"Mom!" I rush inside.
"How was it?" she says jumping up from the couch.
"Great," I say, brushing her off. "Mom, I'm sorry but I'm not going to college!"
"Mollie what are you talking about - you can't just not go!"
"I lied to you and I'm sorry."
"What?"
"When I said I was going out with my friends - I wasn't. I didn't want to tell you because I knew you wouldn't want me to get hurt, the way dad hurt you."
She gazes at me, emotionless, speechless and I know what I say next will change everything.
"I met Nathaniel again. Well I came across him and we started talking. We met up while he was back in Colorado and Mom it was the best week of my life. He's older now, grown up-"
"I've seen him on interviews." she cuts me off. Tapering eyes ripping my excitement up. She sits back down on the couch.
"He's just everything to me."
"Mollie, how does he feel about you?"
"The same." I say confidently, "he told me so himself."
"Look where is this going?" she asks, adjusting her position on the couch.
"He's going on tour - a world tour and I want to go with him. Travelling the world with someone who I truly care about." I smile at the thought of the wonders of the world.
"Mollie I don't know about this."
"Mom- I'd be leaving anyway for college just this way I'd be leaving for somewhere I wanna go."
"It won't be safe."
"I'll have Nathaniel."
"He'll have changed. Fame changes people. You don't even know who he is anymore!" she shouts, standing up.
"Yes I do!"
"You only saw him for a week."
"No, but you don't understand-"
"Oh, I understand entirely."
"No, you don't because dad was a dick and you knew it from the day you met him but you were too scared to do anything about it!"
"Mollie stop it. You know nothing about Nathaniel other than he's a celebrity singer who has everything."
"He doesn't he's lonely- he needs me just like I need him."
"Mollie!"
"Mom- just why can't for once you just let me do what I want to do?!"
"He'll break your heart!"
"He won't!" I scream.
"How do you know, Mollie. You haven't left Colorado your whole life! You go into the real world - it sucks. People pretend to be who they're not."
"He won't hurt me."
"Stop this denial."
"He won't hurt me!" I shout.
"Why?!"
"Because I love him."
There's a silence.
"I love him." I whisper, realisation hitting me like a tsunami. "That's where we're different. You never loved dad. You might have said you loved him but did you mean it? Did you ever?"
She shakes her head. Starring at the wall.
"Mom, I have to do this. This longing to travel is eating me alive. I have to live, I have to learn, I- just please let me do this."
There's a pause as I sit down next to mom. She doesn't move, just continues to stare at the wall opposite her.
"Ok." she says.
"Really?!"
She looks at me with teary eyes.
"Is it what you really want?"
I nod.
She nods back, biting her lip.
"Thank you." I wrap my arms around her and race up to my room.
YOU ARE READING
The Love Illusion
Romance"I love you." He says, holding me against him. I can't meet his eyes, so I look down. Once again, the magic spell he casts on me is broken and I'm back to reality. I want him. Just him. But there I know there will always be her. My eyes begin to dr...
