I fell asleep in Sully’s arms, thinking I had figured out all of my problems. I only hoped my self-assurance was going to last into the morning. For now, I was choosing to believe the former.
CHAPTER NINE
Each month passed, bringing winter into full effect to Hanover. I flew back to Highlands Ranch, Colorado with my parents to visit my sister Gwen for the holidays. During a night of Christmas shopping at the 16th St. Mall in downtown Denver, I told her a little bit about what I was planning on doing once I graduated.
She was a free spirit and responded with a: “Go with your heart, forget what Mom and Dad think! Besides, I will have a great place to visit on my off time.”
I failed to mention the real reasoning behind me having to leave; that love wasn’t the actual driving force; but it still made me feel better knowing that the support from someone was there if needed. I didn’t predict it would go over as smoothly when I broke the news to my parents.
Sully and I continued to get closer, while Davin and I continued to be nothing more than a distant memory. There were many nights I dreamt he visited me in my room, pulled me into his arms, and assured me that everything would be okay, and that we were both free to start our life together like we had planned. Right before his kiss touched my lips, I would wake up to nothing more than an empty room, and a deep ache in my heart.
Every day I hid the hurt, burying it so far inside of me where no one could see it beneath the surface of my fake smile and invisible tears. Sometimes keeping up the charade threatened to crumble right before everyone’s eyes, but I refused to let that happen no matter if it killed me in the process.
Winter passed, and the school year had come to an end, which meant leaving Hanover and my life that had started over new –twice- was nearing its time. I had had months of preparation to tell my parents about my relocation with the Ashford’s that included many nights of reciting in the mirror what I was going to say, as to my decision to leave them behind. But when the time to tell them finally came, everything I had trained my brain to say miraculously vanished, leaving an empty loss of words in my mouth.
Graduation day was over earlier this afternoon, and I was sitting in my living room with Sully about to head to the after-graduation party at The Cell. I hadn’t been there since the last time when Gretchen was forced to find out what the Ashford boys really were, and what gave them their unnatural beauty that was envied by most. Thankfully, the werewolf problem had been extinguished since then; but I still had reservations about going there again.
We sat in my living room, listening to my mother go on about a dinner she was preparing for tomorrow night as her own little graduation celebration for us. I was tuning her out, struggling to get enough courage to tell her and my dad what I had come in here to say. All the many nights of rehearsing seemed to have just flown out the window, leaving my mind drawing a complete blank.
Sully put his hand on my leg, giving it a soft squeeze as a gesture that said, “You can do this.”
Wiping my sweaty palms on my jeans, I cleared my throat that had become quite dry. “Um, Mom…” I cut her off mid-sentence. “I need to talk to you and Dad.”
“Adelay I was in the middle of talking. Can’t it wait a minute or two?”
I shook my head. “No Mom, it’s important; I need to tell you and Dad something.”
Her eyes instantly looked panicked. “Oh my God Adelay, are you pregnant? Please don’t tell me you’re pregnant!”
“What? No, Mom! Can you just get Dad in here please?”
She was clearly worried now, and on high alert that I needed them both in here. She nodded, calling out to my father who was in the kitchen. “Adam, could you come in here please?”
He had caught the strange tone in her voice, curiously coming into the living room. “What’s wrong, Ophelia? Are the kids not going for your big dinner idea?” He smirked.
She didn’t say anything; she only signaled her eyes towards me, implicating it was me that needed him in here. I swallowed the huge lump that formed in my throat, preventing me from spilling my guts.
Courage was so much easier when you were only talking to yourself in the mirror. Shit, I didn’t know if I could do this! But it was too late; I had their attention. There was no turning back now.
“Mom, Dad…I…uh…” Clearing my throat one more time before I blurted, “Sully and his family are moving to New Orleans, and I have decided that I am going with him.” I bit my lip after I said it, preparing for an explosion.
My mom’s eyes got huge, and her mouth parted slightly on the verge of dropping open. My dad stayed relatively calm. I wasn’t sure if I should be nervous or not. He wasn’t an easy one to read. Bringing his palms together, he interlaced his fingers resting his chin on top of them, as he remained standing.
“What exactly has brought you to this decision, Adelay?” He was still calm for now.
“Well, Dad I’m eighteen years old. I
