Keeping Secrets

Chapter 2: Beth POV

I woke up in an insane frenzy. Every morning had been kind of like this one since the accident. Dad was standing over me angrily, shouting at me to get ready. Mom was somewhere, crying silently. I had apologized ten million times, but they wouldn't listen. Mom said I had shamed the family. Dad thought I should have died. Now I had nightmares, of the car, of the kid screaming, of me passing out in a blinding flash of light.

My parents had been so angry, they forced me to go to some sort of camp in New Mexico. For crazy people. I AM NOT A CRAZY PERSON, I kept wanting to scream. They all thought I was though. The people there will be murderers, nuts, and weirdos with issues. I don't have any. But I had broken my parent's hearts. Mom had bailed me out, so I knew she was kind of soft. Dad, however, didn't care. I, Beth Carlswell, had just stolen a car. I am only fourteen, but one of the guys at my school had dared me. Then I had crashed. I know, the worst thing I could have done. There had been a kid crossing the road on a tricycle, and I had hit him. He had brain damage. I feel horrible, knowing I ruined his life. I will feel horrible forever.

Today is my first day to go to the camp, and I actually think I want to go. Get away from all of this. I roll out of bed. "I'm getting up Dad," I say angrily. He glares at me. "So now you have an attitude, huh? After you just basically murdered a little kid?" I looked at him, shocked. I cant believe he had actually just said that. I feel like I am about to explode. "I'm going," I say angrier. "Get out of my room." Dad looks like he was about to hit me. "Glad to." he leaves. I feel like I have been crushed. I walk into my bathroom, and take a shower and cry. As I stand under the hot, steamy jets in the shower, I think about what my life was like before the accident. My dad was critical of my schoolwork and how I acted but he loved me. My mom was my best friend. She took me shopping, and we talked all the time. I realize just how much changed because of the one mistake I made.

And I realize that neither of them love me anymore. I feel very sad. Well, a little voice in the back of my head says, now you're a bad girl. Maybe you should make bad girl friends and embrace it. No, I violently think. My parents will come around and love me again. But the more I think about it, the more I decide. I will start over. I will make new friends and embrace my new self. I can find other people who love me. Right?

When I get out I realize something else. Maybe I will belong with these people. Maybe they can be my new family, instead of this messed up one. I look in the mirror at my cocoa colored skin and smear foundation on it, hiding some blackheads. I sigh and wish I was perfect, as I do everyday. I also curl my caramel brown hair into spirals, and add my curling iron to one of my green suitcases. I pull a cute pastel tunic over my white leggings. I add jewelry and a cute pair of ankle boots made out of fabric-like material. Grabbing my two suitcases, I walk downstairs.

"Who's going to take me," I announce, not making eye contact. Dad looks up. "You're taking the bus to the airport." I shoot him a horribly explosive look. "Whatever you say, Doug." Dad recoils. That Is his first name. I angrily walk out the door. Mom suddenly appears at the door, holding a huge suitcase. "these are for you," she whispers, nervously turning around like dad will bust her. "they're clothes you would like and shoes," she continues. "i just want you to know that I love you no matter what even if your father doesn't." I feel tears slide out my eyes. "I'll drive you to the airport," she says gently, putting all my bags in her car.

While we drive to the airport, we talk like the accident never happened, and suddenly I wish that it could stay like this forever.