Out of The Woods (gxg)

Chapter Four

                                                                           Willow's point of view:

Carmen was right.

The moment I walked through the front door my mother didn't even say a word to me, just glanced my way then hurried to her own bedroom.

I wanted to ask what was wrong, why she was running away but I knew why. This was her way of making me feel guilty – as if I'm this monster who frightens her.

I'm not letting her ruin my life any longer.

I walk up to her bedroom door, knocking hard enough so it opens a crack.

"I'm having dinner with a friend tonight; you don't have to wait up." My words are followed by a long silence. Whatever, it won't help that I stand here all night waiting for her to lash out on me. I turn around and make my way to my own bedroom.

"Carmen is a bad person." My mother's voice forces me to turn around – she's standing in her doorway, looking too frightened to come any closer. My brows narrow as I stare at her, waiting for an explanation. "She's going to try and steal you away again... I.. I can't have that!" She exclaims walking towards me.

I hold my hand up, forcing her to stop in her tracks. I tilt my head as I watch her, she seems helpless and as if she's been crying for hours – I never noticed it when I came into the house.

"How do you know Carmen?" My voice is calm, but I feel my hands start shaking. I drop my hand to my side – she's always hiding things from me, but god knows she can't have anything to do with Carmen. I don't even know Carmen!

"You have to just believe me, if everything I said before this was a lie then for once believe me that this is the truth... She is a bad person, please just stay away from her!" She exclaims loudly, making me flinch. I take a step back and just stare at her; there are tears forming in her eyes. "Please... Do it for mommy..."

There it is.

"I should've known..." I whisper, chuckling softly. My mother furrows her brows confused, tears streaming down her face. "Everything is always about you! This isn't about me or my safety, it's about your selfish acts trying to keep me locked up in this goddamn house!" My voice rises in tone and for the first time I see my mother flinch away from me.

"Willow..." My mother whispers, reaching out for me slowly.

"Enough." I take a step back, my voice stern. "I don't care how you know Carmen, and what your opinion is of her. But I'm going to dinner and I'm going to live my life and you're not going to control me anymore." I turn around walking into my bedroom, slamming my door shut behind me.

I stop in my tracks; my body is visibly shaking. I wait in the same spot. 10 minutes go by. Nothing happens.

My mother isn't banging my door down.

She's not threatening to kick me out.

Did... Did I win? Am I free?