To The Top Of A Cliff (Girls of Chicago Series #1)

Chapter 9

I was so excited to go out. Clifford is going to pick me up before noon and we’ll drive to Michigan like he said. I have packed everything I need. I have never been in a long drive but I am already looking forward to it.

I was wearing a simple white shirt, a pair of jean shorts and a pair of sneakers. It’s different from what I usually wear but I checked the internet last night and learned that it is a must to wear comfortable clothes during long drives.

I put on light makeup and wore my hair down. I smiled at my reflection on the mirror, contented of how I look. I grabbed my phone to check if Clifford already texted and he did.

Clifford:

I’ll be at your gate in 10.

I smiled and typed in a reply.

Me:

I’ll be waiting. Please drive safely.

I decided to wait for him in the garden so I got my duffel bag and went down. I am so excited about this. But above all, I am most excited to be with him overnight. I have missed him a lot during the time he was gone.

“Where are you going?”

I stopped on tracks when I heard Mom speak. I didn’t know she was still here. She said she was leaving for Hawaii last night with Sylvia Black. How come she’s still here?

I swallowed hard and looked at her. She’s sitting on the dining table with her favorite tea and a pile of folders in front of her. She’s staring at me with a raised brow. “Are you off to somewhere?” she asked again. “You have a huge bag with you.”

I pursed my lips and nodded. “I have an outing with friends,” I replied.

She smirked at me. “Friends?” she asked, almost mocking. “Or do you mean the soldier boy you’re seeing?”

My eyes widened in shock. “Are you spying on me?” I asked her. Never have I thought about the possibility of Mom spying at me. She’s always busy with her business and her social events. She was always busy making herself relevant. I wasn’t in her priorities and it’s the best thing for me.

She’s controlled my life a little too much already. I don’t want to be the center of her life.

She stood up and walked closer to me. “Is he the reason why you’re not visiting Sage often?” she asked, a little accusing.

I fought the urge to roll my eyes because I know that she’d only get mad and there is a possibility that she would tighten her control on my life. I don’t want that to happen.

“Sage doesn’t like me, Mom,” I told her. I don’t like him either. He’s not really my type. He’s too arrogant and rich for my liking.

Sure I love money and I want to have a comfortable life but if I had to be Sage’s wife then I’d rather be rat poor. I don’t want to be associated with him.

Mom narrowed her eyes on me. “And that’s because you are not doing what I have been telling you to do!”

I sighed and pursed my lips. “I can’t do that if it’s so obvious that he doesn’t like me. That’s degrading on my part,” I replied, the calmest way possible.

Mom looked at me with fuming eyes. Her lips are in a grim line. “And so, is that why you are going out with a mere soldier who can’t even buy you a designer bag?” she asked.

My chest constricted at what she just said. I already know that she doesn’t like who only earns the average because they cannot give her the luxury that she thinks she deserves. And she’s been telling me that since I was a kid—I need to look for a rich husband so I wouldn’t experience being poor.

Growing up, I thought that it is the easy way of living. I need to stay beautiful so rich men will flock to me. I need to be a woman of breeding because that would mean I will be able to attract men who are on the higher block of the pyramid.

But when I got to see the real world, when I have seen how rich men works and how they act, I already knew that I wasn’t attracted to money. It’s great to have money but most of the people who have lots of them have no compassion for others. All they think about is how they would reach the top. And when they do, they’d want to reach something even higher.

It’s a never-ending vicious cycle. I don’t want to be associated with men like that. I wanted to be treated like a real lady. I wanted to be loved.

I know there are aspects of me that are involved in extreme insecurity but I know that there is a man meant for me. I don’t have to deal with being treated like an object by a man with a lot of money.

“Haven’t I already told you, Julia? You should always aim for the highest. For now, Sage is the highest you can achieve. He’s rich and handsome. He’s a big boost in our company,” Mom said. “Sure, you can play with that soldier—”

“I am not playing with him, Mom.” I cut her off before she says something that would make me lose my respect for her. “He’s not someone I would play with. He’s…different.”

Mom narrowed her eyes at me and crossed her arms against her chest. “I don’t care what you do to him. I just don’t want Sage or Sylvia to know about this. You are going to marry Sage no matter what happens.” Her words were marked with finality before walking back to the table to have her tea.

I clenched my fists tightly and gritted my teeth before heading out with a heavy heart.

