He gave a huff of dissatisfaction and crossed his arms across his chest in a move that said: this is so not over.
“Kiddo?” My dad asked in his deep, baritone voice that instantly soothed me. “Are you alright? You’ve been on edge since you sat down. Is something wrong?”
“Nope.”Everything. Everything is wrong.
“You’re stressed, sweetheart, we can all see it,” my mother pounced. “It’s probably all your money problems, am I right? Let us help you out! Just your rent, or tuition, or both. You’re studying so hard, and working, you’re probably exhausted. We could help take some of that strain away.”
More fake smiling. The food would be here any minute. I just needed to persevere. This was like a marathon… I could pace myself. I could get through this.
I cleared my throat and said, “No thanks, mom. I’m fine, really.”
“I heard your roommate moved out,” Grayson announced slyly as if he was just waiting for the right opportunity to slip that in. I was going to kill him.
“Yes, she did,” I admitted.
“Oh no, honey,” my mom cooed. “She didn’t leave you in the lurch did she?”
Only because she took the majority of my furniture. And hadn’t paid rent in three months. And left a huge, impossible debt in my name that I will never be able to pay back.
“No, we both agreed that it was time.” Liar, liar pants on fire.
Beckett grunted next to me. “She was a shit roommate anyway.”
“So true,” I sighed.
“Language,” my father reprimanded.
“So what are you going to do?” my mom asked. “You can’t afford that place on your own unless you work more. You’re not thinking about dropping out are you? Don’t drop out. Whatever you do, don’t drop out!”Like I had even hinted at the idea! Good grief, mom…. “Eleanor, please stop torturing yourself. Let us help out. You need us. And we want to help!”
“I’m not dropping out of school!” Although I would drop out before I took their money. Not that it was dirty, or I was in some way mistreated by them. But if I didn’t take control of my own life now, I never would. These people, even though they acted out of love and concern, or something vaguely resembling it, would happily let me stifle and shrivel until there was nothing left of me- all in the name of protecting me or worrying about me. I couldn’t breathe under their overprotection. I couldn’t live. “I will be fine. I’m just a little stressed, it’s no big deal.”
“All for nothing. We could take that all away,” my mom mumbled, looking more put out than ever.
“At least let me help you with rent until you’re back on your feet,” Lennox offered magnanimously. “Just let me pay your roommate’s share of the rent until you find a new one.”
“Actually, she hasn’t paid the last two month’s rent, so I’ve been covering her share all by myself,” I replied proudly. Despite the fact that my diet had dwindled to cardboard noodle packs and cheap hot dogs that were surely going to give me cancer. And…. I paid for the last three gallons of gas for my car in pocket change and a dollar I found on the floor in the vending machine room of Britte’s dorm, still I was making it. Whichwassomething I could be proud of if I ignored the seven thousand dollar debt hanging like a guillotine over my neck.
Well, I was proud until the collective gasp at the table made me feel like the biggest sucker for putting up with Tara the Terrorist for as long as I did.
“Two months?” my dad echoed. “No wonder you kicked her out!”
“Yep,” I suddenly couldn’t look anyone in the eye.
“Way to stand up for yourself, Els!” Lennox praised proudly.
Oh gosh.
“Huh, I heard that she checked into re-“ I kicked Beckett’s shin under the table and shot him the evil eye. He, of course, returned the dirty look but at least he finished with “Re-max. I heard she wanted to buy a house from Re-max.”
Clever idiot.
“I had not heard that rumor,” I mumbled truthfully. “But you’re the one with your ear to the ground.”
“So where’s she going to stay until then?” My dad asked, looking as well as sounding confused.
“I have no idea,” another truthful answer. “But she’s not my problem anymore.” Not exactly the truth. Not only was she my problem, her problemswere my problems.
“Oh, honey, you did the right thing,” my mother offered.
