Climb | ✔

Chapter 31 | Commitment

"I won't compromise on this. I'm applying to NYU," Winter proclaimed.

John turned to glare at his daughter while he jammed his feet into a pair of designer dress shoes.

"I thought we said we'd talk about this later."

"There's nothing to talk about. I've made my decision, so unless you intend to support me in it, we don't need to talk." said Winter.

Rose looked between the quarrelling father-daughter duo with a hint of amusement as she leaned in the doorway out of her apartment. Over the past couple days following their last family fight, she'd resigned herself to allowing the two most involved parties to take the brunt of the damage. In fact, she'd come to enjoy their little bursts of snippety conversation and pent-up frustration. It was refreshing, at least, to see her niece say more of what's on her mind than she had her whole life in the span of a few days.

Rose couldn't be prouder.

Her brother, however, could hear no more of it, evidently made by his storming out of the apartment, suitcase in hand as the wheels banged against the walls of the staircase.

Rose hung back a moment longer after watching her older brother clumsily but purposefully exit the building. With a tan hand hanging on her hip, she turned to her niece and said, "You know you always have a place here, Winter. If needs be, we'll find a way to make it work."

Winter smiled gratefully and realized for the first time how little she had appreciated her aunt until this moment. She rushed forward and squeezed her arms around Rose, relishing the warmth and softness of her figure.

With gentle sweeps of her hand across Winter's back, Rose pulled the teenage girl into her arms and swayed back and forth comfortingly. She ran a hand through Winter's black hair as the girl mumbled a shy but genuine 'thank you," into Rose's shoulder.

"Don't mention it. And Winter?"

"Hm?" Winter pulled back to look up at Rose.

"I'm sorry about everything that happened with your mother--about keeping things from you. I never meant to hurt you or make you feel alienated or-"

"It's okay," Winter interrupted. "It honestly helped me, in a weird way."

"That doesn't change the fact that I withheld things from you. I won't be keeping in contact with her if you don't want it."

Winter nodded. "Thanks, Aunt Rose." Then, she shrugged. "I can sort of understand why you did it, and I don't resent you for it. Maybe I'll get to a point one day where I can try contacting her again myself."

Rose smiled sweetly and patted her niece on the head. "That might be nice." Realizing that her brother was waiting for her, Rose's eyes perked with sudden awareness. "All right, best get to the car and take that big baby to the airport."

Winter smirked and removed herself from the comfort of her aunt's arms.

"You sure you don't wanna come?"

Winter nodded. "I'm sure. It would just be awkward," she said, passively rubbing the back of her neck.

"Okay, if you're sure," said Rose as she grabbed her purse and keys from a nearby side table.

She left shortly after, leaving Winter to herself for the time being. While she still felt upset over the situation with her father, she'd learned once before that art served as a good outlet for her emotional energy. So, once again, she began sketching and painting in the quietude of her room.

Much of the remainder of her summer was spent this way, along with frequent outings with friends and dates with Murdoch. By the time senior year began, Winter had completed a total of 12 paintings, breaking her yearly production record in a matter of mere months. Mrs. Paladino was ecstatic upon her return to school, and made such apparent anytime Winter brought in her work for critique.