Sometimes, I wonder want it would feel like to be born with a different mother. I want to be born with a mother who would absolutely support me with my passion and with the person I want to be with. I want to have a mother who would not look at others’ social status.

Maybe that’s the reason why I don’t really have a lot of friends. Mom would never want me to be associated with people who she thinks are not on our level. I don’t even know what our level is. This company is not ours. It’s Heaven’s. I wonder if she has a plan on taking it back.

Maybe she would…in time.

I opened the gate and saw a red SUV in front. The window rolled and Clifford smiled at me widely. He opened the door and hopped out to get my bag to put it in the backseat.

He walked to me and held my hand. “Are you ready?” he asked me.

I smiled and nodded. Suddenly, all the anger I was feeling inside is gone. I can’t believe there’s only one person who would calm me.

***

“This is a different car,” I commented when we were already on our way to Michigan.

Clifford nodded. “SUVs are better for long drives. I borrowed Dad’s car,” he explained.

I smiled at his response. I am so jealous that he has someone to call Dad. I never really knew who my father is. To be honest, I am surprised that he’s close to his father. I have seen other men who are not.

“Is this okay with you?” he suddenly asked.

I looked at him. “Yeah, why are you asking?”

He shrugged. “I just thought maybe you were used to long drives with a top-down,” he replied with his eyes focused on the road.

I chuckled weakly. “This is my first long drive,” I confessed. “I don’t have any experience on this one so please feel free to introduce me to it.”

He looked at me brief and quick but I can see the confusion in his eyes. “This is your first time?” he asked me in disbelief.

I nodded. “I don’t really have friends,” I said with a shrug. “So, I don’t know how to it feels to have a road trip. I have only watched them on TV shows.”

Clifford was silent for a moment before I saw a booming smile on his lips. He seemed satisfied. He gave me a quick glance. “Well, then, I hope I give you the best road trip of your life,” he told me.

I smiled and giggled. “I hope so, too,” I replied excitedly.

Clifford blasted the speakers and rolled down the windows so we could feel the air. I even stuck out my hand and loved how it felt.

This was something I never dreamed of experiencing because truth be told, I don’t even know if I will ever meet someone who could take me on dates. That’s why I am so happy to have crossed paths with Clifford. Without him, I would still be pestered by Sage and his cousins.

The road trip was fine until I felt the urge to urinate. We decided to stop by a gasoline station so we could use the toilet and fill the tank.

I decided to visit the small convenience store in the gasoline station and buy us some snacks. We have been driving for two hours. Clifford said it would take us four hours before we could reach Detroit. And then we’ll see from there.

He’s got a list of some places to visit and I am excited to see them. He’s been telling me a lot about beaches and cliffs. I haven’t been to a cliff before. So this is another first for me.

“What are those?” he asked me when I came back with some snacks.

“Food,” I replied. “We haven’t seen any restaurant yet.”

He nodded and then got the paper bag I was holding. He looked into it and smiled. “You got us a lot of chips,” he told me.

I sighed. “I wanted to buy something healthy but it was only a small convenience store. I wish—”

I was stopped when he suddenly kissed me. My eyes widened, dumbfounded, while he smiled at me. “These chips are fine, baby. And don’t worry. We’ll eat something healthy when we pass by a good restaurant.”

I bit my lip and nodded.

He chuckled lowly and placed the chips in the backseat, beside our bags, before we got inside the car and continued with our drive.

Clifford was talking all throughout the drive and I love it. I didn’t really expect him to be a talkative one but I am happy that he’s been telling me a lot of stories about the place.

“Have you been to Detroit?” he asked me suddenly.

I nodded. “I went there when Mom had to be in a business convention. But I never really explored the city,” I replied.

“Well, then, now, you’ll see it for yourself,” he told me. “It has good beaches and a lot of relaxing places that only some locals now. Detroit isn’t really considered as a tourist magnet.”

I agreed. I have never really heard someone brag that they have been to Detroit compared to New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Miami.

“But there are a lot of places that you can only see in there,” he added.

I looked at him and saw admiration in his eyes. “Do you go to Michigan often?” I asked.

He nodded. “I love driving. I love searching for a spot that only I know about,” he replied. “I want to continue finding a spot where only I can build good memories.” He glanced at me. “I used to love driving alone. It helps me clear my head when I’m stressed at work. But now that I have you, I guess, I have something else to look forward to aside from seeing new places.”

I looked at him with a smile on my face. “Me, too,” I replied because I really want to create new memories with him. I want to have more memories with him.