Page 23 (1/1)

1

Gracie

There’s not really a bad part of town in Whiskey Run, but there are parts of town thatto The Distillery is one of theo there I’h to drink so ould be the point? But the other places I’ve been forbidden to go are on the other side of town around the Whiskey Whistler Bar There are a bunch of businesses—a pawn shop, a liquor store, a tattoo shop, a bar—and my father has instilled in my brain that I have no reason to be “on that side” of town And I’ve listened to him I always listen to him I always do exactly what I’m told But not today

I turned eighteen today I’ve had all these dreams for when this day would come I would finally be free I could live my life the way I want to instead of howhe’s asked of raduated with a four point five I was valedictorian I joined the clubs he wanted me to join Hell, I hated French club, but I joined it because that’s what he wanted h he’s my father, I also know he’s an evil ed, and there’s no reaching his his way or else you face the wrath of Brandon Franklin also known as the mayor of Whiskey Run

I take a deep breath as I walk down the cobbled sidewalk I’ my best not to draw attention to myself, but I can feel all the eyes on me Some of them probably knoho I am, but most of them don’t My father has ht, and at least for that I’m thankful

I reach into my purse and wrap my hand around the tiny sketchbook in there That has beenexcept school or school-sponsored events, I started drawing My father didn’t approve, and since the first ti in two, I haven’t shown him another piece of work

But today I have to do so I have to

I thought for sure when I turned eighteen I could do what I want That’s what I’ve been holding out for I was accepted to the University of Berkeley all the way on the other side of the country It’s far but I still worried it wouldn’t be far enough And then my father dropped his bombshell on me today He had written the university and declined the full scholarship I had been offered I called theive me the scholarship back, but I was told that they had already offered it to someone else In one afternoon, ave e, the local coe where I would be able to stay at home and commute back and forth to school In that instant, I wanted to die I didn’t want to spend one more day in his house with him

I waited until he’d left for his weekly town , stuffed my sketchbook into my purse, and walked out of the house I know I need a way out, and I’h to think I can leave without any et very far with the GPS tracker he has hidden onalleys and backstreets to get me to the other side of town I don’t stop until I’e Ink

The sign is yelloith black lettering that looks like graffiti I liftin front ofmy mind, because it’s already been made up I want thisno, I need this Thisto be my very first taste of freedom

Aiden

I look around the shop, and just like every other time I do, a sense of pride hits me in the chest I worked hard to open this shop, and finally after five years, I have the building alnizepaycheck to paycheck are over Of course I never had to really My fa to helptrust fund, but I’ve never wanted to use it I wanted to do this all on ht-after tattoo artist, and I definitely don’t take it for granted My client that just left caet his tattoo Jasper isn’t all that far away just thirty to forty-five minutes, but there are three really well-known tattoo shops there, and I can’t help but feel a little pride in knowing he ca down the street from his house