Now I’m back to square one.
But it’s not that it hurts me. It’s the fact that he now knows about it and I can’t hide it from him anymore.
Dad whips the wad against his palm in a tight slap and asks, “I asked you a fucking question.”
I shudder at the raise of his voice.
“I…I…” No words come to my mind.
It’s a couple of hundreds. Not a lot of money. But I don’t work and he knows we don’t have money to spare.
Dad walks in my direction and I quickly back up to escape him, but my back hits the wall and he corners me.
“Thatboygave you all this money, isn’t it? The one who put his hands on me like a fucking delinquent.”
“No!”
“I know it’s his money.” He asserts.
“It isn’t.”
“Don’t lie to me.”
“I’m not.”
“Then explain this.” He whips those bills against my cheek in a sharp slap that makes my head turn. The burning sensation lights up under my skin and numbness tingles my senses.
“You’re just like your mother. Hanging out boys who are nothing but trouble and doing God knows what with them.” He spits out. “I wasn’t born yesterday. I know how this amount of money comes about. I just didn’t expect it from my own daughter.”
A wild mix of anger and disgust swirls in his dark eyes.
“I didn’t do it,” I mumble.
His eyebrows dip. “I don’t believe you.”
Raising his hand, he wraps it around my throat. “I told you to stay away from that boy but you didn’t listen.”
Tears build up in my eyes, and I put my hands on his as I try to pry them away.
“I told you I’d punish you if you won’t listen to me.”
“Please…” I croak out.
“Tell me. Tell me exactly how you made this money when your mother is working day and night and you’re whoring around town with that boy.”
I try to shake my head but his hold is too tight.
“I found all this money under your bed. Is that what you’ve been up to for the past months when I was gone. Your mother working and you inviting boys up to your room.”
“No…” I utter.
“You took advantage of her trust. You tried to hurt Mae.” At once his eyes turn darker. “I will kill you. Do you hear me? I will kill you if I see any boy around you ever again.”
He squeezes tighter and I feel like I’m about to die.
Staring deep into my eyes he says, “You are a mistake. You’ve always been.”
With that he lets go of me and walks out of my room.
