Opposite Sides of the Bridge

Chapter 46: It's My Life

Disclaimer: I own Elizabeth, all the rest of the characters unless otherwise noted do not belong to me.

~And I ain't gonna be just a face in the crowd

You're gonna hear my voice when I shout it out loud

It's my life

It's now or never

But I ain't gonna live forever

I just want to live while I'm alive

(It's my life)

My heart is like an open highway

Like Frankie said, "I did it my way"

I just want to live while I'm alive

It's my life~

(Bon Jovi)

Every fall confident high school seniors transform into nervous college freshman. They leave their parents' homes for the hallowed halls of higher education and like any new venture, starting college holds the promise of limitless opportunity. The opportunity to conquer a new territory or to try and be a little less lonely. But just because the opportunity presents itself doesn't mean everybody is ready to take it.

Elizabeth laid in Nate's arms in his bed.

"Eventually you're gonna have to talk to him. Today is orientation day" he said kissing the top of her head.

"I know" she said. "It's just so hard to tell my dad that I don't wanna go to college. That I worked so hard the last 5 years to get there and then bam I don't wanna go. It's not gonna make any sense to him because it partially doesn't make any sense to me. In a way I feel like I'm betraying myself but at the same time I know that it's the right thing"

"I'm sure he'll understand Liz. He's Rufus"

"I know" she said as they got up. She got dressed and he handed her coffee. "Thank you"

"Good luck beautiful" he said kissing her.

"Thanks" she said "Lunch?"

"It's a date" he replied.

She grabbed her bag and left. She got to Lily's and headed up. Her dad sat at the table.

"Hey" she said.

"Rock star? What are you doing here? Dan said it was orientation today. I thought you would be there being excited for school to start"

"Yeah" she said sitting down.

"What's on that mind of yours?"

"Dad" she said looking at him. "I don't wanna go to college"

"You worked so hard to get there. You worked shifts at the coffee shop to pay for the SAT exam and you did amazing. Lizzie what is this about?"

"I know and I get that I put so much effort and I don't know maybe if I was going to Columbia or Julliard it would be different but then maybe it wouldn't. I just...this summer I was listening to the boys talk about school and going to all these classes and I...I wasn't excited about it. Like at all. All I could think about was the next song I'm gonna write or perform. Should I learn a new instrument? How many different artist can I collaborate with? Which labels should I be dropping off Demos at." she rambled. "What different venues in the city can I perform at either with the band or solo? I wanna be a musician like you. I didn't even think about being an Olympian Ice skater which is what I wanted to be when I was 10. I also never thought about dancing which is what I was majoring in. That's how I know this is what I want."