“But mom!” I yelled.

“ I said no Brandi. I don’t want you going to the concert.” my mother lectured.

“That’s so not fair! I promised Charlier I would go with her tonight.”

“Well that wasn’t your promise to make without asking me first. You’re just going to have to call her and tell her you can’t make it. I don’t want you getting home at one in the morning on a school night; that’s way too late for someone your age.”

“Someone my age!? Are you kidding me, I’m 18! I’ll be in college in a matter of five months. And since I am 18, you cant tell me what to do anymore!”

“Oh really! As long as you live under this house young lady I can and will, I’m the one who supplies your credit card, who bought your Porsche you so badly needed, and I can take them away too!”

“No! Daddy wouldn’t let you!”

“Do you really want to test me Brandi?” I could see it in her eyes, and she had meant it. Even though I was my Daddy’s little girl, I knew he’d do anything my mother asked.

“Humph.” I locked eyes with my mother seeing the anger burn in them, then her pager went off and she broke my glare.

“Ughh. I have to go back to the hospital, where are your keys, I’m taking them.”

I quickly glanced at my keys to my yellow Porsche lying on the table behind my mother. She followed my glance to the table, as soon as she turned around I lunged for the keys and fled out the front door to the garage. As I ran out the door I looked back to see my mom staring after me with pain and shock painted on her face. When my mom finally got her self together and reached the garage I was already in the car with my keys in the ignition.

“Brandi! Don’t you dare leave this garage!” my mother yelled.

“Sorry mom,” I said sarcastically.

I drove out the drive way furious, the blood boiling under my skin threatening to explode. My anger counselor so was not going to like this. As I hit the corner I picked up my cell phone and called Charlie.

“Hey B.” Charlie said happily.

“Hi.”

“So what did your mom say? Can you come?”

“It doesn’t matter what she says I’m eighteen.” All my life my mother and I did not get along; she was always expecting me to be perfect and follow in her footsteps, she refused to let me live my own life. Since the moment I was born my life was predestined, and I hated it. Everything I did was wrong in her eyes, I get an 89 on my science exam, it’s not good enough; I get the winning goal in the championship game, I should’ve scored more. Thank God she was never home being a world re-noun neuro surgeon and all, or else I think I would have killed myself by now.

“B, I don’t think that’s the best idea. Your relationship with her is already strained enough; why make it any worse?”

“Well it’s not like she makes it any easier on me!” Charlie was my best friend in the whole world, but sometimes she just couldn’t understand the pressure I was under. I never told her that though, me and Mike, her brother were the only people she had left. Her parents died a year ago in a plane crash, she now lives on her own with full custody of Mike. How could I expect her to understand?

“Okay, sorry. Well I’ll see you in a few then?” she asked.

“Yeah.”

“K, bye love you.”

“Love ya too.” As I drove through Manhattan I gazed out the window, watching the nightly activities of the city. The smell of hotdogs and peanuts choked the air, as people bustled from place to place. You could hear the sound of dogs barking, birds chirping, and musicians playing on the side of the street, hoping to make some cash to fill their bellies for the night. I always found it interesting to look up at the windows of apartments and see the silhouettes of people inside their home; sometimes I would imagine what their life was like and whether they were happy with who they were, each person a mystery. Almost around every corner you could find couples kissing, hugging, and soaking up the love. My most favorite New York site was driving by the giant lights, shining above the theatre, WICKED.

After the argument with my mother I had finally calmed down. I decided to pull into a Starbucks and sit down since I still had time to get to Charlie’s. As I was drinking my frappechino, I thought about how disappointed my father would be of me, and how sad my mother looked as I drove off. I loved my mother but she always made my life so difficult, unlike my father. He was a very simple man, I loved with all my heart, he gave me everything I ever wanted without a second thoughht. After a long talk with myself I called up Charlie again.

“Hello?”

“Hey…” I said wearily.

“Your not coming are you?”

“No. I’m really sorry!”

“Don’t be. I’m glad, I was hoping you would change your mind after you calmed down; you always do once you relax.”

“Yeah I guess...Okay, well have fun. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Totally! And I’ll tell you all about it.” she sounded so excited.

“Okay, thanks! Bye love you.”

“Love you too.”

On my way home I came up to my most hated intersection. I hated trying to get through here and quite frankly, it scared me. On the corner there was a memorial for a little boy who was hit by a car crossing the street. It made me so sad to look at the display of flowers, bears and especially the picture of him. When the light turned green I was to distracted looking at the memorial that I didn’t see the car on my left run the light. When I turned my head to look all I could see were bright head lights coming straight at me. I felt the impact hit me like a sudden thunder storm in the middle of the summer.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered and the lights went out.