Episode: 5Episodes: 25
Avery arrives home with her suitcase. Mrs. Ross criticizes her for coming back over what she assumes is a small dispute, fretting about neighborhood gossip. Avery shows her parents her uneven hair and describes what happened on stage. She explains how Caleb held her down so Bailey could snip her hair while he laughed. Her parents weep in shock. Avery declares she has already dropped out and heads to her bedroom.
Avery pulls her suitcase into the foyer. Mrs. Ross immediately confronts her for leaving college over what she considers a minor misunderstanding. She scolds Avery and frets about what the neighbors and the Bennett family will think of her return.
Avery motions toward her unevenly chopped locks. She discloses that during the welcome show, Caleb physically pinned her down so Bailey could snip away her hair. She notes Caleb laughed harder than anyone. Her stunned parents cry upon hearing the truth.
Avery stands her ground in the living room and refuses to return to school. She states plainly that her withdrawal paperwork is already finalized. She tells her mother and father that she came home only to inform them, not to seek approval.
Avery pulls her luggage down the hallway and steps into her bedroom. She shuts the door firmly behind her, shutting out every outside voice. Alone in her room, she resolves that she will take complete charge of her own future.
“Running home over something this small, talking about dropping out—what are the neighbors going to think? What are the Bennetts going to think of you?”
“Dad, Mom. Look at my hair. Really look at it. I didn't cut this. No salon cut this.”
“I didn't come home to ask your permission. I came home to tell you.”
“From now on, nobody runs my life but me.”
Avery shuts her bedroom door, cutting off the rest of the house and standing alone in quiet resolve. She has officially severed ties with the university and ended years of living for others. How will her parents handle the truth about Caleb, and what will Caleb do when he discovers Avery is truly done with him?