Intertwined Destinies

CHAPTER FIVE

ABIGAIL

"Mom, please!" I repeat for the thousandth time today.

"I already told you no," she answers me in a firm tone.

"I am twenty years old, I shouldn't have to ask for your permission to go to a party, I am an adult!" I answer her, crossing my arms over my chest.

"You are nineteen, and you are technically a young adult, plus one that is in much more danger than the others," she tells me.

"Why would I be in danger at a birthday party?" I answer with annoyance.

"A party is the perfect setting to put yourself in danger, there is alcohol and drugs, not to mention that you would be surrounded by a lot of people you don't know," she tells me.

"That is the point!" I answer her, and she looks at me in shock, so I quickly correct myself.

"I am not talking about alcohol and drugs, but the fact that these people will remain strangers unless I socialize with them," I tell her in an exasperated tone.

"Abigail, there are many more spaces in the university for you to 'socialize', study groups, book clubs, I don't know, some sports maybe?" she tells me, and I groan in despair.

"Dad, do something," I say to my father, who as usual is standing next to us looking from one to the other, but not really daring to intervene.

“Honey, I think this time I agree with your mother, parties, especially those held in fraternities, are usually very dangerous for young women, but in your case, it is even more so, remember that you cannot expose yourself that way with that crazy woman still hanging around,” he tells me calmly, trying to get closer to me and putting a hand on my shoulder.

"Again with that ridiculous story of the crazy woman," I answer shaking his hand off me, and I turn to go back to my room, but before leaving the study we are in, I turn to them and say:

"Why do I have to be the one to pay for your mistakes?" with a pained tone, and they both seem surprised and even guilty at my accusation.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -   

As I am in my room staring at the ceiling with suppressed rage, an idea comes to mind, so I pick up my phone and call the only person in this house that I am sure can help me with my predicament.

"Hey, Ed," I say on the phone as soon as my cousin Edward answers.

"Hi Abby, everything in order?" he asks me curiously.

"I have a little problem and I need your help, can you come to my room for a moment?" I ask him.

"Sure, I am just getting home, I will be there in a sec," he replies before hanging up.

A couple of minutes later, Edward knocks on the door, and I motion for him to come in, so he enters my room cautiously, as if expecting to find a crime scene inside, he walks over to my bed and sits in a corner while watching me with curiosity.

"You are up to something," he tells me.

"Why do you say that?" I ask him, feigning innocence.

"I don't know, but there is something about your face that seems dangerous, you are not going to get me in trouble again, right Abby?" he asks, probably remembering the time I called him to help me buy a pink dye and then paint half my hair, but he was caught by my Aunt Lucy in the middle of the stairs, and even though my Uncle Josh didn't want to punish him for this, my mother and Aunt Lucy insisted on reprimanding us both.

"Well, I am not," I reply evasively.

"Then?" he asks suspiciously.

"I just need to inadvertently get out of the house, and I thought you could help me do it," I tell him, and he raises an eyebrow at me.

"And why do you think I could help you?" he asks me.

"Oh please! I have heard my Aunt Lucy lecturing you about your escapades on more than one occasion, I just want you to tell me how you do it and that's it, I will take care of the rest,” I tell him, and he purses his lips as he ponders my request.

"Why do you want to escape from home?" he asks me.

"I don't want to escape from home, just slip out inadvertently," I correct him, and he looks at me in disbelief.

"Well, okay, I do want to escape, but it will only be for a couple of hours and that’s it, it's not bad at all," I tell him.

"Where are you going?" he asks.

“I was invited to a birthday party at college, but Mom refuses to let me go, and my puppy dog eyes didn't work on Dad this time,” I reply.

"To a party? you?" he asks in an amused tone.

"What's so strange about that?" I reply, offended by his incredulous tone.

"Nothing, nothing, it's just that you are never invited to anything, everyone knows that you are basically like one of those princesses trapped in the highest tower and guarded by ferocious dragons," he replies laughing, and I throw him a pillow.

"Very funny, well, yeah, this princess needs to evade this castle's dragon, better known as mom, so are you going to help me?" I ask him, and he again seems to ponder it.

"Okay, but I will take you there because if you go out the way I usually do, you will tear your dress, so you will go hidden in my car, but promise me that if anything strange happens you will call me immediately and I will come to pick you up, agree?" he tells me in a protective tone, even though I am almost three years older.

"Of course I will, thanks, Ed," I reply.

After sending a text to Alec, letting him know that I am going to go to the party and that I will meet him there in an hour, I sneak along with Edward to the garage, as he guides me to the areas that do not have security camera coverage, then he moves his car almost up to the driveway and I carefully climb into the back seat and cover myself with one of his football team jackets, which thankfully is clean.

When we have passed the danger zone, I sit upright as a fit of laughter invades me, and we joke with Ed all the way until we arrive in front of the frat house where a lot of people are gathered and the music is heard all over the place, I feel the excitement begin to bubble inside me and when I get off, I turn to say goodbye to Ed as he seems distracted staring at the look of the place suspiciously.

"You know, Abby, if you are feeling uncomfortable or insecure, call me and I will come to get you right away," he repeats, and I nod.

"Don't worry, nothing will happen," I reply, and he frowns slightly.

"Remember that crazy woman is still out there, you must be vigilant," he tells me, and I roll my eyes.

"Oh, for the love of God, not you too, that crazy woman doesn't exist!" I answer him and he shrugs, then says goodbye and starts the car.

Alec is waiting for me at the entrance of the frat house, and he walks up to me with a big smile as soon as I start walking towards him, so we enter the house and he gives me a short tour of the place, introducing me to some people who look at me with curiosity or surprise, and I feel some murmurs begin to circulate as we walk through the place, but I try not to let them ruin my good mood.

"Do you want a drink?" he asks me, and I doubt a bit, as I have never drunk anything but wine and champagne in small quantities during dinners.

"Well, yes I will like one, thanks," I finally reply, and Alec guides me into the kitchen where there are a couple of girls laughing and talking loudly to a man with his back turned.

"Oh look, the little princess came to honor us with her presence," says one of them, who clearly seems to have had too much alcohol already, and they all turn to see me, but my eyes immediately go to those of the man who was standing with his back turned towards the door, and I feel his gray eyes travel my body from head to toe with such intensity that I start to gasp for air.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -