I put the finishing touches to the drawing I’d been working on for hours and opened my Instagram to post it. It was of a girl in a school uniform standing in the rain in the middle of a magical forest, and thanks to some new brushes I’d used in Photoshop, I was able to emphasize the twinkling lights that adorned its dark background.
I uploaded the picture and replied to a few comments that poured in, when Hayden’s text arrived.
“We’re done training for today. Can you come to my house in twenty? I want to take you somewhere.”
Huh? Where did he want to take me?
“How should I dress?”
“Wear a sexy dress and high heels.”
I frowned at the text. I failed to get the drift of it.
His next message popped up on my screen right away.
“We aren’t going to a ball. So dress however you want.”
Would he ever run out of sarcasm? I rolled my eyes and typed a new message.
“As my master commands.”
“I taught you well. ;)”
My laughter filled the room as I moved to change my clothes. I left my room fifteen minutes later and slowed my steps when I noticed the door of my mother’s room was wide open. As I passed next to it, I found her lying in her bed and flipping through the pages of some magazine with a bored look on her face. She was supposed to get the casts off her legs in a week, and like a kid, she was getting more impatient to function on her own each day.
I had to take my hat off to Lydia for staying positive and patient with her all this time. She managed to get along with her and keep her away from alcohol most of the time. She even tried to convince her to go to AA. At first, Patricia didn’t want to admit her addiction, refusing to even think about Lydia’s suggestion, but the next day, I heard her say she’d decided to join it after all, which was a huge step for her. For her sake, I hoped she would finally get a hold of her life.
“I’m going out,” I told her and continued down the hallway, not expecting her to answer me.
“Again?” she asked, and I halted before I reached the stairs.
“Yes. Again.”
“Going back to Blacks’ house?”
What was her problem now? “Yes,” I gritted out. “Why do you even ask?”
“You spend more time there than here these days. Does that have anything to do with Carmen’s son, Hayden? Are you two good friends now or what?”
The tone of her voice set my teeth on edge. I reached her doorway and met her questioning gaze. “Hayden is my boyfriend.”
She raised her eyebrows, and blush covered my cheeks. I hated when she looked at me like this, like I was worthless. “Your boyfriend? Hayden Black?” She whistled. “Nice. First his brother, now Hayden.”
My eyebrows furrowed. “What are you talking about? Kayden was never my boyfriend. He was my best friend.”
She waved me off. “That’s just semantics. Either way, you know how to catch them. It’s obvious why you waste your time on them. Blacks are super rich.”
I bridled at her horrible implication. “What do you want to say? That I’m with Hayden because of his money?”
“The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, does it? You’re not the Virgin Mary. I should’ve known you’d try to find a good catch sooner or later.”
“Let me get this straight. You think I’m a gold-digger?”
Her lips curled into a disgusting, condescending smile. “Of course you are. All women are gold-diggers, but some just hide it better.” She winked at me. “It would be nice to have my daughter married into a rich family, so I completely support you. I can already imagine all the benefits.”
I couldn’t believe her. What the hell was she thinking?
“Now listen here.” I stomped inside. “I’m not like you, and I will never, ever be like you. You’re a disgrace to mothers and women. Just because you want an easy way out of your problems, it doesn’t mean the rest of us think the same way. You disgust me.”
Her smile fell. “Shut your mouth! Don’t you dare speak to me like that!”
“I will speak to you however I want because I’m sick and tired of you! You don’t control me or my life! Unlike you, I’ll have my future the way I want it if it’s the last thing I do. Soon, I’ll be out of this house and I won’t have to see you ever again.”
“Oh, so now we’re so brave? Now that the little girl has found her rich boyfriend, she’s all tough? Wait until he dumps you. You’ll crawl back here in no time.”
And just like that, as I stood unmoving watching her, all my anger diminished. I pitied her. This was why she would never get anything out of her life. She was full of negativity and resentment that kept her down. I was tired of being at the bottom. I had no intention of staying there any longer.
“Thank you, Patricia.” I threw a small smile on my face as I retreated out of her room. “You’re just giving me more motivation to get out of here and make something out of my life. Seriously, thank you. Whether Hayden ‘dumps’ me or not, I’ll never stop fighting for something better—something that’s not being stuck here with you. And soon, all of this”—I motioned between her and me—“Will just be a faint memory that’s not even worth remembering.” I spun on my heel and headed to the stairs.
“If only Thomas hadn’t left you half of this house, I would’ve kicked you out a long time ago!”
I shook my head, already going downstairs. So she was resorting to this? Truly pathetic.
“Yeah?” I shouted back. “Well, it’s too bad my grandfather messed up your plans.”
She cussed a blue streak, but I tuned her out, putting on my jacket and shoes. I was out of the house in no time.
She was so terrible, but at least there was something good in that—she taught me how not to live my life.
Pushing the thoughts of her aside, I rang Hayden’s bell and let excitement take over me.
Carmen opened the door and gave me a warm, welcoming smile. “Hello, dear.” She embraced me.
I stiffened, unaccustomed to being this close to her, but then I felt myself relax and returned her hug. I wasn’t fully comfortable with it because I needed more time to get used to this new relationship between Carmen and me, but I was gradually getting there.
“Hayden is upstairs.”
“Thank you.”
I climbed up the stairs wearing a gigantic smile, but that smile disappeared when I saw the door of Kayden’s room was open.
What was going on?
I padded to his room and peeked inside, wary about what I might find... My pulse skyrocketed when I spotted a tall form next to the bookshelf. He flipped through the pages of One Piece in his hands, and I couldn’t even begin to understand what I was seeing.
Oh my God. Kayden?!
I stopped breathing as my eyes went over his profile, but the moment of confusion passed as quickly as it came.
He wasn’t Kayden.
Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath. Silly me.
“Hayden.” My wobbly legs carried me inside. I looked around Kay’s room, realizing just now that he’d come in of his own accord. “What’s happening? What are you doing here?”
He turned around to look at me, his face blank. “Hey.” He closed the manga and put it back in its place on the shelf.