Page 37 of Shattered Melodies

And that was it. That was the last straw, the final nail in the coffin of my already strained relationship with my parents.

“Selfish?” I spat, my voice dripping with venom. “You want to talk about selfish, Mom? How about the way you and Dad have controlled every aspect of my life since I was born, how you’ve never once asked me what I wanted or needed? How about the way you’ve used guilt and manipulation to keep me in line, to make me into your perfect little robot?”

I was breathing hard now, my heart pounding and my vision blurring with tears. But I couldn’t stop, couldn’t hold back the flood of emotion that had been building for so long.

“I’m done, Mom. I’m done being your puppet, done living a life that makes me miserable. I’m going to find my own way, going to chase my own dreams. And if that makes me selfish in your eyes then so be it.”

And with that, I hung up the phone, my hands shaking and my chest heaving. I stood there for a long moment, staring at the blank screen and trying to catch my breath.

I felt a hand on my shoulder, felt the warmth and the strength of Jimmy’s presence beside me. “You okay, man?”

I let out a shuddering sigh, running a hand through my hair. “No. But I will be. I have to be.”

He nodded, his expression serious. “I know it’s not easy, standing up to your folks like that. But you did the right thing, Liam. You gotta do what’s right for you, even if it’s hard.”

We finished packing in silence, the air heavy with unspoken emotion. As we carried the last suitcase out to the car, Jimmy turned to me, his expression softening.

“Take care of yourself out there, okay? And call me if you need anything, anything at all. I’m just a phone call away.”

I felt a rush of gratitude, a swell of affection for this man who had always been there for me, even when I didn’t deserve it. I pulled him into a tight hug, my eyes stinging with unshed tears.

“I will, Jimmy. I promise. And thank you, for everything. For being my friend, my rock. I couldn’t have done this without you.”

He hugged me back, his voice gruff with emotion. “Anytime, man. Anytime.”

We pulled apart, and I climbed into the car, my heart pounding and my mind racing. As I started the engine and pulled out onto the road, I saw Jimmy in the rearview mirror, his hand raised in a final goodbye.

As I drove down the highway, the miles flying by and the sun sinking lower in the sky, I felt a strange mix of emotions churning in my gut. There was fear, of course, and uncertainty. I was heading into uncharted territory, both literally and figuratively, and I had no idea what lay ahead.

But there was also excitement, anticipation. A sense of freedom and possibility that I hadn’t felt in years, maybe ever.

Because for the first time in my life, I was doing something for me. Not for my parents, not for the company, not for anyone else’s expectations or desires.

Just for me. For Liam.

And god, it felt good. Felt right, in a way that nothing else ever had.

As the concrete jungle of New York gave way to rolling hills and lush, green forests, I felt a sense of déjà vu wash over me. I had driven this route countless times as a kid, had spent summers exploring these woods and swimming in these lakes.

But it all felt different now, felt strange and surreal and almost dreamlike. Like I was seeing it all through new eyes, through the lens of the man I had become rather than the boy I had been.

I wondered what that boy would think of me now, if he could see the choices I had made and the life I had built. Would he be proud? Disappointed? Would he even recognize the person I had become?

I shook my head, trying to banish the thoughts. It didn’t matter what that boy would think, didn’t matter what anyone else thought.

All that mattered was what I thought, what I felt. And right now, in this moment.

I felt alive. Felt free, in a way that I hadn’t in longer than I could remember.

As the sun dipped below the horizon and the stars began to twinkle in the inky sky, I saw the familiar arch looming ahead, the one that marked the entrance to Oakwood.

My heart skipped a beat, my palms going damp on the steering wheel. This was it. The moment of truth, the point of no return.

I took a deep breath, steeling myself. And then I drove on, passing under the arch and into the town that held so many memories, so many ghosts.

It was late, the streets empty and still. The only sound was the hum of my engine and the crunch of gravel beneath my tires.

I navigated the winding roads by muscle memory, my body remembering the turns and the landmarks even as my mind tried to forget. And then, suddenly, I was there. Parked in front of the house that had once been my home, the house that held so much pain and so much promise.

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