Generation 2; Chapter 1: Freedom at Last?

The day had finally come. The chokehold Victoria Stafford’s mother had held on her life for the past two years had finally lifted. On this, her high school graduation day, she was finally free to move out on her own and away from her mother, Emory Stafford.

Without any money of her own, she had been forced to ask Clyde if she could move in with him. He had told her he lived in a tiny house on the outskirts of uptown, and while she wasn’t thrilled with the idea of living with him, she knew it had to be better than where she was coming from.

As the taxi pulled up to the little house, Victoria suddenly felt a jolt of nerves in her stomach. She hadn’t talked to Clyde in person since the night he had been arrested at the bar. Her mother hadn’t allowed her near him.

Would he be angry with her for leaving him to be arrested? What in the world was she getting into, moving in with him?

“Hey gorgeous,” Clyde said slyly as he strode out of the front door.

“H-hey,” Victoria said a little nervously.

“Finally free? Come on in, I’ll show you around. Not that there’s much to see…”

They walked in to the long, skinny house. Directly inside, Victoria saw one big room that acted jointly as the kitchen and living room. Clyde then showed her one small bathroom to the right and her bedroom just beyond that.

“My bedroom’s on the other side of the living room,” Clyde said. “Feel free to visit it any time,” he added with a wink.

“Thanks Clyde,” she said softly. “You know, I’ve had a long day with graduation and the move out. I think I’m just going to get settled and then get to bed.”

“Seriously?” he replied. “You don’t want to go to the graduation party?”

“No thanks. You go ahead though, I’m sure it’ll be fun.”

“Yeah, ok,” was all he said before turning and leaving.

Once she was alone, Victoria took a deep breath and started unpacking. She placed the few outfits she owned in the small dresser and put her laptop on the desk.

Checking to make sure Clyde had left for the party, she entered the small bathroom to take a shower. Placing her items on the sink, she looked into the mirror.

“Well,” she said to herself. “This is it. I’m free.” But gazing at herself in the mirror, she wasn’t sure she believed herself. The truth was, she was scared. Maybe even terrified. She had been so sure of what she wanted that she didn’t even realize how well off she had had it. And suddenly she was viewing herself as a sheltered child who had just abandoned her family on a whim.

After her shower, Victoria climbed into bed, her mind still racing. Longing for her comfortable bed at home instead of this creaky old bed, she shook her head.

“No,” she whispered to herself. “This is where I live now. This will be my home.”