45a/n: Alright! It looks like I figured out a way to at least get chapters up now without them looking all wonky. Hopefully, this will keep working, so I can start updating stories again. Ah, the wonders of technology. :D
The next two weeks passed by quickly. There were finals for some classes, some were spared for another semester. Lucy found herself pulled more into her art, sometimes sitting in the art room for three to four hours drawing or painting until the teacher kicked her out.
She still hadn't told Dominick that she wanted to go with him to New York. Something was holding her back, but she wasn't really sure what it was. In the meantime, Randy and Ed were getting along well, and they would go out on double dates once in a while. It seemed to be a big bonus to have your best friend also dating your boyfriend's best friend. Coordinating dates was much easier, and Lucy felt herself relax a little.
She sat in her room, finishing her math. It was the last assignment she had for the semester. The last day of classes was tomorrow, and then they would be free for the next four weeks. She couldn't wait.
Her door jerked open, "Lucy."
Her mother stood in the door, holding a letter in hand.
Lucy felt the panic in her mind.
"What is this?" her mother dropped the letter on the desk, "Are you interested in explaining this to me?"
Picking up the letter, she read it, and felt a new kind of panic, "I got in."
St. Theresa had accepted her with a full scholarship, plus extra grants for housing. A full ride. She had just recieved a full ride to one of the top art schools in the world. She wanted to laugh and sob all at the same time.
"When are you going to stop wasting your time with this?" her mother pointed, "The money spent to apply could have been saved for the college you're already in. It was a complete waste of time for you to do this-"
"St. Theresa's is one of the top schools in the world."
"Painting and drawing pictures is a waste of time and isn't going to get you a job," her mother snapped, "Your sister-"
Her temper broke. Lucy was sick and tired of it. She wasn't her sister. "I'm going to St. Theresa's. I love art and I'm really good at it. This letter gives me a full ride, mom. I'm not my sister and I want to go to St. Theresa's because it I will like it."
She said it. She stood for herself and finally said what she wanted.
Her mother glared, "You'll go to whatever school your father and I tell you to go to."
" Or what? You'll kick me out?"
That startled her mother, "How dare you-"
"Going to art school would make me happy. I don't want to by an accountant, or a lawyer, or a secretary, or any other boring office job. I don't care if I get paid a lot. If I end up poor and a complete idiot, then I will, but at least I'll be happy!"
Her mother looked shocked.
Lucy shoved her homework into her bag, folding up the letter and handling it like it was the most precious thing to her.
"If you want to continue to live in this house, you will do what I tell you!" her mother shouted.
"Then, I guess I won't live in this house," Lucy scooped up her bag. In reality, it was all she needed. There was a small overnight bag in there from when she stayed at Randy's, all of her schoolwork, her drawing supplies. That was all she needed. She marched past her mother.
"Come back here!"
Harriet stood in the hallway, her face white. Lucy glanced at her, and then shook her head as she went down the stairs. She was tired of this.
Tired of lying.
"Lucy!"
"You want to know something?" Lucy stopped at the door, "I have a boyfriend. All these times when I've been going to Miranda's, I've been going out on dates. And you know what? I don't care anymore if people know, because I'm not ashamed of it. I'm going to keep dating Dominick, I'm going to go to St. Theresa's, and I'm not going to let people walk all over me anymore."
She slammed the door behind her as she raced from the house.
Damn it, she had sounded stupid.
Lucy pressed her hands to the sides of her face as she walked down the street. Now, when she thought about it, everything she had said sounded like some sort of angsty teen movie. Like she was whining teenager not getting her way. But she had reached her breaking point and couldn't take it anymore. She was her own person, with her own wishes, and she was tired of them getting all walked on.
Harriet was getting everything she wanted, and had always got what she wanted. She had started dating when she was fifteen, and Lucy had never been allowed to date. Lucy hadn't started dating until last year, and she had always had to keep it secret. Harriet had been able to choose what she wanted to do. With Lucy, her parents had chosen for her without asking.
She wouldn't go back. She wouldn't.
Now she sounded like she was whining again. Damn it.
Stopping in front of Randy's house, she stopped and stared. What the hell was she doing? She couldn't bother her friend like this. What was she going to do now?
"Lucy! Stop!" Spotting her mother and sister, and they were following her down the sidewalk, "Wait-"
Lucy took a step back, "I don't want to go back!"
"Please, listen," her mother pleaded. For once, Lucy saw a spike of worry in the woman's face. Harriet had tears in her eyes, "Let's go home and talk about this."
The car's headlights flashed ahead. Lucy turned to see Dominick pull up to the curb. The window rolled down and he simply stared, a question in his eyes.
"I have to go away for a while," Lucy looked then, "I need to get away, and think, and be my own person for a while."
"But-"
Opening the door, she jumped into Dominick's car, and shut the door. He punched the gas and they sped off down the street. She felt numb, not even paying attention to when he pulled into the garage, closing the door.
"Oh god," Lucy pressed her hands to her face, "What have I done?"
He dragged her into his arms, and let her cry.