Annabelle and Simone had had a long conversation during the night about Simone’s future at the school and she had finally admitted to Annabelle that the school had been the place where she hidden from herself and who she was, and that with the arrival of Annabelle had come her enlightenment and her release.

The time had come for her to face herself and her future away from the school.

Annabelle returning from Mass sees Simone being led away by the authorities who she recognizes as her mothers security officers. She tries to stop them but without any luck. As they turn away from her she gives Simone her prayer beads. Simone smiles at her and says “You will always know where to find me, for as long as the love remains in your heart Annabelle, you will know where to find me. It will be okay in the end, everything will be okay.”

Annabelle watches them drive off and turns to go back to the dorm, passing Simone’s room on the way. She stops and enters, looks around the room remembering the times she had been in here to see Simone and looks at the pictures Simone had taken of her, remembering the times she had tried to get Simone to give in to her passions and how Simone had always been strong enough to resist. Remembering the reasons why Simone would not give in.

It is then that Annabelle realizes that in resisting her for so long Simone had opened the door to a possible future for them. Seeing Simone’s car keys on a table by the door she grabs them, rushes to the car and drives off.

Simone sits in the back of the limousine fingering the prayer beads, contemplating the consequences of her loving Annabelle. She knew that regardless of what they were, loving Annabelle was the best thing that had happened to her, that she had been Simone’s salvation and she smiles at the memories of Annabelle, at the beach, in her home, Annabelle’s constant smoking, the tenderness towards Collins and Annabelle’s beauty which had finally been revealed to her the night before.

“What the f…!” The security agent driving is looking at something in the rear view mirror. Simone turns to see what is going on and sees that it is Annabelle chasing them in her car. She tells the security agents it is her car that Annabelle is driving.

Afraid that Annabelle may have an accident which would not make the Senator happy he slows down and stops.

Annabelle passes and comes to a slewing stop several meters ahead of them. She comes running down the road, crying and laughing and yelling to Simone…

“I’m 18, I’m 18… I’ve been 18 for weeks!”

“I do know where to find you Simone.”

“I WILL find you.”

“You hold on to those beads because I am coming to fetch them soon.”

The security agents and Simone drive off. Annabelle watches them until they round a bend, with a laugh she goes to Simone’s car and drives back to the school.

Simone still fingering the beads lowers the limousine window and pensively watches the passing landscape. Then finally, Simone smiles a wide wonderful smile because she knows, “It really is going to be okay” and raises the window.

~ The End ~