Page 195 of A Lie in Church

I bit my tears back. Adrian didn’t say anything. We sat in silence. I tried not to let my emotions control me.

“Drinks?” Adrian asked.

I nodded. I really needed one right now.

“Since it’s your birthday and you’re finally legal to consume alcohol, I will let you drink.”

I smiled.

We moved to the living room and sat on the floor. We kept drinking and talking until we were too drunk to stand.

I dozed off on him, saying something I myself didn’t understand.

I wokeup in my bed. I saw some painkillers and a bottle of water on my nightstand. I took it and went for a bath. I missed Morris’s hangover soup. I missed him.

It was past one in the afternoon. I spent the rest of the day putting my plans in order and making up my mind. I was twenty-one now. Twenty years had taught me a lot. It was time to make the right choice, time to fix my life, time to start over again. I was the only one who could bring myself up and give myself the life I wanted.

I skipped dinner, telling Adrian I was not hungry.

I made my decision.

I wokeup very early the next day and made breakfast. Adrian came down in a dark two-piece suit. He looked surprised to see me awake.

“You are up early.”

“Yes!”

I watched him as he ate his scrambled eggs and French toast.

“I’m leaving,” I announced.

He almost choked on the coffee he was sipping.

“Sorry,” our voices sang simultaneously.

“You are leaving?”

“Yeah, I have made my decision. I think I know what I want now,” I said with a soft smile.

“I’m proud of you, Chlo. I will miss you. When do you plan on leaving?”

“Today.”

I saw his face fall.

“And you’re just telling me?” He leaned back on his seat with a scowl on his face.

“Sorry, I made up my mind last night.”

“Are you going back to your family?”

“No.”

“Tris—”

“No!”

“Then, where?”