Eighteen.

Chapter 3

Charles Sturt University, Bathurst.

Just outside Sydney.

Miles away from Adelaide. 

That's where Aimee had decided to study.

When she told her parents that she'd be thirteen hours away from them in college, their immediate reaction was to forbid it. They found brochures of colleges closer, but Aimee was adamant. She'd chosen, and that was going to be her final decision. 

"I'm eighteen!" she screamed, slamming her new bedroom door. Freshly painted white wood, it was sweating with the heat of another summers' day in Adelaide. She heard her parents' footsteps on the tiled floor outside her room, and swiftly slid the lock, before crossing her room. Leaning up as high as she could, she used the tips of her fingers to drag down a heavy suitcase from the top of her wardrobe.

"You've only been here two months," she heard her mom's voice, much calmer now, from outside the door. "Why would you leave already?"

Aimee neglected to answer, flinging clothes haphazardly into the suitcase.

"I leave in a week," she said, just loud enough for them to hear.

"I won't pay for it," her father snapped, and made his way to the end of the hall- Aimee could hear his steps growing fainter. "You knew we wanted you in the area when you were applying. Now you can face the consequences."

"Nana left me a trust fund," Aimee said, making her way to the door and closing her eyes as she leaned her forehead up against it. "You know that. You have no control over where I go. I'm eighteen," she repeated. 

"You're under our ro-"

Aimee cut her mother off. "Reminder? Campus dorms."

She heard her mother's retreating footsteps follow her father's. She'd completely alienated herself from them, but she knew they'd forgive her. This college was her choice. It was her life, and she needed out of Adelaide.

Two months in the city had shown her that it wasn't where she wasn't supposed to be, and- while she wasn't exactly crossing the country- Bathurst would give her some space. She'd only be three hours away from Sydney, a place she'd been dying to see for her whole life.

She hadn't chosen Australia as a place to live, but she was intent on staying there- just not in Adelaide. It was a beautiful place, really, but there was something in the atmosphere that made Aimee just want to run.

She moved on to the second suitcase, jumping up to grab it with the tips of her fingers. She felt the cold wood of her wardrobe scrape against the side of her hand as she successfully pulled the case down, and winced at the pain.

Ignoring the vibrant red mark the friction had left on her hand, Aimee continued to pack, throwing in random photos. Very carefully, she laid her acceptance letter down on top of the clothes in her second case. 

As she moved the case off her bed, she saw the shining glint of the photo frame in the corner of her room, and smiled to herself. "No, nana," she whispered, sitting in the desk chair facing the mirror--framed picture. "I haven't forgotten you."

She wiped down the cool metallic finish of the mirror with her sleeve to remove her fingerprints. "This is all surreal, you know? You got me to college, just like you wanted. You always said I knew my own mind, nana, and I do. I'm gonna go for you. I'm going to soak up as much information as I can- you always made me promise I'd learn for the both of us."

Her eyes welled up with tears, and she set the frame down on the table, folding her knees under her chin. "I miss you so much, nana. I wish you were here with me. You could explain to mom and dad- they always understood you. You got through to them. I just don't like it here. Of course I'll be back to them for holidays, but I want to see Australia!" 

The tears in her eyes were replaced with mischievous hope, and the young girl looked elated. "Oh, nana, it'll be beautiful. This place has so much to offer outside of this house. And I'm gonna see it all- starting with Bathurst."

Aimee's elated smile was still fixed firmly in place as she placed her photograph carefully next to the official-looking letter. She zipped the case closed, and pulled the two heavy bags to the other side of her room, into the corner, where she could leave them until she left the following week.

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Aimee's parents didn't seem to understand that an eighteen year old was an adult. They continued to baby her- constantly asking where she was, calling her phone, and imposing strict rules. 

Aimee had never been the rule breaking type, but these rules were ridiculous.

Her parents had made a list and stuck it on the kitchen fridge.

1. You will return all electronics by 10 pm.

2. You will keep your bedroom door unlocked at all times.

3. The window in your room may only be open when you have been given permission to open it.

4. You will send bi-hourly location updates when you are out.

The list seemed endless to Aimee, and most of the rules only applied to her- her brother was still too young to be out late, or bothered by a lack of internet connection.

No wonder, really, that she sighed in relief when the day came- she was going to escape her parents' strict beliefs of who she had to be.

Saying goodbye at the train station was emotional. She'd refused to let them travel any further with her, but she was suddenly afraid of the distance that would be between them. Her parents were old fashioned and weird, yes, and they may not accept her decisions- but they didn't pull any underhanded tricks to keep her. They knew that she had to follow her own path.

She didn't have the energy to remember saying goodbye to her brother- her sobs were practically hysterical. Instead of her usual big sister role of protector, he comforted her and told her that everything would be okay.

As the train pulled out of the station, Aimee allowed herself to cry. 

But, once an hour had passed, she dried her eyes and tried halfheartedly to clean herself up in her dirty compact mirror.

Bathurst was within reach now, and she had to leave her sadness behind in Adelaide.