Delicate ✔

Chapter Twenty-Five

"Aubrey," My mother shouts. "I'm really trying to be fair with you. I thought you were going to behave? What right do you have to drive off with my car?"

I pull out my wallet with my Driver's license and other things; I toss it onto the coffee table. She has her arms folded, looking expectant.

"I'm sor-"

"Are you?," her voice raises an octave.

I shrug after a moment. "No. But I know you wouldn't drive me down there."

"How do you know I wouldn't?," she scoffs.

My give her a flat look. I know how you work, mom. And you know what? I'm tired of this. I'm not going to be stuck in this house for the rest of my life. When I'm eighteen, I'm leaving."

She laughs without humor. "Where are you going to go? It's clear that you need me to keep you safe, Aubrey. You've left this house without my permission so many times. You always end up coming back injured or almost dead."

 "I drove to the airport to say goodbye to a friend. What is so wrong with that? It's not like I left the other times, knowing that I'd get hurt. I'm fine anyway."

"A friend? Since when is Justin your friend? You can't lie to me, Aubrey Lynn."

Oh. She's calling me by my middle name now. I glare at her. This is ridiculous.

"It honestly doesn't matter what he is to me. I actually don't need you to take care of me. I don't need anyone to. I've said this a million times, but it looks like I have to say it again. I cannot get hurt anymore than the average person. I am not made of glass! I'm a human being, mom. It's not right to keep me locked in this house," I shout at her. "Lily can go over to her friend's houses and go out and do things. She'll probably be allowed to drive too."

"You have your license," she counters.

"Yeah," I agree. "But it would be nice if I was allowed to drive."

"You've been driving a lot recently anyway," her face is red with anger.

I shake my head. "You're missing the point of what I'm saying."

She rolls her eyes. "I get it. You think that your sister gets to do more than you. You think that I'm cruel and unfair, but I'm doing this to keep you safe. I know you're not made of glass. I'm not stupid," she snaps. "Like it or not, you can get hurt just as much as the next guy. I'm not worried about the fact that you have the ability to be hurt like anyone else. I'm worried about the fact that you don't have the ability to feel it when it happens. What if you're dying, and you don't know it? What if I'm not there?"

I snort. "I have been in that situation," I tell her, remembering being lost in the woods. "And you weren't there."

She gasps. "Aubrey! You know I would have been. If you had been home, I could I have kept you safe," she explains. "You know, I'm glad that boy is gone. Now, you won't feel the need to chase after him all the time. As a matter of fact, I'm not letting anything like this happen again. Ella will be your teacher again."

"No!," I throw my arms up in exasperation. "I was only there for a day."

"I want you here."

I shake my head. "No," I puff out my cheeks indignantly. "I-I'm leaving."

Her face falls, and she remains silent. I keep my face impassive. She finally speaks after a moment.

"What do you mean your leaving?"

I cross my arms. "I'm not staying here anymore."

She looks like she's about to argue, but then she shuts her mouth. She opens it again, sounding more angry than I thought she would. "Get out."