Chapter 4
"Didn't I tell you to give her 300 bucks a month?" my mom asked.
"She didn't want it, so I gave it all to Kelly," my dad replied.
My mom asked, "Does Kelly get 2 thousand a month?"
"Yeah," my dad said.
I still couldn't believe my mom would actually leave me some cash to get by.
I shot her another look, and, to my surprise, she wasn't just glaring at me with pure hate like usual.
But soon enough, I realized I'd totally read that wrong.
My mom snapped, "Where did you get the money? You must be out there hooking.
"And you still have the nerve to show up at school? Just wait, I'm going straight to your principal and getting you kicked out. Seriously, you have no shame at all."
She shot me a look of total disgust and added, "Just you wait."
She even said there was no way I was staying in the dorm anymore—I was obviously a bad influence on her darling Kelly's grades.
I couldn't help but laugh at how ridiculous the whole thing was.
Seeing my smile, my mom slapped me again.
Her moves were smooth as butter, and like it still wasn't enough for her, she raised her hand again.
This time, I blocked it.
"I've got a fever, and I've been working nonstop for days. I'm exhausted. Just let me rest," I said.
My mom shrieked, "Have you no shame? Did you get Kelly sick? You're disgusting."
Even though I tried to act tough, her words still hurt.
"I didn't. Every cent I earn is squeaky clean," I said.
"As if you had what it takes," my mom scoffed.
I yelled, "What kind of 'skills' do you think I have? Every damn morning, I'm hustling to send packages out, then it's four back-to-back tutoring sessions in the afternoon, and at night I have to force myself to update my stories.
"I've made myself sick on junk food and no sleep. I'm busting my butt trying to live right. What makes you so high and mighty to look down on me?"
I shouted till my throat felt torn, my eyes stinging with tears, and before I knew it, I was breaking down, sobbing in fits.
My mom just stared for a while, then sneered, cold as ice, "Nobody told you to go to school. You made your own bed, now lie in it."
The instant my tears fell, they felt pathetic. Just how much did she despise me?
My dad finally chimed in, "Even if you're trying to make money, you can't just ignore Kelly. She's been feeling awful for two days now, and you didn't even bother to ask how she was.
"If we hadn't come over, what would have happened to her?"
Kelly peeked her head out from under the covers, a fever patch stuck to her forehead. She shook her head softly and said, "Dad, don't blame Lily. It's my fault—I'm just too dumb to know how to get on her good side."
"Silly girl," my dad said, his face full of affection.
My mom said, "She's been a selfish brat ever since she was little." She shot me a look of pure disgust, then walked over and checked Kelly's forehead.
She said, "Fever's all gone, baby. Get up, I am treating you to a feast."
"This is awesome. I'm the luckiest girl ever," Kelly squealed, her whole face lighting up.
My mom gently brushed Kelly's hair. My dad stood beside them, eyes full of love. They looked like the perfect happy family. Just as they reached the door, Kelly suddenly remembered something.
"Are we taking Lily too?" Kelly asked.
My mom snorted and said, "What for? She's loaded—it's not like she'll ever go hungry."
I half-squatted, picking up all the junk scattered across the floor.
The fever had me freezing and wiped me out. I just couldn't hold on and crashed onto the icy floor.
Funny thing? Even after I came to, nobody had a clue I'd blacked out.