Don’t you knock?” Amanda snapped, trying to go on the offensive.
“When have you ever knocked before coming into my room?” I shot back.
Her face twisted in indignation. “Watch your tone! Don’t forget whose house you’re living
in!”
“Whose house‘? This is my house!” I shouted. “And while we’re at it, stop taking my things. Give me back the iPad!”
Amanda’s laugh was cold and mocking. “Your house? What a joke. No wonder your
husband left you. Married for three years and you couldn’t even have a kid!”
I froze, stunned by the cruelty of her words. She didn’t stop there.
“Women like you–useless and barren–don’t deserve a place in any family. You’re lucky we even let you stay here!”
The sheer audacity of her words made me laugh bitterly. I shook my head, regaining
some composure.
“I don’t have time for this. Just give me the iPad.”
She glanced at the device on the bed, then sneered. “How do you know it’s yours? I just bought this today.”
“Bought it?” I said, smirking. “Every iPad has a serial number. I took a photo of mine the day I got it. Let’s see if it matches.”
I pulled out my phone and started dialing. “I’ll let the police sort this out.”
23:04 Fri, Jan 10 GU
F00%
Amanda panicked. She lunged at me, trying to grab my phone, and in the scuffle, it fell to the floor, the screen shattering on impact.
“Call the cops, huh? Go ahead!” she screamed, grabbing a fistful of my hair. “I’ll beat you to death before they even get here!”
The rage boiling inside me gave me strength. I shoved her off me, and she stumbled back, falling against the bed.
Ryan jumped up, pointing a finger in my face. “How dare you touch my mom!”
At fourteen, he was already tall and broad–a physical match for me. Despite everything I’d done for him, he now looked at me with pure hatred.
braced myself as he raised his fist, but before he could take a swing, my parents rushed
into the room.
“Are you all trying to destroy this house?!” my dad bellowed.
Amanda, still shaken, ran to my parents, sobbing dramatically.
“Look what your daughter did to me!” she wailed. “She attacked me and threatened to call the police! She’s out of control!”
I opened my mouth to defend myself, but before I could get a word out, my dad slapped me across the face.
The force of it left me stunned, my cheek burning as tears blurred my vision.
“Do you do anything besides disgrace this family?” he growled. “If you cause one more problem, you’re out of this house for good.”
