" Parker and I have decided to move in together." Emily announces.
" You just met him." I deadpan.
How can they be ready to move in? Does Parker know about Emily's obsession with unicorns and pink? Parker will basically go from footballs to unicorns when they move in with each other. I don't think he'll ever be ready.
" When you know, you know." Emily shrugs.
Wow. She's really into him. She deserves it after what happened between her and Ashton. I'm really happy for her.
" Are you going to move into the frat house with him?" I can feel the blood drain from my face after asking the question. Emily won't be able to survive with all those boys and their barbie dolls.
" God no." Emily looks terrified when she replies to my question.
Glad to see that we're on the same page.
" We found an apartment just off campus. Three bedroom, two bathroom, little dining area, modern kitchen, living room, parking and a swimming pool." as she starts naming all of the rooms her fingers go along with her.
" You can afford it?"
Apartments aren't cheap that's for sure. Especially when it's close to campus. People pay through their pockets just for a one bedroom apartment.
" I'm living off a trust fund babe." Emily smirks.
That explains why she spends money as if it's water thrown into the ocean. It makes so much more sense now. I wonder why I never got a trust fund?
You got everything you wanted before getting cut off-
No need for your comments conscience. Thank you.
" Well that's... nice?"
I don't know what to say right now. She was talking about having a plan and now she's telling me about her and Parker moving in with each other. I'm happy for them but I'm still stuck here.
" I want you to move in with us." Emily states throwing me completely off guard.
" W-what?" I choke on my word.
" I. Want. You. To. Move. In-"
" Yeah I understood that part." I laugh cutting her off.
She wants me to move in with them? How would that even work? I don't have money to pay rent unless I get a job and getting a job won't be easy. Then what am I going to do over there? I can't go to college because I can't pay my tuition. It just doesn't make sense for me to move in with Emily.
" I know you have a lot of questions swimming around in your head right now but I need you to listen to me." Emily says trying to catch my attention before I fry my mind from all the thinking.
" You're going to move in with Parker and I. You won't pay rent and I'll pay for your tuition until you can get back on your feet. "Emily explains.
Is this girl crazy? She wants me to live with her for free and go to college on her expense. That's a shit ton of money that she apparently has but it's too much to ask for. This is insane.
" No. Absolutely not. I-"
" Ally please. Don't think too much into it. I have the funds to support you and I want to help you. Just trust me. We'll get you a job in no time and if you feel uncomfortable with me having all the expenses then you can start paying rent or paying for your tuition although I'll only spend that money back on you. " Emily cuts in before I can argue further.
I still don't feel comfortable with this whole thing. I haven't even known Emily that long and she's already talking about spending thousands of dollars on me. Heck I wasn't even nice to her the first month we met and look at us now. This is really too good to be true. I have to be careful with things that come to me too easily. Look what happened between Tyler and I.
" Em, it's too much. I can't ask that of you." I sigh as I flop myself down onto the bed, facing the ceiling.
Emily too lays back and looks at the ceiling with me. I can hear the wheels spinning in her head. I know for a fact that she isn't done with this discussion.
" Ally you're my best friend. When I first met you I didn't really have what you call 'close friends'. Sure there was Samantha and Trish but they were always together and most of the time I felt like a third wheel. Jackson and Zac were always busy with football so it was difficult for us to catch up. You and I both know Gabby doesn't even need to be discussed. I was alone. Then you came with your stone cold heart and tough act and you completely changed the way I saw the world. I wanted to be more like you. Have no feelings so that I don't get hurt. That all changed when I heard about your sister's death and I realized that the hard exterior you put on was just your defence magnesium. I understood why you were acting the way you were and I wanted to be the one you could rely on. I wanted to be there for you through the dark times and the happy times. I would never want to replace your sister but I want you to know that I am there for you. " Emily speaks up.
" You don't deserve to be this miserable Ally. You need to be in college so that you can build your future away from this toxic place. You need to be surrounded by people who encourage you and who want to help you. Ally I want to help you. Let me help you. " She continues.
I didn't know Emily wanted to be like me. Why would anyone want to be me? Emily and I were polar opposites back then. She was the bright and colorful soul who brought light into everyone's life and I was the girl who brought a dark cloud over other's sunshine. I wasn't really the friend-material kind of girl. Still Emily never lost hope in me and she helped bring out the real me. She was always there for me and I know she will always be there for me in the future. Our friendship grew a lot after her wisdom teeth were removed. I don't even want to think back to that day.
" Fine. I'll consider your offer." I sigh finally giving in to her pleads.
" No. I need an answer right now." she demands.
Damn when did this girl get so demanding?
" It's a big decision Em." I whine.
How can she possibly expect me to make a decision this fast that could most likely change my whole future when I can't even decide what I want for dinner.
It's madness I tell you. Madness.
" Time's ticking." she says pointing towards her non-existent watch.
"3." she begins to count down.
No!
" Two."
Wait.
" One-"
" Fine! I'll move in with you guys." I sigh before her countdown can stop. Gotta give her points for dramatic effects.
Maybe this won't be such a bad thing. I'll start paying my part of the rent as soon as I'm on my own feet and then I'll start paying Emily back for the tuition.
" I'm so happy!" Emily shrieks in excitement while clapping her hands.
She jumps up from my bed and opens up my wardrobe. She starts pulling out varieties of clothes and throwing them onto the bed.
" What are you doing?" I chuckle as I too get off from my bed.
Emily turns around with a dumbfounded look on her face.
" Do you really want to stay here another minute longer?"
She has a point.
" Let's start packing." I smirk.
I'm finally getting out of this place. No strings attached.
***
" You're going where?" Mom asks in disbelief.
