New Rise - Book 4

Conditions

Over the next couple months I repeated the same boring schedule my parents placed me on. Woke up, ate breakfast, did my school work, took my free hour, ate lunch, returned to my room, continued with my school work, ate dinner, more school work, nightly hygeiene and then bed. It never changed and they never let up on my consequences from disobeying them.

In the middle of the second month I decided to change it up a bit. No longer did I want to prove to them that I could obey their rules I wanted to graduate. Instead of skimming slowly through my work I gave it my entire effort. By the end of month four I had finished all the required credits to graduate plus an extra 40. My grade point average was above perfection and I had several scholarship offers thrown my way.

"We are proud of your improvement and dedication Renesmee." My father said as him and my mother sat before me.

I couldn't help but smile and blush. I loved it when they told me they were proud of me.

"Thanks daddy."

My mother glanced sideways at my father before she sat several thick envelopes on the coffee table between us. "It was difficult deciding this but eventually we need to learn to let you spread your wings." My mother said as she watched me pick up the mound of envelopes. "We decided that whatever you want for your life we will guide you."

"Only from afar. We won't interfere unless you happen to be in danger."

I glanced up at my father and then back down at the envelopes in my hands as I began flipping through them. Dartmouth, Harvard, University of Cambridge, Berkley, Stanford, Oxford, Princeton, Yale, Toronto. These prestigous universities wanted me.

I grinned eagerly as I looked back up at my parents. "You are joking right? You are going to let me choose where I want to go?"

"Sadly, yes." My father replied.

I jumped up quickly and launched myself into my parents' arms. "Oh thank you thank you thank you!"

"On one condition." My father added.

I froze. "One condition?"

My father nodded his head.

"Well if you want to get technical then it will be several conditions." My mother added.

I groaned. I knew there had to be a catch.

"You will let us choose your car, where you will live and we get to drop you off." My father explained.

I narrowed my eyes as I searched his face for a hint of him joking.

"-And..." My mother added.

"-And Jacob must go with you." My father said quickly through gritted teeth.

I released my parents and retook my seat where I began jiggling my leg nervously. "You know how I feel about him." I flushed an angry red color.

"Then be fair and tell him Renesmee." My mother said sharply.

I shook my head. "Mom, I can't hurt him."

"You are being selfish in not telling him though. You are leading him on which in the end is going to hurt him worse."

I sighed as I leaned down to retrieve the envelopes containing college information before I began looking through them again. Only one caught my eye.

"I want to go here." I whispered as I handed my mother the envelope.

She took it into her hands and glanced once at it before handing it to my father.

"Are you sure? There are several others you can choose from." He responded to me as he set it on the table.

I nodded my head. "I'm not ready to stray far away just yet. I need my mother and father." My mother moved her hand to grab my fathers. "One way or another I'm always going to need you."

My mother rose to her feet. "Well there is just a little over three months until the new semester begins so I will take care of registration and I guess you and your father can go scouting for new tank resitant cars and military grade homes." She snickered before she walked away.

"What is so funny?" I asked, raising my eyebrows ever so slightly as I got to my feet.

My father was at my side in a half a second with a grin on his face. "When your mother and I was engaged-" He began as we started walking towards the front door from the living room. "-I was so protective of her that I permanently disabled her truck so I could buy her a car that happened to be tank proof."

I laughed.

"I knew you had something to do with my trucks death." My mothers eyes narrowed as she eyed my father. I could tell she was in a bitter mood as her arms were crossed tightly and her foot was tapping in a steady rhythm.

My father glanced down at me and gave me a funny face before resuming a calm composure. "Trust me I did it for your own sake. If you were to drive that thing now you'd want to get out and walk."

She pursed her lips as she shook her head at my father. "You are so lucky I love you." She said before turning to me and handing me my day bag.

"That I am." He beant slightly to press a kiss to my mothers lips before we headed to the boat.

As we headed away from the house I sighed in relief before inhaling deeply. It had been a long time since I had left the house. This time it was different as I was preparing to attempt the adult life on my own. I would not only be graduating high school but starting college in the same year. I would no longer be living with my family but on my own, in my own house.

I couldn't deny that I wasn't nervous. I was unable to be confident in saying that I was ready neither. Was this normal?

In just under 30 minutes we were in the harbor of Seattle and getting into our car. We made our way through town to take care of our first item on the agenda, my car. We stopped at a automall for Mercedes Benz.

As I looked around at the cars my mouth just dropped. These cars were too fancy for my taste.

"No... absolutely not. These are too much."

My father smirked. "Just like your mother. Don't worry though, the car I have picked out for you isn't that bad."

I glared unbelievably at my father. "Not. That. Bad? How bad is it really?"

My father slowed to a stop and nodded his head. "Take a look yourself." He said as he shut off the ignition and got out of his seat.

I stared at the suv before me. It was fancy but its rugged urban edges toned it down. It looked safe... I think. From where I saw I was drawn into the bright white color of the vehicle rimmed in black giving it a double tone. The interior was a blood red that seemed to appeal greatly to me. I was no curious. I slowly took off my seat belt and joined my fathers side.

"What do you think Renesmee?" My father asked. "5.5-liter V8 Supercharged horsepower at 6100 rpm."

I laughed nervously. "I don't know what that means but I like it, I think."

Soon enough the scent of a promised sale brought a salesman to our attention. Before the salesman could shoot us his sales pitch my father spoke.

"We will take this one." My father said before pulling out a large wad of cash.

The eyes of the salesman grew wide before he quickly ushered us into the building to beging the paper work. In twenty minutes we were walking out and I was a proud owner of a new car.

"Can I drive?" I asked as I pulled out the keys.

My father shook his head. "Of course not, you don't have a license yet nor do you know how to drive."

"Actually I do have a license remember dad."

"You still don't know how to drive."

"You still haven't taught me."

"Touche. Well, your car will be delivered to our garage by the pier and we will go house hunting for you and then I will start you with your first driving lesson."

I leaped into his arms and he spun me around before setting me to my feet. Life was looking up. I was finally being treated like an adult.