"Yes, but it's your twenty first birthday. The age where you're given the key to life"
After a cathartic event takes place on the night of her twenty first birthday, Beverley makes an impulsive decision and has to adjust to the path she took whilst...
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So what happened after I got back from Eaglesvale?
I was staying over at Brooke's place for the rest of Summer Break until the first two weeks after school opened for the new semester.
I hadn't gone back home, but still kept in touch with Dad and Gran from time to time. I still needed time to get my act together and make peace with myself after what happened with Matthew.
I also wanted to be able to be comfortable enough to be myself without making it obvious that I was hiding something from Dad and Gran because if they were to pick up something off about me, it wasn't going to be long until they started asking questions.
I didn't feel ready to face them when they eventually found out the truth without feeling ashamed of myself.
"You can't keep avoiding them forever, Beverley."
We were in the kitchen preparing dinner when I had asked if could stay for few weeks until school closed for half term break and she wasn't happy about it.
"I know I said that you're free to come over whenever you want and stay as long as you want, but I'm starting to think you only come here to avoid problems at home - specifically problems with Dad." She said.
"What? That's not true! I come here to check on you every once in a while." I replied defensively.
"That's because I always call you to come over, and when you do come here, it's usually because something happened between you and dad."
I opened my mouth to retort, but soon closed it, not only because I had no retort but also because she was right.
"Brooke, you know how he is." I let out a strained sigh. "He allowed me to go on this trip because I gave him the assurance that I wouldn't do anything stupid. He's going to freak out if he finds out I had sex with someone and will think I was peer pressured to go."
"For the love of God, Beverley. You need to stop letting him dictate your life and relying on me and Gran to fight your battles for you." She exclaimed frustrated. "You're old enough to make your own decisions and stand up for yourself. Act like it!"
The air stood still. The room was so tense that a knife could be dulled by the intense energy.
I was hurt at her response more than I was surprised that she felt that way about me. I knew I had my moments where I was difficult, but I thought that she - of all people, would understand that this whole transition into adulthood was still new to me. I thought that since we both grew up in that house and saw the type of person dad was she would understand.
It took her minutes for her to register what she had said and immediately regretted it. "Bev, I didn't mean for it to come out like that - "
