Dinner that night was strange. My mom actually asked about my schoolwork, which threw me off. I hesitated before saying, "It's fine." Then she started talking about the girl next door, how she'd dropped out after middle school to get a job. Now she was sending thousands of dollars home every month, and she'd just gotten married. Apparently, her husband had spent a fortune on the wedding.
I felt a pit in my stomach as my mom went on. "Not like my daughter, eating and drinking for free every day while I'm the one footing the bill."
After dinner, my mom pulled my dad into their bedroom. They started whispering behind closed doors, but the way she glanced at me before shutting it gave me chills.