure I would be out before my parents could notice my absence.

For 6:30 on a week day the first bus stop was pretty empty, only 2 other people were braving the bus this morning with me. My heart was racing and I felt like I was visibly vibrating... I did it. I escaped my parents. Hopefully the adrenaline would help me in the interview, I don't think I've ever felt this invigorated in my entire life.

The first bus arrived shortly after it's scheduled time. I boarded and chose a seat in the back corner. The bus was almost empty aside from the people from my bus stop and 3 others. An older woman who was sat in the front chatting with the driver. Presumably a college student who was furiously typing on their laptop. And a younger guy seated near the back, I couldn't quite see his face since he was looking down at his phone. At the first stop we made, the young guy seated near me got up and completely surprised me by taking a seat a space away from me.

If my adrenaline was racing before it was sprinting into overdrive now. I stopped breathing, I wasn't sure why my body was reacting this way - was it because an actual person approached me? Or was it because this person was really handsome?