Chapter 5 Frustrating

"Lily, you're not going anywhere, there's nothing fun out there!" Mum shouted from the doorway, her voice sharp like a knife cutting through my chest.

I froze, my hands gripping the edge of my study table. "What? Mom everyone is going! Why am I the only one being stopped? Even Kathryn is going to the party. Why are you always different when it comes to me?"

She folded her arms, her eyes narrowing. "Lily, I said no. You are still new in this town, and you can't go out at night especially not to some party filled with strangers. I don't want to discuss this any further."

My heart thumped fast. "But Mom! Why are you treating me like a kid? I'll be eighteen this year. I'm not a baby anymore. I'm an adult, for crying out loud! Please, just treat me like one for once. I'm tired of being caged, tired of being told what I can and can't do. I know how to take care of myself, and I'm not going alone,I'm going with my friend Linda."

Her expression softened for a second, then hardened again. "Lily, it's late. Go to bed. I'm not discussing this anymore. Good night."

"Mom, please-"

Before I could finish, she turned around and slammed the door. The sound echoed in my chest. I could hear her footsteps fading down the hall, heavy and final.

Silence swallowed the room.

Cutie tilted her head from her bed by the window. She wagged her tail softly and padded toward me, sensing my mood. I bent down, scooped her into my arms, and held her close. Her fur was warm against my cheek, and I let the tears I'd been holding back finally fall.

"I'm tired of being treated this way, Cutie," I whispered. "I just want to live my life freely. I always do what Mom wants. I study, I clean, I keep to myself. But for once just once I want her to listen to me."

Cutie licked my fingers, and that tiny gesture broke something inside me. I wiped my tears quickly, but the ache stayed.

"There's nothing wrong with going to a party," I muttered to myself. "Everyone's going. And now Linda expects me to show up I even promised her. I can't just back out. She'll be disappointed."

I was lost in my thoughts when my phone buzzed on the bed. It was a WhatsApp notification from the Psychology Department group.

"How are you guys preparing for the party this weekend?" one of them wrote.

The message already had over forty likes. No replies, of course. Only the admins could talk in the group. And guess who were the admins? Kathryn, Jessica, Mirabel, and Annabel..the self-proclaimed queens of campus. They made themselves admins so they could talk however they wanted while everyone else just watched silently.

Then a voice note dropped. Kathryn's voice.

"Please, please, please during the party, I don't want anyone going near the BOLD. If I see you anywhere close to them, I'll cut off your legs."

Seconds later, Annabel's voice followed, snarky and sharp: "Not just the legs, I'll cut off your heads if you touch our men."

Laughter burst in the background..Mirabel's laughter, loud and fake.

I hissed and threw my phone on the bed. "Pathetic," I muttered.

Those girls loved attention, loved to dominate everyone, especially Kathryn. At home, she acts like a saint in front of my stepdad. But in school? She's a whole different person the bully, the gossip, the one who walks around like she owns the air we breathe.

We've been having small quarrels every day. Nothing big enough to explode, but enough to make me avoid her. She doesn't know yet, but the day her cup finally overflows, I'll pour her the hot content of her tea right back at her. I've been patient only because I don't want to cause problems between Mum and my stepdad. But patience has its limit.

My phone started ringing. It was Linda.

I sniffed and answered, trying to sound normal. "Hey baby girl."

"Hey, Lily. How are you doing? Hope you're not asleep because I'm pissed off right now," she said, her voice sharp but playful.

"No, I'm awake," I said, forcing a laugh. "And I already know what you're about to say,you don't even have to start. It obviously about the WhatsApp message the DIVAS sent"

Linda laughed loudly. "What did you take tonight? You sound too excited for someone whose mum just locked her up."

"I'm drunk, Linda. I took frustration vodka and I'm high on it right now. I think it's 90% bitterness and 10% tears."

Linda burst into laughter. "Oh my God, you're crazy. Is there even such a thing as frustration vodka?"

"There is tonight," I said, chuckling softly, then sighing. "It's Mom. She refused to let me go to the party. I tried convincing her told her Kathryn is going but she didn't care. I'm not a child anymore, Linda. I know how to differentiate rights from wrongs. I just want her to trust me for once. I even told her if it gets late, I could come crash at your place, but she wouldn't listen. She just said no. I'm exhausted."

"Calm down, Lily," Linda said gently. "Have you tried talking to your dad? He might convince her."

"That's not an option," I said quickly. "Mum's already decided. And I overheard Kathryn and my stepdad talking on the staircase earlier he said she's not allowed to go either. But we both know that girl will still sneak out. Kathryn missing a party? Never. Especially one where the BOLD will be there."

Linda groaned dramatically. "Oh please, you don't need to say that twice. Kathryn is the queen of parties. She'd rather die than miss one, especially with those BOLD guys attending. I'm sure she's already planning her escape route."

I nodded even though she couldn't see me. "Exactly. And I also Mum said Dad would be traveling for a business trip this week, so he won't even be around during the weekend. That means Kathryn can sneak in and out freely without getting caught."

Linda was quiet for a moment. Then her tone changed playful, but calculated. "Lily... I have a plan. A very smart plan. And if we play it right, you'll be at that party before anyone knows it."

My heart skipped. "Spill it, girl! Don't keep me hanging like that."

She laughed softly. "Calm down, impatient soul. We'll talk tomorrow at school. I want to see your face when I tell you. You're going to love this."

"Ugh, you're so wicked," I said, smiling for the first time that night. "You better not be bluffing."

"Would I ever bluff with my best girl? Trust me, Lily. You're going to that party cause we both know I can't go alone,I'm scared when I do things alone. Even if I have to sneak you out myself I will make sure we go together."

We both laughed, but somewhere deep inside, I knew she meant everything she said and things were about to get messy.

As I hung up and lay on my bed, the sound of the night filled the silence. After a moment, I got up and walked to the balcony, hoping the cool air would clear my head. The moonlight spread across the yard, soft and pale, making the trees look almost silver. The air was calm, a little chilly, and for a second, it actually helped me breathe easier.

I leaned on the rail and stared out at the quiet street. Everything seemed peaceful the kind of peace that feels fake, like something's waiting to break it.I just wanted a moment to feel free.

Then I saw it...A WOLF

At first, I thought I imagined it a shadow moving near the edge of the yard. I blinked and looked again, squinting into the dark. That's when I saw it clearly a shape, low and still, with eyes shining faintly under the streetlight.

My heart skipped. It looked like a wolf.

No..not just any wolf. The same one I'd seen a few weeks ago.

For a second, we just stared at each other. I didn't even breathe. Then, before I could say or do anything, it turned and ran off into the darkness, disappearing between the trees.

I stood there frozen, gripping the balcony rail so tight my knuckles turned white. My heart was pounding in my ears. That couldn't be real... right?

Just then, I heard a soft howl behind me. Low and strange not quite loud, but it made the hairs on my skin stand. I turned quickly, my pulse racing.

Cutie was standing right behind me, her little body stiff, her eyes fixed on the same spot where the wolf had just disappeared.

"Cutie?" I whispered.

She didn't move. Her ears were straight up, her tail low, and her breathing shallow. For a second, I could swear it was her that made that sound... but that wasn't a dog's sound. Not at all.

A cold shiver ran down my spine.

I stepped back into my room slowly, my eyes still on her. She followed me inside, still tense, and I quickly shut the balcony door, locking it tight.

My heart wouldn't stop racing.