Mars

“Amity! Is that really you?” Willow smiled, stepping closer to Amity.

“Wow, I can’t believe it’s you.” Amity said, moving towards Willow.

“It’s been what, seven years?”

“I-” she quickly counted out the numbers on her hands before continuing, “Yeah, seven years since we last got to talk. How are you? Didn’t your family move before high school ended? To some, country or whatever- it had plants.”

Willow laughed and placed a hand on Amity’s shoulder. “Yeah- My grandma decided to give me her old business when I graduated. She worked here with me, but she went to the family a while ago.”

“Man- how is she?”

“On the decline, but in her age, I’m just happy to still have her. Plus, the business is thriving and I know that makes her really happy.” Willow smiled.

“I can’t believe that, I always thought she’d work there until the end.” Amity chuckled.

“Well you haven’t seen her in the past few years. It’s good she’s resting.”

“Yeah…” they both went quiet.

“I- I guess I should get back to work. It was nice seeing you-” Willow said, her smile now dropped.

Amity nodded and turned off back onto her path.

“Wait- Amity!” Willow shouted less than a minute later.

Amity turned around to see Willow running over, something in hand. “Yes?”

“Here’s my new phone number, and the shop address. Come back around. I’d like to catch up.” Willow placed a paper into Amity’s hand and smiled. “I hope maybe we can make amends.”

Amity smiled and watched Willow run back, her heart racing as she placed the paper into her pocket. Perhaps if she survived the night, she would try again with Willow. After all, it was Amity who pulled them apart.

The walk stretched on and on, yet wasn’t long enough. Amity stepped one sore leg after the other, as she started up the stairs to the grand double doors, ready to hear the worst. Once at the top, she took a deep breath and opened the doors. The familiar scent of incense and lavender welcomed her as she stepped in, her eyes darting around for her parents. Once she saw all was clear, she started running through the hall and up the staircase to her room. Through the day, she planned this very situation. In every possibility, she needed a go bag, and fast. So she hastily grabbed anything important and irreplaceable and started shoveling that into her empty school bag. Clothes, charger, emotional support childhood item, hygiene supplies, all a check. Now it was time for the worst part. Telling her parents. Ruining her life for forever, moments away.

“Ah Amity. Are you finally joining us for dinner?” Odalia asked, her voice calm, with an undertone of what felt like sarcasm.

“I-” Amity felt the blood drain from her face as she stood in front of her mother. “I already ate.” That was a lie.

“Ah, then I will pack up your dinner in case you want it during classes tomorrow.” Odalia said, starting off towards the dining room and kitchen. “How are your classes anyways? I know your grades should be coming through soon.”

Amity paused, and quickly shuffled after her mother. “That- haha. Actually-”

“I hope you tell Professor Brown I say hello. You know, he was my professor when I went through and got my degree in psychology.”

“Mother- I dropped out.” Amity spat, her mom pausing, and not turning around.

“Hm. I guess that is to be expected. You were never the best child of mine.” Odalia said calmly, too calmly.

“Oh- well, is that, okay?” Amity asked, picking at her fingernails as she looked towards her mother, back still turned.

“I had expected this from you. Good for you, I had something to discuss at dinner. Now is as good of a time as any.” Odalia turned around and looked at Amity, her eyes serious. It sent a chill down Amity’s back. “There has been an opportunity provided to us by Mr. Belos to join our companies if, his nephew could take you as a wife.”

“I don’t want an arranged marriage!” Amity said abruptly. “This is the twenty-first century. Arranged marriages are a thing of the past.”

“You should consider my offer. I’ll make peace with a dropout for a daughter, but I will not let you disobey me.”

“Why should I care? I don’t want to marry some hand-washed rich boy who doesn’t know how to dress himself.”

“He’s a perfectly fine boy. You can’t be picky anyways. No boy would honestly want you, and with your standards, you won’t find a husband who meets your standards. At least this one will let you do whatever you want without your degree.” Odalia started to raise her voice, her calm and stern demeanor fading into anger.

“I. Don’t. Want. Him.” Amity shouted. “I don’t want any man!”

“You just haven’t settled for the right one. Just say yes.”

“I will never say yes. I will make my own choices. I am in my twenties, you can not make my decisions for me. You should just leave me alone.”

“That will not be allowed in my house, not if you are to continue taking my money. Not if you wish to get anything when your father and I pass on.” Odalia said, her brows furrowed, a vessel popping out of her forehead.

“It’s not like I was going to get shit from you anyways.”

“Watch your tongue young lady! You are not to say such words.” Odalia said, anger still bubbling up in her voice.

“I can say whatever I please. I am an adult- I- I don’t need you!” Amity shouted at her mother, all fear now replaced with every emotion she had held back from her mother.

“If you do not need me, then leave, and do not think of reaching back out when you falter as you always do.” Odalia said, now shouting back.

“Fine. You weren’t much of a mother anyways.” Amity said, one final blow before storming off to her room.

She grabbed her bag, locked her bedroom door, and sighed, looking at her room for one last moment. The bed in the corner, the large circle window, posters, and old school books. Twenty three years, and this was it. It really hadn’t dawned on her what it would mean if she ever truly had to run. It’s not like there really was a way to prepare for leaving everything behind. She always knew there would be one day she would leave and never go back. Still, there was a certain surrealism to it. Twenty three years of life, gone in a flash. So she whispered one final goodbye to her room before opening the large circle window and swinging her legs out for what would hopefully be the last time. Down the house she went, as fast as she could, to the only place she could think to go. The only person who would still take her in. Willow.

It didn’t take long for her to find her way back to the flower shop, her heart pounding heavy in her chest. What was she to say, what was she to do? She was appearing to her old friend’s house, in the middle of the night, looking for shelter. As she thought her situation couldn’t get more pathetic, she felt rain begin to pelt her from overhead. She took a deep breath and rung the bell. She watched through the glass windows as yellow lights flickered on and a silhouette started to appear and shuffle closer. The same kind, round face greeted Amity, with squinted eyes she opened the door, messy pigtail buns forcing her to wipe her eyes.

“Amity!” Willow said, as it clicked who she was looking at. “Come in.”

Amity shuffled in, Willow’s arm reaching and pulling her through the shop and up stairs until they reached what looked like an apartment door.

“What happened to you?” Willow asked, opening the door and immediately pushing Amity into a comfy chair.

“I uh… I ran away.” Amity said quietly.

“You still live with Odalia and your dad?” Willow asked over the sound of her putting water in a kettle and setting it on a stove.

“Yeah, they wanted me to until I graduated college.” Amity started picking at her fingernails again as she kept her head turned down, her usually perfect bun now loose and falling to the sides of her face.

“Oh, I’m sorry Amity. You’re welcome to stay with me. I have an extra bedroom you can use.”

Amity looked over to Willow and gave a weak smile. “You’ve always been so kind.”

“It’s just part of being a good person.” Willow said as she handed Amity a cup of tea, steam still rising from the cup.

Amity blew the hot liquid as she held it in her hands. “I wouldn’t know.”

Willow sat down in the chair next to her and sighed. “That was Odalia. She was, controlling. I think you probably have some good inside of you, just waiting to come out.” She shot Amity a comforting smile.

Amity sighed, holding back. “I don’t know. I could’ve said no.”

“That doesn’t mean you can’t change. You were reliant on Odalia, you were alone. Why don’t you give yourself a chance and work here. Get on your feet.”

Amity looked up at Willow, her eyes misty. “You- you’d do that for me? After all I did to you?”

Willow smiled softly and nodded. “You’re still my BFF. That’s forever.”

Amity set the cup down and reached to hug Willow. “Thank you, thank you.”