Price Tags On Everything, Even Me

Synopsis

Everything in my house had a price tag. It cost me fifty cents for a glass of juice and a buck for a shower. On my birthday, I pulled out the coins I saved from collecting bottles. I said, "Mom, I want to buy a steak. Is one buck enough?" Mom frowned, replying, "It costs two bucks. If you don't have enough, then go hungry. It's to toughen you up." So I went hungry and spent my only dollar to watch ten minutes of cartoons on Dad's phone. But then, a payment notification popped up on the screen. It was a transfer of 3 grand, with memo: [Pocket money for Lily, our precious girl.] It turned out the price tags were only for me. That morning, I left the house alone. A man came up to me and asked if I wanted some candy. I nervously asked, "How much does the candy cost?" He looked surprised for a moment, then said, "It's free." I took the candy. And without hesitation, I got into that van.