The Decision

Hannah left her home on her 18th birthday. She knew it was a silly decision and living all by herself was going to be tough but she wanted to build a life from the scratch and breathe free. She rented an old musty room in the nearby town and moved into it two days after she turned 18. She longed to turn this musty old room into a home as the one she had left behind.

As she unpacked and tried to settle into her new life, memories flashed before her eyes. Reminding her of when she had made this decision startling not only her parents and brothers but herself.

She had always dreamed of being independent, having something to call her own, being born into a family of seven with five older brothers ahead of her had seem to put mud on her dreams.

She loved her family, her mother with eyes and smile that would turn the darkest tunnel bright, her father who loved each and every member of his family and would do anything to protect them.

Her brothers who love her unconditionally, dotting upon her as she was the last in the family tree.

All the attention was the reason why Hannah who was 18 was yet to have her first kiss.

After congratulating her best friend Alice who was the same age as Hannah on her second child, Hannah decided then that she wanted more for herself.

She knew she would never get it at home, and that was why after lunch on her birthday, she had made the startling announcement, driving her mother to tears and causing Harry her immediate elder brother to walk out of the dining room...

Brought back from her flashback, Hannah shook her head as she recalls the events that unfolded thereafter. She opened her purse, and counted the pennies she had left. She almost cursed her decision not to collect a dime from her family, biting her lips she shook her head again. 'I made the right choice' she chanted in her head. Looking at the money in her hands, she decided she had to get a job by tomorrow but for now she must feed her belly.

After securing the lock on her door, she walked into the bustling street looking for where she could eat.

People were going about their daily work and Hannah was overwhelmed by the noises and everything going on round about her. For she had grown in an integrated part of the state. Her friends always did call her Rapunzel locked away in her tower from the world, 'real world' her friends would call it. For her family had been her world.

She paused as she noticed a lady wave at her beckoning to her to come. Looking around and unsure of what to do next Hannah took an

hesitant step forward to the lady.

'Hi' the lady greeted. 'Are you new here?' Hannah

nodded in response.

'My name is Sally and I own the bar down the

road, I'm a week old here so I guess I could pass

as new too...' she paused when she heard the

rumble from Hannah's stomach. Hannah blushed

pink when she heard it too.

'Forgive my manners, you must have been

looking for where to eat before I hijacked your

attention' Sally then dragged Hannah by her

hand into another shop,

'they serve amazing hot white bread with

chocolate custard here' she turned to look at

Hannah and asked 'you will have that right?'

Hannah nodded yes but then frowned as she

checked in her purse.

Sally noticed her gesture and grasped her hand saying, 'do not worry about the bills. I'll pay. Take it as a welcome gift from me' Hannah was about to reject the offer when Sally turned to the waitress

'two servings of white buttered bread with

chocolate custard for myself and...I didn't get

your name' Sally asked

'Hannah, and you don't have...' Sally cutting

Hannah off turned back to the waitress and said

'myself and my friend Hannah, tab's on me, we'll

be waiting' then she marched off to sit down

leaving Hannah to follow suit.

'Sally...uhm thank you for the meal?' she said

almost like a question which cause Sally to burst

out laughing.

'its ok. So are you here to study?'

'Yes but not immediately, I will need to get a job

first'

Hannah replied

'that's great, you're in luck. You know I told you

I run a ban I need a waitress presently have a

waiter but he is not enough as the numbers of

customers keep increasing. Would you like to

apply?' Sally said looking at Hannah hopefully.

Hannah pondered for a while

'thanks for the offer but I have never worked as

one before and have zero experience, I barely

know what a bar looks like and whatever I do

now it's something I would want to blend into my

schedule when I start school. Won't want to stop

working when I start school.'

'that's not a problem at all. When it comes to

experience, Adrian my waiter will be happy to

put you through and I'll be there to guide you too.

Also, by the time you start your school I'm sure

I'd have had enough hands so you can take the

weekend shifts and the pay won't change'

A waiter brings their order interrupting their conversation, 'thank you' Hannah said to the waiter and then turned to Sally who was already taking a bite from her bread, 'this all sounds great, can I think about it?' Hannah asks. Sally ponders for a while then nods. 'Yes you do that. I'll pen down my address for you. Come see me tomorrow, whatever your decision may be, I think we'd make not only good work partners but great friends. We are open from 07:00 till 21:00. So come at anytime in between that. For now eat your meal and I shall await your decision Hannah. It was a pleasure meeting you.' Hannah frowns as Sally stands up to leave and is shocked when she looks at her plate and notice that Sally had finished her meal. 'When did she eat all of that' she thought to herself. She looks back at Sally's retreating figure and sighs knowing already her decision.

Pushing all that away from her mind, she

focuses on her meal.

After her meal she leaves the shop and sees

a place to buy warm milk which she does and

carries on to her new home. From outside she

stares at her window dark as night is the inside,

the thought of going in there to sleep alone

makes her shudder. She missed the comfort

of home, the early morning aroma from her

mother's freshly baked bread, late night kisses

from her father wishing her a sweet night rest.

She snapped out of it, it was her choice to leave,

her decision and she she wasn't about to start

regretting it. Tucking her hands into her coat, she

moves to unlock her door. Getting swallowed

by the darkness of her room, she hoped that

tomorrow will be brighter than this.