Songs are Stories

She's Leaving Home

Quietly turning the backdoor key, stepping outside, she is free...

Sophie stormed up to her bedroom and slammed the door. Sitting on her bed, she buried her head into her pillow and burst into tears. It wasn't fair. Only a few weeks ago, she had come home to her parents having passed her GCSE's with flying colours. They had awarded her with anything money could buy - a new laptop, stereo and anything anyone could ever want. But when it came to asking them if she could go to the party that her friend was having to celebrate, there was no chance.

"Parties are below you." Her father had said. Her mother had agreed. "Look at everything you have - we can get you anything you want! You have no need to waste your time on silly little parties. Especially now you've left school, you can do whatever you want!"

They didn't understand. There was so much more to life than possessions. Bitterly, she looked around at her enormous room that she didn't want. The walls were painted in pastel pink (yuck) and her desk was littered with technology she had no use for. She had a huge expensive speaker that she never used. When she had asked for a record player her mother had simply replied "What on earth would you want one of those for?"

Sophie picked up her acoustic guitar. It was one of the few things she had that she had asked for and wanted. She felt horribly guilty - there were people in the world who had close to nothing - yet she was here with everything someone could desire and she felt like she wasn't being grateful. However, when she had suggested holding a charity auction her parents had, of course, flatly refused.

Her parents didn't even approve of her guitar. They thought it was pointless - people didn't become Prime Minister from learning a few chords. Bitterly, she started playing a riff from one of her favourite songs, Ticket to Ride. She looked at the design she had painted herself on the body of the instrument - a psychedelic pattern that featured references to all her favourite bands. In particular her hero George Harrison took the limelight - Geo was her absolute inspiration. If anything, she was actually a little in love with him.

As she sung the words to Ticket to Ride an idea began to form in her head. After a quick Google, she found out that in the UK she had the right to leave home without her parent's permission as long as she was 16. She was.

Grabbing her phone, she texted her friend Cynthia who she was still in contact with from when she had lived in the city. Cynthia replied almost immediately.

Sophie: Can I come and stay with you?

Cyn: Sure Sophie! When?

Sophie: Have you got your own house? I was thinking tomorrow

Cyn: Ha of course I have a house! I'm twenty! But why are you leaving so soon, is something up?

Sophie: haha 😂 I forgot you were such a raisin! I want to move out but I have nowhere to go

Cyn: Do your parents know?

Sophie hesitated. On one hand she didn't want to lie to her friend, but on the other hand she was desperate to leave.

Sophie: Of course they know!

Cyn: Great. You can stay as long as it takes for you to get a job lol

Sophie: Says you!

Cyn: Hey! You know I have a great job at my local garage!

Sophie: Yeah yeah sorry

Cyn: Cya tomorrow then! Here is a link to my house on Google Maps

Sophie: Tysm! Bye!

Sophie grinned to herself. All she had to do now was pack her bags so she could leave early the next morning. She couldn't wait to start her new life! There was an excellent college near where Cynthia lived so she would be fine. Suddenly, her Mum called her downstairs for lunch. Sophie promised to herself to be extra nice to them today.

*

The alarm on Sophie's phone vibrated quietly under her pillow. She was wide awake immediately. Carefully, she silenced the phone so her parents had no chance of waking up. Wednesday, 1st August, 5:01 am her phone screen read. Silently, she slid the phone into her pocket, grabbed her guitar case and bag and left her room.

Suddenly she felt like she wanted to burst into tears. Her parents had done so much for her and they had cared for her her entire life. Now how could she just leave them without even leaving a warning or saying goodbye? Hastily, she put her luggage down and went back into her room. She grabbed a piece of paper and a pen and wrote:

Mum and Dad, I am going to live with a friend near where we used to live. Love you so so so much and thank you an unbelievable amount for putting up with me all these years... Don't worry about me - Cyn will look after me well. Remember when she came to my 8th birthday party? I'll be fine and I promise to come back and see you. I'm so so sorry to leave you like this... With love from the very bottom of my heart - Sophie x

By now Sophie was sobbing uncontrollably. She grabbed her handkerchief from her pocket and wiped her face. Gripping her bags, she silently made her way down the stairs. She turned the backdoor key. The clicking of it opening was such a familiar sound - how often had she come home from school and heard that noise?

She opened the door and stepped outside. It was cold but she felt oddly fresh. It was like starting a new chapter in the book of her life - who knew what would happen?

For now, at least, she was free.

Shutting the door behind her, she posted the keys back through her letter box as quietly as possible. Still crying, she turned away from the door and made her way round the house and down the street.

Being mid-Summer, it was already getting light and the sky was a deep tangerine. The house which she had known since she was 12 was lit a beautiful pink colour - the same as her bedroom walls. It was hard to let go of the place and people she loved but it was the best thing for her. She knew it was.

Quickly, she started to walk down the silent street towards the train station. She didn't look back.

The End