Nonsense

mistymidnight

Author's Notes: Wow, I didn't update for four months! I didn't realize it had been that long. Oh, well, forgive me?

Just as a point of interest (ha!), I thought I'd tell you that Jell-O really does taste better in liquid form. But now I don't eat Jell-O, because I am opposed to it in oh so many ways...but I still kinda miss drinking it. (Yes, drinking it.)

Chapter 19

"What's that?"

Tara looked up from the envelope she was holding. "A letter."

Donny rolled his eyes. "I know that," he replied. "Who's it from?"

"UC Sunnydale."

"Another college?"

"Yes."

"Might as well throw it away."

Tara looked up. "Why?"

Donny gave her a look. "Dad will never let you go."

"I can get a scholarship."

Donny walked past her to the kitchen. "That's not the point, Tara. You know you're...different...than most people. And besides, you have to stay here. Someone has to work around the house. I mean, we lost Mom. Dad won't want to let you go, too."

"Well," Tara said quietly, "that's selfish."

"Doesn't matter," Donny remarked. "Dad will make you do like he tells you to. That's the way it works."

Tara didn't answer.

Her mind was made up. She was going to apply.

Ever since her mother had died, she'd been looking at things a little differently. Sure, Dad didn't want her to go to college, and Donny might say he only wanted the best for her, but Tara had her doubts about that. After all, if Dad had wanted the best for his family, he would have stopped smoking. And he would have let Tara and her mother go on vacation together without having to hide it. And...the list went on.

Tara didn't want to be stuck here for the rest of her life, cooking and cleaning and taking care of Dad and Donny. Let Beth take care of that. Tara was going to go to college.

Sunnydale, California, 1999

Tara hung the last string of lights over the door in her dorm room. She was living alone (by chance, not by choice), and she was going to make these four years the best of her life. She was going to finish college, she was going to buy her own place, and she was going to live happily ever after. Mom would be proud.

That had been the hardest part of going away-leaving Mom. In high school, Tara would visit her mother's grave at least once a week, just to tell her what was going on in Tara's life. When she had gotten accepted to UC Sunnydale, Tara had had a long talk with her mother. Dad had been furious, and Donny and Beth were peeved as well, but Tara would not back down. She wanted this more than anything.

Briefly, she wondered what everyone at home was doing. Was Beth still dating the same guy? Was Donny dating anyone? What was Dad doing? She pushed those thoughts into the back of her mind. Today, it wasn't about Dad or Donny or Beth.

Today was all about Tara.

It was time to start living.

Not my best by far, but it's an update.

mistymidnight