knowledge. Except to my parents. Until Sarah
asked for the moon.
- 15.
My parents waited for me after school. The May
sunset painted the sky, but the air felt heavy. They stood by the track field, their faces cold. “Give us Grandma’s bank card. It’s an
emergency. We’ll pay you back.” Dad, always entitled.
Mom chimed in.
“Your grades are terrible. You won’t get into
college. We’ll keep it safe.”
“Hurry up. Sarah needs it.”
I smiled. This was it. Last time, they pinned me down, ransacked the house. Starved me for
three days until I broke.
I clutched my report card, glanced back at the classroom. Teachers, students, peering out, cheering me on. Three months. Bottom of the
class to top thirty. Number twenty–nine. But I’d earned it. Late nights, early mornings. Even
Valerie couldn’t match my dedication. I’d
earned their respect. They knew how hard I was
<
fighting. They’d given me the report card.
“Show your parents how amazing you are,
Ashley.”
My classmates pushed me out.
“Go! They’ll be so proud! They’ll see how hard
you’re working!”
“My parents would go crazy if I got these
grades!”
Their kindness, a beacon in the darkness.
Almost there. Almost free.
Dad snatched the report card, ripped it to
shreds.
“Pathetic. Don’t embarrass me. Give us the
card. Sarah’s waiting.”
The confetti of my hard work rained down.
Silence fell over the watching crowd. Even
Valerie, usually oblivious, frowned, leaning
against the railing. I looked up. Met their eyes.
I’m sorry, I thought. I’m so sorry.
- 16.
I raised an eyebrow. Time to fight back.
“I could get into college. Why should I throw it
away for your precious daughter?”
664
<
“Because I was raised in a…dump?”
They froze. I pressed on.
“Or because I was born…trash?”
Their faces contorted in disbelief. Two ticking
time bombs.
“You…you little bitch! What did you say?”
I tilted my head, all innocence.
“I called you trash. Want me to throw you in the
dumpster to prove it?”
Mom shoved me. I fell.
“I shouldn’t have had you! Should have left you in that rathole to die!”
“John, look! This is your mother’s doing! I told you not to have her! Now look! A monster! We should have smothered her at birth!”
I didn’t flinch.
“Why didn’t you? You think I wanted to be born to…you? You’re not even fit to be parents.” Dad, flustered by Mom’s tears, slapped me.
“You’re insane! Apologize! Give us the card! Or we’re disowning you!”
I smiled, bright as the setting sun.
“Great! Without you, I won’t be trash anymore!
139
<
Yay!”
Dad’s eyes widened.
“You’ve gone bad! Hanging out with
delinquents! Ruined your brain!”
“Come on! Let’s talk to your teachers! Let’s see what they have to say about this!”
He dragged me towards the office. I stumbled, my bare arm scraping against the asphalt. They didn’t care. They threw me into the principal’s office. I played the part. Tears, downcast eyes, the picture of wounded innocence.
- 17.
Mom launched into a tirade. Irresponsible, ungrateful, disrespectful, manipulative,
malicious, lazy… every insult she could think of.
Dad banged on the principal’s desk.
“Is this how you teach kids? Character comes
first! She’s a failure as a human being! I’m
taking her home! Expel her!”
Their usual tactic. Use my education as
leverage. They could legally pull me out of
school. At home, I’d be at their mercy. Before, I
would have begged. Pleaded. Not anymore.
<
I placed my ID on the desk. My voice trembled.
“I’m twenty. I can make my own decisions.”
“Grandma’s money is enough for college. I
don’t need yours.”
“You don’t want me anyway, right?”
Mom exploded. Screaming, crying, throwing books. Demanding Grandma’s money.
“You’d do anything to keep it from us!”
“Give it to us! Now!”
The principal tried to intervene. Classmates
protested. They didn’t care. Mom lunged at me.
“Enough!”
“This is my office. Take your theatrics outside.”
They paused. Turned to me.
“Ashley, are you disowning us?”
A tear rolled down my cheek.
“Not exactly.”
“I’m reporting you for assault.”
