However, Julie, who took after her father, was determined to take her step to the wild side. She felt that she had grown up to be too obedient and sensible under the watchful eyes of her parents and the time had come to create equilibrium by thrusting herself into the thrilling side of being a teenager. Julie believed that she worked hard all her life and that she deserved to have a taste of what her fellow peers experienced regularly; she wanted to party all night and watch a genuine brawl between a gang of boys. After all, good grades and respect were not the only merits of life. Julie positively did not want the others to use the phrase ‘an apple does not fall far from its tree’ to describe her.
“Whatever you say, father.” Julie’s reply came with a sigh and a slight roll of eyes, which was a behaviour her father thought she had gained from school, before leaping onto her floral designed bed. Her father was quite taken back by her sudden gesture of succumbing, but he felt convinced that he was able to sway his daughter from starting a life of rebellion. He wanted to believe that his daughter had grown up to be reasonable and resist the temptations of becoming reckless as she knew the terrible aftermath. The father gave a small nod to express his triumph and he hurriedly backed away from his girl’s room to leave her at peace. Unfortunately, he failed to notice that his girl’s left middle finger was wrapped around the forefinger behind her back, a sign which made her promise as valid as Zeus’ promise to Helena about not having any more affairs.
Moments after her father had left, Julie ambled to casement. The metal bars shielding the window were the only features that stopped Julie from feeling that her home was a complete prison. She tilted her head forward against the artic cold window, as she was searching for a familiar figure, only to find her patient friend slouching against his Audi. Julie slithered her left forefinger across the chilly window sill. Then, for a brief minute, as a flash of idea entered Julies mind. The corners of her lips curled up. The adolescent lifted her left gradually. She gripped the metal hook of liberty tightly. Julie pushed down and swung the window wide open. She had thrust her head forward to observe the distance of the ground. Freedom.
Julie raised her legs and crouched on the window ledge. She was about to leap when she felt her heart hammer against her ribs. New thoughts of doubt about her actions were accumulating in her mind: was she doing the right thing? Should she have just listened to her father? Julie squeezed her eyes tight as a way of blocking the qualms. As she had believed, it was time for her to rebel against her secure life. The teenager leaned forward, so that she could prepare for the pain, and took her leap.
Rory took a break from his constant head bobbing to watch in bewilderment as a petite body fell right in front of him. Julie pulled her self up and paused to let the jab of pain to fade. She gently moved the strands of dark face behind her ear and straightened her clothes before limping forward. The boy gazed into Julie’s auburn eyes in an awkward stillness and wondered how serious the girl was to experience what he thought was a good time. He had always thought of Julie as a robot; she was always doing her work and remained so courteous. He had offered her peek at an alternative life (his life) as a joke. She had accepted. Rory was awed by what had just happened and at that moment felt a little fear.
“Are we going to go or what?” Julie had sliced the eerie silence between them.
“Yes… Yes! Where should we go?”
“You’re the expert, surprise me.”
She was anxious at first; she did not know what to expect or if it was right to trust Rory. However, when they arrived at a club, Julie felt she was part of long lost community. The club may have been exceedingly dim and yet humid, but Julie had put aside the difficulty in breathing and vision because she felt welcomed into a society that she was already a part of. Julie was met with expressions of astonishment as faces from her daily life came up to her, but they were soon replaced with expressions of delight. She experienced disappointment as bitter liquor flowed through her throat with a nutty aftertaste. Beer was definitely overrated but it grew onto her. Her body was searing and her skin was damp with all the sweat that was caused from all the energy Julie used from dancing. She felt her ears and cheeks burn and the pungent smell of gasoline as her companion came closer after every song. The rhythmic music blasted louder every second while the faces of the dancers became hazier. Julie did not care that care that she was becoming exhausted or nauseous because she was more grateful that for once, she had felt like one of her fellow peers.
It was past midnight when Julie and Rory stumbled out. Julie started giggling to cover her hesitation from staying out too late. They both knew they had carried away but when Rory felt calm, Julie felt a mixture of adrenaline and fear. She had never stayed out that late and the feeling of guilt injected into her because her father would be worried. Julie tried to shuffle towards Rory’s car, but it was camouflaged with the coal-black night. She could also feel her knees becoming weak as her legs trembled. Why did she drink so much when she knew the side effects? Rory grabbed the girl as she started to tilt and dragged her into the automobile. He was prepared for those kinds of situation as he was experienced.
“Want to have a little more fun before our little adventure ends?” Rory gave a devious grin as he suggested to the intoxicated girl. It did not matter that Rory was drunk while he was driving to the two friends, all it mattered that the girl got home. Julie rested her face on her fist as she began to feel light headed. His hint annoyed her at first because it felt like his voice was bashing against her head, but then she took an awareness of what he said; she nodded her head in agreement. The more thrills they felt, the more Julie felt she had achieved.
“Let us end this night in a bang!” Rory flashed his teeth with a smile as he put more pressure on his feet. Julie’s hair began to flutter as the wind rushed in from the open windows. They both started to feel their heads throb as the car jump from the speed bumps. The roads and houses had started to zoom by at a faster speed. Julie could feel her stomach’s content pushing up as she felt the car vibrate against her body. The two teenagers’ eyelids were becoming heavier by the second. Julie gave a small smile as they passed a recognizable row of houses at sixty miles per hour before drifting off.
Rory’s mind became dazed as he identified a distant small figure, which was waving their arms hysterically, in the middle of the street. He tried to put pressure in his right foot to work the brakes but the car only seemed to be going faster. His arms were moving the steering wheel in all directions as he didn’t know what to do. The boy gave up and started to buckle his own belt he felt his body rammed forward. The car crashed into an undersized body that had rolled up the bonnet and collide into the front window. The revolting taste of iron and bitter entered his mouth. The last thing his memory contained was the image of an unconscious face similar to Julie’s cover with shards of glass. The bonnet and screen were drenched in fresh crimson blood. A ruined car was the least of Rory’s troubles as he heard the piercing sirens amplifying.
Her father’s death had resulted Julie to conceal herself in the hospital’s bathroom. She wanted to avoid the sympathy of the nurses because they boosted the guilt and sorrow that filled her soul. Julie wanted to be alone to prepare herself for the emptiness that was to follow. She clasped her hand tightly and questioned quietly why that was happening to her. For when she wanted to feel achievement and exhilaration, she filled with distress and loneliness. Her father did not deserve to be punished for her own insolence. She was mourning in her own place of escape and dreaded what was to happen when will step out. Julie has grasped the idea that actions come with consequences and was her responsibility her life does not get out of control. Regrettably, she learnt that lesson the hard way,
