WE'RE MOVING

Elizabeth could hear her phone ring right from where she laid but picking it up wasn't an option, she had been gone for the past 5 hours and she wasn't ready to talk to anyone just yet.

"She's calling again" Claudia voiced as she picked Elizabeth's phone in her hand, Claudia was Elizabeth's only friend, they happened to have met a few months prior to her parents divorce. Claudia was much older than Elizabeth and she was an orphan since she was 7.

On hearing her words Elizabeth turned to the side as she could feel the fresh sting from the slap once again.

"Come on, just answer the phone, I'm sure she's very worried about you" she spoke trying to convince her.

"She isn't the slightest bit worried about me, she's only calling because of the court and my dad, they are going to be on her throat" she replied, she could feel a depression on the other end of the bed, indicating that Claudia was on the bed.

Claudia laid down beside her, with her face to the ceilings.

"I understand how you feel trust me, my foster parents were also like this and I couldn't wait to leave their house, now I'm out and at peace but you can't leave yet, you have to go back home. The sooner you try to resolve your issues with her, the better things would get" she advised.

"Are you sure I can't just live here with you?" She asked turning towards Claudia. Being with Claudia made her wish she had a sibling, someone to share things with so they wouldn't be bottled up.

"You seem to want the court to charge me with kidnapping right?"

"No, but I prefer staying anywhere but not with my mother" she voiced.

Claudia wrapped her arms around Elizabeth as she cried into her chest, after a while of consolation Elizabeth fell asleep and in a few hours time she was up as Claudia woke her. It was already late.

Elizabeth called a cab and was on her way home, she wished she had the conscience to run away, far away. Where no one would find her but then she couldn't, there were a lot of news about human trafficking and she didn't want to fall a victim. The cab pulled up in front of her home and with a deep breathe she was out, walking through the front door.

"She isn't home yet and I haven't been able to reach her" Elizabeth could here Maria's voice from the door. She slowly opened the door walking in slowly.

"I will call you back babe she's here" she added before ending the call.

Maria turned towards her daughter.

"Where the hell have you been and why did you not answer any of my calls?" She asked.

"That none of your business" she scoffed about to walk into her room when Maria held her by the arm,

"Lizzy, why don't you understand that going out like that is dangerous. What is something had happened to you?"

"Wouldn't that be great for you, you'll be free and not have the burden of looking after me" she voiced removing her arm from her mother grip.

"We are moving to New Orleans in three days" she blurted out

Elizabeth couldn't wrap her head around her mother's audacity to keep things from her and expect it to be okay with her. She slowly turned towards her and with one glance Maria could tell that Elizabeth could strangle her in that spot.

"Mom, why don't you just give me to dad or better off an orphanage, it's only a matter of months and I'll be out of your hair than torturing me this way" she spoke.

"It's already been decided and that's it, by tomorrow I expect you to tidy up your room" she informed.

"You know what, I wanted to run away but I didn't because of dad, your nothing but a good for nothing mother and I can’t wait to turn 18 and leave your house" she added walking off.

"Well yeah, I hope it comes soon too" Maria voiced as she ran her hands through her hair, she didn't expect these words from her daughter, she wasn't expecting a hug but this was a bit beyond her expectations.

Maria walked back towards the kitchen counter pulling out a glass and a bottle of champagne, she added ice to the cup before gulping it in one go.

Parenting seemed to not be her strongest suit.

Elizabeth fell on her bed, she was leaving this house. Her memories with her dad were here in this house and she wanted to take that away as well. She buried her face in her pillow and let out a loud scream with hope that the pain she was feeling inside would fade away.

The vibration from her phone distracted her from her pain, she raised her head and a smile appeared on her face.

"Dad!" She voiced answering the phone.

"Lizzy bear, where were you? I was worried. I even booked ticket to come over" he spoke.

Elizabeth chuckled, this was her dad. He worried about her even at the slightest inconvenience, he was broken when the court gave Elizabeth's custody to his wife.

"There's no need for you to come over, I'm fine." She replied as tears dropped from her eyes. She missed him so much.

"My bear where are you?"

"I'm home, had a fight with mom about her new husband" she voiced hiding her tears not to make him worried than he was.

"New husband?"

"Yes, your precious wife is getting married in a week time and she just told me about it. When I thought that was the worst part she then tells me that we're moving to New Orleans in 3 days" she explained.

"And she just told you?"

"Yes, dad I don't want to stay with mom anymore" she sobbed.

"Oh my Lizzy bear, don't cry. You know there is no way I can take you to live with me, your mom won. It's just a couple of months and I myself will come get you from her" he voiced.

Elizabeth spoke to her dad for a while before falling asleep.

**** **** ***** ***** **** **** ****

The next morning Elizabeth was up, she stared at her room and had made up her mind to put up with her mother just for the next 9 months of her life, she started by getting boxes from the garage and slowly worked her way packing.

She gently placed her precious item into the boxes, she didn't want to leave anything behind.

Maria on the other hand worked in her room before going down to prepare breakfast, she was hesitant to go into Elizabeth's room but still did.

Elizabeth lifted her head and there stood Maria, she didn't say a word but continued with her packing.

"Hun, let's have breakfast" she spoke as she walked in.

"I'm not hungry. I already had the leftovers pizza" she replied not even looking at Maria.

Maria took a deep breath before speaking.

"Lizzy, I actually came here because I wanted to apologize to you. I know I should have told you everything from the very beginning but I was scared that things wouldn't work out, like it did with your dad" she explained.

Elizabeth stopped in her tracks as her eyes went back to her mom.

"I'm sorry, the only reason I did this was so you could have a better life and future, I also want you to have a father figure in your life, I know what's it feels like not having your dad around and I don't want you to face that" she explained.

Elizabeth didn’t utter a word, if she really wanted her to have a complete family, her dad would be home with them not getting some random guy as her dad.

"Elizabeth it hurts me that you hate me. I don't want you to hate me" she spoke with tears running down her cheeks.

What exactly was the tears for, were they because she realized she was a terrible mother or that she was just selfish, either ways her questions couldn't be answered. She turned her eyes to her work.

Maria slowly moved towards her but immediately Elizabeth stood to her feet and without a word left Maria who continued in her tears.