Beth-
I sighed and looked around my room, trying to think of what else I needed to take with me.
Mama, Daddy, Uncle Rick, and Daryl would be movin' me into my apartment in a few days and I still wasn't finished packin'. I have all of my necessities in boxes but I don't have much of anything else packed.
"Oh, my sweet girl," Mama said quietly.
I turned to look at her and she smiled.
"I can't believe it's almost time," she said as she moved closer to me. "My baby girl is goin' off to college and before I know it you'll be graduating, falling in love and getting married, and then my baby will be having babies of her own."
I tried to smile back at Mama but she had tears in her eyes and I could feel my own tears slippin' down my cheeks.
She hugged me tightly but quickly pulled away and wiped her eyes.
"Now is not the time for crying or saying goodbye, we still have a few days." She took a deep breath and smiled again. "Besides, we already have guests downstairs and it's impolite to keep them waiting."
I smiled and nodded. "Yes ma'am."
Rick-
It's been weeks since I found out about Lori and Shane but considerin' I still haven't told Hershel and Annette about it, I shouldn't have been surprised that they invited both Shane and Lori to Beth's party.
Shane was keepin' his distance from Lori and not payin' any attention to her.
Lori kept her distance from him as well but she looked nervous every time he got close to me. I'm guessin' from the look on her face that she hasn't told him I know about what they did.
When Beth and Annette came downstairs, I hurried over to them and scooped Beth up in a hug.
She smiled and wiped some tears off of her face.
"I can't believe little Bethie is leavin' for college," I said to her and Annette.
Annette smiled and put her hand on Beth's shoulder.
"I can't believe it either but I'm so proud of her. We all are," she said.
Beth-
After talkin' to Uncle Rick, I made sure I went around and talked to everyone, including Shane and Lori.
I will be leavin' in a few days and had decided to just let go of everythin' that had happened so I didn't have to carry that baggage with me. I didn't care if Lori had forgiven me for spillin' her secret to Uncle Rick or that Shane still didn't seem to understand what I meant when I told him we were over for good and that he needed to leave me alone.
After all, I was done. I couldn't take it anymore and though sneakin' around had been fun for a while, I didn't want to live that way.
A lot of how I was feelin' was, in part, because of Merle Dixon. He had managed to talk some sense into me.
Shane leavin' bruises on on my arms and hips may have been accidental but the force he had used wasn't.
So, I smiled and was polite to everyone. I thanked them all and gave out hugs when they congratulated me.
A Few Days Later...
Beth-
I felt someone flop down on my bed and then pull the covers off of me but I didn't move or open my eyes.
This was the last morning I would be waking up at home and I didn't want it to end. I wanted to lay there as long as I could so I kept my eyes closed.
"Come on, Bethie. I know you're awake."
My eyes popped open and I sat up as fast as I could.
"Maggie!" I squealed and threw my arms around her. "When did you get here?"
She hugged me back and smiled. "I got in last night but you were already in bed and daddy said not to wake you up."
"You should have anyway but I'm so glad you're here now."
"I wouldn't miss it for the world, Bethie."
Four hours later we were pulling up in front of the apartment building and everyone started grabbing bags and boxes, carrying them up the two flights of stairs to my new home.
When Mama, Maggie, and I stepped inside the apartment we set down our bags and Mama sighed as she looked around.
"Well girls, I think we should leave the men to set up the furniture while we go to the store and get you some groceries, Bethie. I don't want to leave here until I know you kitchen is well stocked."
"Yes, Mama," I smiled.
I was glad Mama wanted to go to the store 'cause Lord knows once school starts I probably won't have time to do it myself.
Daddy, Uncle Rick, Shawn, and Daryl sat down their boxes and Mama told them where we were goin'.
"We should have all of your furniture set up by the time you get back," Daddy announced as he looked around. "But before we leave, I want you to let us know if you want any of it moved around."
When we got back to the apartment and all of the groceries were put away, everyone hugged me and we said our goodbyes.
Maggie held on tighter than even Mama had when she hugged me but she didn't cry like Mama did. Instead, she pulled back and smiled at me.
"I left you a gift on your bed," she whispered.
"What is it?"
"You'll have to open it to find out," she grinned and hugged me again.
After they had all left, I started unpackin' the boxes that were left.
It wasn't a lot, just my clothes, everythin' else had been unpacked before my family left and for that I was grateful