"No way," Gabby looked at me like a deer caught in headlights. Her eyebrows knitted in confusion as she tried to make sense of what she just heard. "No. This can't be happening."

I leaned back in my chair and smiled. Corinne exhaled, dropping her sandwich back down on her plate. She slid a sideways glance at Gabby. "Get a grip, Gab. You should try to be a little more supportive here."

Gabby bit the bottom of her lip, eyebrows still drawn together. "I'm sorry, Vienna. But I just don't see why you need to move to another state. I mean, you already have your own luxury apartment right here in Los Angeles."

"Yes, paid for by daddy." Corinne said, dipping her celery stick in a cup of ranch dressing.

"But it is her apartment." Gabby argued.

Corinne rolled her eyes. "You're missing the point, Gabriella."

I chuckled, shaking my head. Corinne and Gabby fighting like this reminded me of the good old days when they were always at each other's throats. They still do it, but they do come to a point where they reach some sort of an agreement.

Corinne shifted her amber colored eyes to me. "So, have you given this decision of yours a lot of thought?"

I leaned back against my seat and nodded as I sipped my espresso. Of course, I gave it a lot of thought. The day my father screamed his lungs out at me was the day I thought about moving to another state. To hell with it. I was done being tied up with my dad's rules. I was done being dissected with every little thing I do, and I'm completely done showing how perfect my life is to the whole world. There was never a day that my dad cared about my feelings.

Stop partying.

You look like a prostitute.

Act your age.

Why can't you be more like your sister?

Maybe if you go to confession, God will wash away your sins.

Are you taking your birth control pills?

Who the fuck says that? My dad, that's who. My life was like a rope that I was hanging on to desperately and it already came to a point of snapping. I came to a realization that I was the only one who could save myself from this misery, so why do I need to wait for that catastrophic moment when I can easily run away from this life?

Last night, while I was in the shower, I kept thinking about my decision about moving. I wasn't hesitant on leaving. I've thought about it and had already made up my mind after dad grounded me to a pulp that day I came back from the precinct. Facing a new chapter of my life sent me a feeling of satisfaction. I got really excited due to the fact that the life I have now will soon disappear.

Without wasting another minute, I went to work on my plan. I sat down on my desk and opened my laptop. Google was definitely the best place to find my next home. Hours went by and I figured that picking out the best spots to live in was harder than I thought. Gabby was right. Why would I move to another state? I've already moved out of my parents' home long time ago and I was independent when it comes to making my own money. But then again, my dad lived in the same city as me. We were bound to bump into each other and I wasn't going to risk that.

It was best to move away as far as possible. I crossed everything out on the list except for one. Colorado. I smile tugged on my lips as my mind drifted off to a memory from six years ago. I met a friend while the whole family were on vacation in Aspen. My ankle injury was the reason I met Nicola Demasi, a sweet Italian girl who was originally from New York. I learned that her family owned lots of properties in Aspen so that's where she lived since she was ten. Her dad was not a fan of the hustle and bustle of the big city, so they moved.

While my family went there every year, I stayed behind and focused on my social media presence. Vlogging started out as a hobby, but shortly turned into a toxic bubble. It made me a lot of money, so I ignored the toxicity that came along with it. Money is the root of all evil. Nicola never stopped communicating with me. I admired her docile personality. Gentle-natured and hospitable. She was definitely the opposite of my wild side. Aspen had a special place in my heart and that's where I wanted to be right now. Except I found out she moved to Colorado Springs to be near her uncle to help out with the family business.

"Colorado Springs?" Gabby and Corinne said in unison. They looked at each other and then shifted their eyes back to me.

"Yep," I nodded. "That's what I said. Do you guys have a problem with that?"

"Oh, not at all," Corinne reached over to pat my arm, her eyes twinkling with genuine reassurance. "Gabby and I will support you all the way, Vienna. We love you so much."

Gabby sighed. Her eyes were completely glued to her coffee mug. I could see her nose and ears turning red. When she finally looked up, she nodded, blinking her tears away. "I agree. I'm with you all the way, Vienna."

"There you go," Corinne clapped her hands with a huge smile on her face that almost reached her ears. "Now, don't hesitate to call us. Just let us know if you need help with moving and we'll be there."

"You know what, guys?" Gabby's eyes widened in excitement. I noticed the tears were no longer there. "I have a great idea."

Why do I have a feeling it won't be a great idea?

"Road trip," Gabby stood up. "We're coming with you."

"You mean, like, on vacay?" Corinne imitated that one girl's voice from the Legally Blonde movie and flipped her shoulder length caramel brown hair over her shoulder. Then her smile turned to a frown. "Uh, no."

"Gabby," I shook my head. "You guys are not coming with me. I'm going to do this all on my own."

Colorado Springs. I've never been there before. So far, Denver and Aspen were the only places I've been to in Colorado. I couldn't wait to see Nicola again. The last time I saw her in person, she was only sixteen, and that was six years ago. I've seen her pictures on Instagram and I couldn't even recognize her anymore. She grew into a fine young lady.

I saw a picture of her and her family in front of an Italian restaurant. I guess that was her uncle's business that she was talking about when we spoke on the phone a few days ago. Beside her was a guy who had his arm around her shoulder. He was tall, tanned, and drop dead gorgeous. His Italian features were to die for. One thing I'm sure about this guy is he wasn't Nicola's boyfriend. How do I know that? Well, she just posted a picture of her and her boyfriend not too long ago.

I smiled as I zoomed in on the guy's face. Ah, shit. There goes my heart. In two weeks, I'll be leaving California. Yes, I'm a little excited about it. Okay, maybe a little too excited. The excitement I felt consumed me to the point that I couldn't fall asleep just thinking about the new life that was waiting for me. At first, I doubted my choice. Then I figured that Colorado Springs might be the best place to start a new life. A new me. There will be hardships, but that's okay. It's my choice to begin with, so it's only fair to face it head-on.