1 New perspective

Azalea POV

"Good afternoon passengers. This is the pre-boarding announcement for the flight 89I to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta. We are now inviting passengers with children, and any passengers requiring special assistance, to begin boarding at this time. Please have your boarding pass and identification ready. Regular boarding will begin in approximately ten minutes time. Thank you." I heard the pre-boarding announcement and my heart fell... there was no turning back, I'm leaving San Francisco to go live with my aunt in Fort Payne.

No! I'm not an orphan, I just tried to sneak out for the first time in my life to have fun with my friends and I got caught.

My parents never had time for me, they brought me to this world then hired nannies to do their job. After some time, I came to the conclusion that they never actually cared about me, I only served the image they wanted to give society of the perfect family. Through the years, the nannies and my 2 grannies did a great job raising me to become the damn goody two shoes I am today. However, and as every teenager, I had an existential crisis where I was just tired of doing things their way, It's not like I was going to do drugs or start a life of debauchery. I have principles and I don’t want to destroy myself or compromise my future, I just want to live my age. I’ve been surviving this whole time doing whatever I’m asked to do, I’m still untouched, I didn't even have my first kiss yet and I'm fucking almost 18.

So, back to the matter at hand, my parents took their decision the same night I tried to sneak out. They called the aunt I've never met, and they easily shipped me across the country to live with her. When they dropped me off at the airport, I swear I saw relief in their faces, there were no hugs, no kisses, no I'll miss you.... Nothing. I was used to their cold behavior but still I never thought that I was actually a burden.

I've never disobeyed, I never did what I wanted, never, even my classes, they chose them for me, my clothes, my friends everything was their choice. I've never said no, I played along because all I wanted was to please them, I mean they're my parents and I love them, but I just felt suffocated and I wanted to live a little, breathe even for one night. It looks like they were waiting for the first misstep to get rid of me.

I won't let that stop me, if anything, I will live the way I want, I will choose my destiny, I will never let anyone control my life ever again.

I took a deep breath, and wiped my teary eyes " It's going to be alright, just remember what granny Rosalie always told you, smile and if you can’t seek strength within you to smile because when you're at your weakest, your smile will make everything alright." and that's what I just did as I walked towards the boarding gate.

By the time we landed, I was so dead tired, I followed the passengers like a zombie, I had just my backpack, because all my stuff were already shipped 3 days ago.

I got to the arrival lounge and looked for someone who looked like my mother, and there she was, my mother's twin sister. Yup! she was her doppelganger and yet she looked very different. With a sigh, I moved my tired legs her way.

“Aunt Olivia?” I said timidly. She looked at me with the same eyes as my mother but not the same gaze, she has so much tenderness in her eyes, a tenderness I never experienced from the woman who gave birth to me, I couldn't help the tears that started to flow freely.

“ Oh honey...” and she took me in her arms in a way only mothers do, I loved how I felt in her arms, I knew she wasn't my mother, but I felt so good being in her arms, I just cried my frustration out. When she felt that I calmed down, she stepped back a little, her hands still on my shoulders.

“Let me see, how gorgeous you are, you sure took after your father as I see.”

“Haha... Yeah hopefully just his looks... Hum... Thank you aunt Olivia for accepting to have me, I... I...I'm sorry if...” She interrupted me with her hand on my cheek.

“ Honey, we're family, I know we never met before, I think you already know that my sister and I are not really on the best terms, but you my sweet Azalea... you have nothing to do with those issues, I've always wanted you to come visit but your mother never agreed, when she called last week and told me that you were coming to live with me I couldn't be happier, you know how mom loved you so much, I could even say more than her own daughters, she always showed me pictures of you when she came back from her visits to San Francisco..... Huuuh! She would've been happy to have you with us, you know, it was just the two of us...when she.... when she died, I felt like my whole world shattered, but here you are 3 months later coming to live with me, I mean, it's actually your place too. Mom left the property for the both of us, you and I.”

“What?”

“Y... your mother didn't tell you?”

I shook my head. She sighed then said : “ Come honey, let's get to the car, and we'll talk on our way home.”

We got to a black range and aunt Olivia unlocked the doors, I got to the passenger seat, and we started driving to Fort Payne.

After 5 minutes, my aunt started talking.

“Honey, I'm sorry your mother didn't tell you. I’m sure she has her reasons, don't hold it against her, please.”

“Aunt Olivia, I...” I sigh “I really don't know what to say, but don't worry, it doesn't change a thing, I mean we barely talk anyway, so...”

“Call me auntie sweetheart, so... tell me more about yourself?”

“Well.... there's not much to tell auntie, my parents took all the decisions when it came to my life. Let's say that this move, is like a reborn for me, I want to get to know myself, I want to see life through my own eyes, not my parent’s.”

She smiled, her eyes still on the road, she reached for the radio and said: “Any special requests?”

I laughed “Hahahaha.... Sweet home Alabama?”

And this, ladies and gentlemen, was the first decision I made.

Author note:

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