CHAPTER 7

The atmosphere felt tense and the wind from the windows chilled the apartment. The windows rattled, momentarily distracting Deloise from her mother's gaze.

It didn't take long before their eyes reconnected, each trying to read the other's motive. Deciding to take the softer approach, Deloise finally spoke. " What is this, Mom?"

" Pick it up and open it dear," Esther replied tenderly, holding her breath as she watched Deloise pick up the envelope and take out the enclosed paperwork.

Deloise paled at the contents of the documents. As she continued, her expression grew worse. She vehemently shook her head, showing her stance on the situation.

" I can't, you know that." She opposed, " why would you–"

" NO. I don't want to hear whatever it is you are feeling, my stance on this matter is that you are going." She stated, upset at her daughter's refusal to see reason.

" How could you apply for me? I never consented to pursue admission to the States school of law! "

" Now you listen to me, I am your mother and I know what's best for you." She stood up, " and I am going to do right by you. Whether you like it or not! I have given you enough time with that rubbish you do, but now it's time to get serious with your life, "

" But- "

" No buts! " Esther threw a powerful hit on the table, and her daughter flinched at the sheer power and rage behind it. " You are going and that's final! " She bellowed, determined to see her daughter bend to her will.

Deloise couldn't accept her fate without a fight, and that fact strengthened her resolve not to go through with her mother's will. Her decision solidified by her mother's act of securing admission to the school of law without her consent.

" No." Her tone caught Esther by surprise.

" Didn't you hear me? You don't have a choice in this. I've paid for everything and you resume this weekend."

" I won't."

" Don't push me to the wall, Deloise." Esther spoke in a warning. " for both our sakes."

Deloise erupted at the words of her mother, tired of her prodding into her life without consent. It all ends today.

" Don't even think about blackmailing me." She hissed, " Just once, try to listen and understand me! Is that too hard to do? Why are you ruining tonight?!" Hurt reeked from her voice.

" If my ruining tonight will stop you from ruining your life, then so be it!" Esther screamed, her veins pulsed in anger.

" I am not ruining my life, but even if I am, that's my choice to make. You can't take that from me, Ihave a right to decide what I want to do with my life! "

" I can and I will. To stop you from ruining you." Deloise didn't expect her calm tone, unknown to her, Esther had other plans, she had just the right weapon. " It's me or your acting." Esther muttered, and Deloise froze in shock.

" You know I can't do that, what are you trying to achieve with this?" She inquired, baffled at how low her mother was willing to go in order to have her way.

" I'm done here. Good night." Esther said, ending the conversation and leaving her daughter with a choice.

*****

ANNA'S HOME.

Deloise sat on Anna's bed. Heaps of clothes were strewn carelessly on the bed and boxes laid open and half packed around the bedroom. As a result, the room posed hard to navigate without hitting something on the way.

" Are you going to tell me what is going on or are you just going to sit there sulking?" Anna inquired sassily, her patience almost running out at the sheer attitude of her friendew .

Deloise relaxedrefusing to r, seeking unwilling to respond and unbothered. while la Only thing was that she was. E Her fingers interlocked behind her head and her eyes remained closed. She thought about just how her life refused to cooperate with her these past few days.

She knew her friend was probably getting the shorter end of the stick from her stubborn behavior and refusal to tell her what m was going on, but she couldn't be bothered about it.

For the past three days, they hadn't said a word to each other- both mother and daughter. The air in her house grew strained, uncomfortable, and almost impossible to breathe in especially when they were in each other's presence.

Throughout this period, she became a daily uninvited guest at Anna's home. She couldn't be in the same space with her mother- who decided to stay home and work ever since the night of their argument.

Of course, she still had the envelope with her since the night of her mother's birthday- the night everything went wrong.

That night, she remembered feeling nothing when she was left alone with a choice to make between her dream and her mother. How does one choose between their family and their dream and why on earth was anyone being subjected to such a difficult, and almost inhumane decision?

She couldn't resist thinking along the lines of just what kind of mother would put her daughter- who she claimed to love- in such a difficult position. Deloise didn't want to think, she had an inkling that if she continued with such a line of thought, she might make a mistake.

And one she couldn't return from.

She couldn't for the life of her explain how she felt at that point, so she decided to go the easy way out - She became someone else for the night.

Submerging her emotions into the soul of some fictional character, that night, Deloise lost herself in her passion, repeatedly shooting a particular scene over and over again.

Her countenance portrayed that of the said character, her disposition, emotions and goal for the night uniting with that of the scripted character she religiously performed till her spirit, soul, and body were fatigued.

Deloise acted with her very best and gave her craft everything. That night, she attained a level of perfection in the said role. Afterwards, she numbly put together the video, unable to ignore the sharp contrast between the video and her reality.

She sent an email of the clip as an audition video, giving her dreams a final and realistic shot. After that, she dropped to bed, succumbing to a dreamless sleep.