Chapter 1

Brielle's POV " Do you have everything you need packed Brie?" My mom asked for the millionth time. " Yes, mom. I am ready," I replied while I continued loading my bags into the car. She said nothing else and stood there awkwardly. I know what she was thinking, but there was no turning back for me. I wanted to go and it is what is best for all of us. " All set," I said while closing the car trunk. " Okay, now that is done, we can go wait in the house-" I cut her off, knowing what she was about to say. " No mom. He won't come to see me off. Let's just go. I don't want to wait any longer," I said dismissively. She looked sad and disappointed, but there was nothing I could do. You might be wondering what's going on. So the story is... a long story. Right now I am all packed and ready to move to my grandparent's place in Lunaris. I was about to begin my senior year and I needed a fresh, clean slate to start. It's been a rough couple of years since my parents started falling out and everything was just not the same anymore. After a long time of putting up with a lot of stuff and being unhappy, it ended with my parents divorcing. My parents were high school sweethearts, and they probably thought that they would end up together forever. I mean, isn't that what everyone in love thinks when they are at the peak of their relationship, and their future together looks clear in front of them and beautiful? Like nothing or no one could ever come between them? True love, right? It was the same for them too, until it wasn't anymore. And I was in the middle of it all. At one point, while witnessing all the fights and arguments, I was afraid that my parents would end up separating. That's every child's nightmare when they are unable to comprehend that separating is actually the best thing that could ever happen to them, because constantly fighting and hurting each other isn't love. No matter how much it hurts, it has to end. A year ago, after my birthday, my parents told me that they were divorcing. Soon after that, my dad introduced us to his new family. He was having an affair with a colleague at work, and one thing led to another. She was heavily pregnant with my step-sibling. At that time, I didn't know how to feel. The change was too much and overwhelming and the fact that our family would never be the same was still settling in. Let's just say things didn't go well, and I ended up lashing out all of my suppressed anger. Since then, things between my dad and I have been kind of rocky. We just didn't know how to approach each other anymore. My mom was heartbroken, and I felt bad for her. I pushed her away because I didn't know how to comfort her. I wouldn't know how a person who has loved someone feels when they don't have them by their side anymore and start to love another person. I wanted her to stop making others a priority and start living her own life. I knew she wouldn't be bold enough to think about opening up to someone if all she did was try to nurse my feelings, so I made up my mind to leave and go live with my grandparents. We hit the road. My mom offered to drive me there even though I told her I could get there on my own. She wasn't letting me have it my way, so I gave in to her. After all, we were going to spend time away from each other, and we wouldn't be able to see each other regularly. We turned up the radio and listened to some music to kill some time, and then it was time to talk. " You know you don't have to go, right sweety?" " I know," I mumbled while looking out of the window. That was a brief moment of uncomfortable silence. " Anyway, I am sure you are going to love Lunaris. I have some wonderful moments there," she trails off, reminiscing about the past. She and my dad came from Lanaris together to start a new life in Clarefield. Lunaris is where their love story began. I reached out and squeezed her hand in comfort. " Don't worry mom. I am sure I'll be in great hands. Grandma and grandpa sounded so happy when I told them that I would be coming to live with them. But I do feel it was about one thing." I paused, looking at her. " I don't want you to be alone mom. Dad... has started a new life with someone else. I know that you are hurt and still trying to heal from it. It must be hard for you and I wouldn't begin to understand the pain you have gone through all those years. All I want to say is don't close yourself off from any possibility of finding love again. I want you to be happy again as well. Think about yourself and start prioritizing what you want. Just know that if you are happy, then I am happy as well." She pulls the car over and starts sobbing while resting her head on the steering wheel. I've heard her cry a couple of times in her room. She never let me see her cry, but she doesn't know that I heard her. For the first time, she opened the floodgates in front of me. I rubbed her back and gave her the time she needed to cry. Once she was done, she raised her head and wiped her tears, sniffling. Her face was swollen and a mess, but I didn't mind it at all. I was happy that she took the first step. She always tried to seem strong in front of me, and now she let her walls crumble a little. " Oh my God sweety, I never wanted you to see me like this. I wished that this moment would never come, but I guess wishes don't come true. Seeing how everything I have ever wished for never came true, I would say enough with the wishes." She paused and took a breath. " I thought your father and I would make it a long way. It certainly felt possible in the beginning, but I guess something in our destinies altered. I've never loved anyone else the way I loved your father and I just thought it would be the same for him. I don't know when I started not being the one for him, I don't know when I began not being enough. Or maybe I know, but I just never wanted to see it because I knew if I saw it and, admitted it then it would be the beginning of the end for us. I held on for dear life to a relationship that was already doomed. I tried so hard to protect you and maintain the image of a happy family, but I failed. I failed at being a good lover, a wife, and a mother. " No, mom. You didn't fail. You are everything but a failure. The only thing you failed at was protecting yourself. You endured a lot for all of us and I appreciate you for it. It's all over now," I say taking her hands in mine. " You don't need to fight or be strong anymore. You just need to be you after facing everything. A free you who is not bound to anyone anymore." " I don't know how I'll do that, dear. It's hard to imagine a life without him. He was the love of my life," she cried pitifully. " You don't have to figure it out all right now. Take your time. Start by accepting that dad isn't for you anymore. Take it one step at a time. You are not alone. You still have me. When you need me, I'll be with you." She smiles through her tears. " I can't believe how you have grown. You are handling this way better than I am and here I am thinking that you will be suffering the most because of us." She caresses my cheek, looking at me lovingly. " I am glad my daughter is stronger than me, so I won't have to worry much about you being away from me." Once we were done with our emotional talk, we drove the rest of the way and arrived at the sun setting. We were welcomed by my grandparents standing outside. I managed to convince mom with the help of my grandma to stay for the night since it's been a long time since she last visited. There was some catching up to do and we had a nice family dinner. Things were looking up. Finally.