CHAPTER 6: THE NEWS

"Mom, what do you think of Carlo?" I asked as we drove into our neighborhood.

"I like him," I replied with a sigh, running my hands over my knees. But I still hadn't told her about what happened this afternoon. I had left in the morning to meet a friend, but when I returned, I had a lease for a spare room in my bag.

Living at home made it hard to distinguish between being a child and an adult. My parents were respectful of my age, but they still treated me like a kid, asking where I was going and when I'd be back every time I went out. Whenever I mentioned moving out, they'd bring up the expenses and suggest waiting until I finished my undergrad.

I had saved up a good amount of money, and my original plan was to wait until I finished college to get a nice apartment or maybe even buy a car. But now, I was glad I hadn't, because I had more than enough money to make moving out a reality.

"He lives in that house on the corner," my mom asked, pointing. I nodded, confirming that Carlo lived there with a group of friends.

"How much does he pay for rent?" she inquired, and I just shrugged.

"Somewhere between six and forty," I said, recalling the lease I had briefly glanced at. It was $643 a month, as Carlo had mentioned.

"That's quite a lot," my mom sighed as she turned onto our street. "Back when I was a student, it was much cheaper."

"Well, that was in the 1980s when tuition was less than $2,000 a year," I pointed out, looking out the window. "Besides, they live with their friends and are close to campus and everything else."

"It sounds fun, but you don't understand the relief of graduating without any debt," she insisted as she pulled into our driveway.

My mom had always wanted me to stay home to avoid accumulating debt, but I knew deep down that she also enjoyed having me around. Sometimes, I felt like I was her only friend.

"But, Mom, you say it's worth it, and I don't think it is," I admitted. "I hardly spend time with people my age, so I feel left out. I just want to experience what other students do."

"I know you do, honey, but I think it's best for you to stay here," she said firmly. "Besides, you're almost done with your studies."

"Mom," I repeated, and she raised an eyebrow before parking the car. "I really want to leave," I told her.

"I understand, but you know how things work," she replied, sighing. "I'm not sure if you're ready, especially considering how you get when you're stressed."

I used to have severe panic attacks when I was younger, and my parents had to help me through them. But it had been years since my last one, and I was tired of it being used against me.

"Mom, I'm twenty-one," I reminded her. "I want to be an adult. I live in my old bedroom at home and don't even have a car. I want to be independent."

"I know you do, honey. If a good opportunity comes along, we can consider it," she sighed, and I pursed my lips.

"What if a good opportunity has already come along?" I asked, opening my bag and searching through it.

"You know Carlo is a year ahead of me in school, right?"

"Yes," she responded, her voice carrying a sense of weariness.

"He's moving to New Jersey?" I replied, pulling the lease out of my bag. "Their apartment needs another roommate, and he asked if I'd like to join." I shrugged and turned on the overhead light, unfolding the lease. "The rent is reasonable, and-"

"You didn't discuss this with me?" She asked, sounding hurt, and I blinked in surprise.

"Mom, I'm twenty-one," I reminded her. She sighed and shook her head, as if she'd forgotten.

"I'm just worried, you know, it's so expensive out there. It's not just rent; it's also groceries and utilities-"

"Mom, I've been saving money since high school!" I interjected. "I already have a job and enough savings to make it work."

"I don't think you've thought this through enough," she sighed. "We can talk about it, but I'm not sure if this is the right time."

"What time is it?" I asked, and she ran a hand through her hair.

"I don't know, but it feels like you're rushing into this," she shrugged and sighed. "Who are these roommates, and have you even met them before?"

"I met two of them in the first year, and today, when I went to check out the place, I met the third one," I replied, trying to reassure her.

"Are these roommates all men?" She inquired, taking the lease from my hand and flipping through its pages.

"Kyle... someone, and..." She paused, trying to identify a signature, and I rolled my eyes. "Julianna Macey, give me a straight answer now. Are they all men?"

"Yes!" I exclaimed, taking the papers back. "Why is that even a concern? I've met them, and they're all nice people. They're good guys!"

"I don't like this idea; it doesn't sit well with me," she replied, and I shrugged.

"Well, that's not my problem," I retorted. "I'll decide after I've thoroughly reviewed the lease." With that, I opened the car door and walked towards the house.

My mom had a tendency to treat me like a child, struggling to let me make adult decisions. Her parenting had its quirks; there were no restrictions on how much TV I could watch, how much soda I could drink, where I could have sleepovers, or even how much I could eat. But they wouldn't allow me to have social media until I turned 16, and when I was younger, they would go through my phone whenever they felt like it.

They wanted to be informed about everything, and I suspected they still felt that way. My parents weren't ready for me to grow up, and as much as I loved them and cherished being at home, I needed to step out into the world.

I enter my front door and spot my dad busy cooking in the kitchen. "Hey, everyone! How was your day?"

"It was okay," I respond with a casual shrug, kick off my shoes, and make my way to the kitchen.

"Julianna!" Mom calls out as she follows me inside, and I head to the kitchen island while still holding the lease. It's never a good sign when either of my parents uses my full name.

"What's that you're holding?" Dad inquires, gesturing toward the piece of paper in my hand.

"It's a rental agreement," I reply nonchalantly, and Dad looks at me with a puzzled expression.

"What's the lease for?"

"Henry, she wants to move in with three guys!" Mom exclaims, her anger evident as she storms into the kitchen. "She made this plan without informing us about it at all."