At the age of eighteen Beth was set on joining the U.S. Army without hesitation. After all, her old sister Kelly did four years ago at the same age which who she admired and loved dearly despite them never seeing eye to eye most of the time.
Joining the Army and Air Force has always been a big deal in her family and was a continued cycle. Her great grandfather and granddad were in the Army, along with his twin brother in the Air Force; her father was in the Army- earned the Purple Heart just like his father. On her mother’s side, Beth’s uncle and aunt both joined the Air Force along with her older cousin Timothy, and then her sister with the Army. Beth wanted to be just like them- heroes. Fearless and selfless. She wanted to be someone who had courage with the heart to fight for their country, to be a part of a legacy.
The moment she graduated, she worked extra hard for the upcoming first training camp; both mentally and physically. This was the only thing she focused on, what she had been waiting for since she was eight years old. Her father helped push her to her limits, advising that she had to hold strength both in her body and heart for the new chapter in life that was about to come.
A week before having to leave for training, Beth’s future in the Army changed and everything else in her life as well. She pushed herself too much during weight lifting session- adding on more pounds on the metal bar to extend her limit causing a terrible shoulder sprain. Her injury required she need surgery for it. Which meant time would be taken out for her to heal.
Through doctor’s orders, it was best for Beth to not do training or continue until at least five months or more due to how much damage the right shoulder had endured.
Beth was devastated, and her father was disappointed that she costed her chance to join the Army. Even with her mother reassuring her it was alright to try again in a year in time- but Beth knew better, her shoulder would never work the same way again, she believed it all to be over.
It wasn’t the pity and sorrow responses from her whole family when she blew her chances that made her feel terrible, no, it was her father who made her feel she had failed.
And she knew she did, but never in her life had her father casted her aside and purposely shun her. Her father was her hero, and she was his angel, an angel ready to serve their country. This was planned for many years, and for it to fail… it broke both their hearts.
Physical therapy made her feel at her weakest. Beth’s mother Margaret was by her side from the time of her surgery and when she began healing again. And it’s not that Beth is ungrateful for her mother’s care and love but this was the last thing she wanted for herself. She has always wanted to be strong and this… this was showing her at her lowest.
Her spirit for her future was broken- she felt unworthy to try again. Stupid to think she could be like her older sister, father and the rest of her family.
She couldn’t take the foiled glances her father would give her whenever they’d hear from Kelly over the months that followed.
So one day after four and half months had passed since her nightmare began, she had enough.
Leaving a goodbye note for her parents one day while they were out having a late lunch date, Beth packed a few bags and left New York City.
Driving aimlessly with no plan or a single clue to where to start somewhere new, for the first time in months, Beth for once felt at ease and calm.
Of course she was going to see her family again, maybe not so soon but she would, she needed to figure out the next step toward her future. She knew it wasn’t going to come to her within a day; it would take time to decide.
For years she wanted to be in the Army and she had that constant pressure when she told the idea to her family at such a young age- it was set and stone for her after that. To be so prepared by the idea of you future for so long and for it to fall apart before that dream can happen… maybe it wasn’t meant to be, maybe there was something else out there for her that she never thought to give a chance. She just needed an escape, just a few weeks or months.
Thankfully, she had money saved from over the years for this adventure of hers. It was money saved for when she went away for boot camp though she didn’t want to spend it all. Maybe she’d get a temporary job once she figured out where she was going.
It took three rest stops for Beth to pick her destination- Dunkirk. Beth doesn’t know why she picked the small town although maybe it had to do with the fact it’s on the complete other side of the state and almost a seven hour drive away from home.
Speaking of home, missed calls from both her mom and dad have been blowing up her phone. Beth won’t change her mind, she’s going to do this.
She arrived in Chautauqua County by ten o’clock at night. She drove for twenty minutes until she reached a motel in the area. She booked four nights, which was two hundred dollars altogether. It was a lot of cheaper than spending one hundred a night at some hotel. She needed to save her money, plus she wasn’t squeamish about motels like most people were.
When Beth got inside, she was surprised that it looked a lot nicer in the inside then it did on the outside. She puts down her suitcases and bags by the white bed, which smells like lemons, and checks out the bathroom. She turns on the light and is shocked to see a pink vintage tub. It doesn’t look as dirty as a motel’s usual would, it’s decent, and she’ll just need to wear her flip flops when she showers to avoid toe fungus. She checks out the fridge and coffee maker; Beth’s impressed that they both work. She reads over information on the papers at the little desk that’s in the corner of the room and whistles lowly.
“Wow, wifi too? I think this place will do just fine,” she smiles to herself and starts taking out her toiletries and pajamas.
Minutes later Beth is ready for bed. Face washed and teeth cleaned, she turns off all the lights but leaves the lamp on to plug in her phone to charge. She reads all her mother’s text messages –and avoids her father’s- then decides to put their minds at rest with a text message.
Beth to Mom:
Mom, I’m safe and checked into a hotel. I made it to where I wanted to be, please tell dad too. I promise, when I figure out what I need and want for myself I’ll come home. Please give me time... I love you both, talk to you soon.
So Beth might have lied about staying at a hotel but she knows if she even mentioned the word ‘motel’ to her mother she’ll lose it. Placing her phone on the night stand, she reaches to turn off her lamp and is surrounded by darkness; the only sound in the room is the loud air conditioner blowing at her back by the window. She sighs tiredly and closes her eyes.
The next morning would be a new day and possibly a good one at that.
Maybe Dunkirk could be the fresh start Beth has been wishing for.
RULES: Make your own aesthetic based on your personality and interests using only images on your device. You cannot browse or download images before you do this.
Well, I love Niall very much and Starring Night is possibly my favorite work of art ever.
I tag @noregretsfoolsgold (bc i love your moodboards) @narold @niallnit @craicthatniall @wantniallie @undertheniall
Ok but am I the only one who really wants to go to a concert with Niall? Like I want to see him in his happy place and just sing and dance like nobody's watching (even though somebody's possibly recording) and have a good time with him? If there was a contest on spending the day with Niall that's what I'd want. To go to a concert with him and just have a good time. What would you want to do if you got to spend a day with Niall? p.s. hope the rest of your day is lovely! :)
noooo i wanna go to concerts with niall too!! whenever he’s been to a concert he’s always so appreciative and supportive of them on twitter or whatever it’s litearlly the sweetest thing, niall’d be so much fun when going to a concert i think, he’d probably be the happiest person there! i think i’d just chill around, talk a lot, eat ice cream, maybe he can golf a little in front of me, maybe we can cook together, i don’t know tbh, but whatever it’d be it’d probably be soooooo nice omg imagine if we just really could! and thank you, the day is almost over anywawy so hopefully tomorrow will be better.