I roll my eyes as this is the third time I will be explaining myself to her. Not that it is needed or anything.
" I'm going back to campus." I say for the third time.
Mom chuckles lightly before switching off the kitchen light. I follow her as she exits the kitchen.
" Allison it's late, go and get some sleep. You have work tomorrow." mom announces as she starts climbing the stairs.
God why is this woman so delusional?
" I'm leaving tonight. You can't say or do anything about it. Nothing is keeping me back from staying here. " I stick up for myself.
I've had enough of her trying to control every movement from my life. Just because she couldn't enjoy her younger years because she was too busy with studying and getting a degree doesn't mean the same has to go for me. I need my space and unfortunately that space isn't here.
" Fine Allison. Go. You've had everything handed to you on a silver plate. The world is cruel out there so don't come running back to me when your 'plans' don't work out." mom sighs from exhaustion.
" Thanks for believing in me. Really. It means a lot. " I shoot back in sarcasm.
Mom rolls her eyes but nonetheless continues her way up stairs. Emily is busy packing in the last of my stuff while I was sent off to deliver the news to my mom. I told her it was best if I handled my mom on my own.
" You'll be back." mom says before disappearing down the hallway.
That went easier than I thought it would. I didn't expect her to let me go that easily. Not after everything she's put me through to keep me 'safe'. I guess she too is exhausted from having to clean up after my mess. A big part of me also knows that she's waiting for me to rerun back only to throw it back in my face. Unfortunately for her that's not going to happen. I hope it doesn't.
" How'd it go?" Emily asks softly as I enter the room.
She's on top of my suitcase as she tries to close it. I don't know why she's forcing so much stuff into one suitcase when I have more bags for all my belongings.
" She doesn't believe that I'll be able to make it on my own." I shrug as I help Emily close the suitcase.
" Well let's go prove her wrong." Emily shrieks in excitement.
This girl really gets excited over the little things.
The two of us start gathering my belongings. It's a lot of stuff seeing as Emily brought back my belongings from the dorm as well. If I had known that we would go back then I wouldn't have asked her to go through all that trouble. I have a lot of stuff.
Bit by bit we start loading her car. After the last suitcase is in I head back into the house to make sure that I have everything. I pass my mom's room and come to a stop. Should I say goodbye to her?
Yes-
Does she deserve it though? She has been nothing but cruel to me these last few days. I've been through hell and back and she still shows no mercy. I know I should be grateful for still having a roof over my head but this woman is making it really hard to be grateful these days.
I take a deep breath in before knocking on her door. I don't get a reply. After contemplating with myself for a few minutes I decide on opening her door and stepping into the dark room. I see her figure curled up in her bed. The dim light from the moon lands on her exhausted face. She doesn't look healthy. I just wish there was someway I could help her. I know we aren't on the best terms but she's still my mother. I hate seeing her this tired. I slowly step forward until I'm beside her. I bend down and place a light kiss on her head.
" I hope that one day we can repair what is broken in our relationship." I whisper before taking a step back.
I don't know when I'm going to see her again. All I know is that it's going to be a long time before we're even remotely close to having a stable relationship again.
" I love you. " I whisper before stepping out of the room. I lightly wipe away the single tear that has rolled down on my cheek.
It's a new start for me. Again. I'm stepping into the next phase of my life without the security of my parents. I don't have a home to run back to anymore. All I have now is the faith I'm putting in Emily.
I walk down the stairs and lock up the front door. Leaving the keys under a plant pot I head over to Emily's car. She's already in the passenger seat by the time I climb in. I offered to drive because firstly, she drives like a mad woman and secondly she's probably tired from her trip here today. All in all she agreed to let me drive so that she can catch up on some sleep.
I reverse out of the driveway and in a matter of seconds my childhood home is out of my sight. It makes me a little emotional. That house is where Maddie and I shared most of our memories. It's the house that once held a loving family who's only worries were about what takeout we were going to get. My childhood home turned into a ghost town ever since Maddie took her own life. Her presence haunted me for months. I never understood why we didn't move. It would have been the logical thing to do but it never came up. Driving away from my hometown makes me feel sad but in the same way it makes me feel excited about the adventures laying forward for me. I know this is the right decision I'm making. Let's just hope my gut feeling isn't wrong.
"Ally -" Emily starts. From the tone in her voice I know this isn't going to be good news.
" Please don't tell me that you're going to drop me." I sigh.
I know she won't do that but I can't keep my hopes up high. I've learned a thing or two about having high hopes.
" No silly. It's just that -"
" What Em ? You're scaring me."
Emily gulps before taking in a deep breath.
" I canceled my living arrangements at the campus because I'm never there since we got back." she says in one quick breath.
" So you're not living in the dorm anymore? "I question her not fully understanding what she's saying.
" No. "she answers softly.
Oh no. This already sounds like trouble.
" Then where have you been staying these last few days? "I sigh already knowing the answer.
" At the frat house. " she whispers.
I sigh in frustration. This is not what I wanted to hear. She's living at the frat house and she already canceled her living arrangements at the dorm meaning she's actually homeless meaning I am practically homeless.
" We're signing the leash for the apartment on Monday so we'll only be staying at the frat house till the end of next week so that we'll have enough time to start furnishing the apartment and getting everything set." she explains.
"And you don't have to worry about Tyler. I don't think he'll be coming back soon so you can stay in his room for time being. I don't know if there are any available rooms." she adds.
She's not lying. I also don't think Tyler will be back soon. At least not for another week.
I hope so.
He's the last person I would want to run into.
" Looks like we're staying at the frat house. " I sigh while Emily claps her hands in exictment.
Have mercy.
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