Chapter 3
Gabriel was filling out paperwork with the principal.]]
When he saw I was awake, his voice was nice but distant: “You got your shots already. Don’t worry.“]
“Study hard here, and when you’re older I’ll come get you. Set you up with a good marriage.“[]
The principal was all smiles: “Don’t worry, Mr. Reid! We’ll take care of little Aria like she’s our own daughter!“]
As soon as Gabriel’s car pulled away, this young teacher next to me was watching it go: “Mr. Reid is so handsome and kind. He and Isabella are perfect together.“[]
Then she looked down at me with total disgust: “Too bad for you, kiddo. Trash is trash.“[]
“Did you actually think you’d be a Reid? That’s hilarious!“]
I never dreamed about being a Reid. I just wanted to be Mom’s kid.[]
That’s all I ever wanted.[]
month later, I was like this legend at St. Catherine’s.]
Straight A’s in everything. They kept skipping me up grades.
The principal got all excited and called Mom to brag about me.
On the other end, Mom sounded bored and annoyed:[]
“She’s been doing college work since she was eight. I sent her there for peace and quiet. Nobody here has time to deal with her.“[]
The principal’s smile froze on his face.]
I reached out desperately, hoping to talk to her, but then I heard Mom say: “I gotta go. Doctor’s appointment for the baby.”
The line went dead.
The principal hung up and his whole expression changed.[]
His fat hand suddenly touched my head, then started sliding down while he smiled this gross smile:[]
Toury
“Poor little girl with no mommy to love her. But you’re so smart and pretty. I heard your mom’s a real beauty, and you’re gonna be just like her…
I went completely stiff, too scared to move.
His hand was almost at my collar when the door exploded open![]
It was Tyler, this kid who was always getting in fights.[]
He had a piece of grass in his mouth, acting all casual: “Hey old man, whatcha doing? Cops are here!”
The principal yanked his hand back like he’d been electrocuted.[]
Tyler grabbed my wrist: “She’s my little sister. I’m taking her!“[]
Before anyone could say anything, he pulled me out and we ran like crazy.[]
We ran all the way to the field behind the school and collapsed on the grass
The sun was so bright and I couldn’t hold it in anymore. I started sobbing:[]
“My mom’s having a new baby and I’m not gonna have a mom anymore…”
Tyler snorted and lay back with his hands behind his head, staring at the sky:[]
“Big deal. Nobody here has family.“[]
“We’re all just thrown–away kids.”
Those words hit me like ice stabbing through my chest.[]
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Chapter 3
After that, everything at school got way worse.]]
Even the lunch lady started messing with me, handing me a cup of mango juice and saying it was banana.[]
Right after I drank it, my throat started swelling up, I couldn’t breathe right, and I broke out in red bumps everywhere.[]
Tyler ran over, threw me on his back, and sprinted to the nurse’s office.
The school nurse checked me over real slow, then said: “The good medicine costs extra money.“[]
Tyler turned to me: “You got any cash?”
That’s when I remembered–all that “living expense” money Uncle Gabriel gave me went straight into the principal’s account.[]
I didn’t have a single dollar.[]
Tyler cursed under his breath, ripped off his gold chain, and threw it at the nurse.]]
The nurse weighed it in his hand, then finally went to get the medicine.[]
I was lying there all weak: “Tyler, I’ll pay you back someday, I promise…“[]
He was leaning against the wall and just laughed: “Let’s worry about you staying alive first.“[]
When the nurse came to give me a shot, Tyler automatically turned away. His shirt collar shifted and I saw his neck and back–covered in old scars and fresh cuts.
Turns out his life sucked too.
The look in Tyler’s eyes was so scary the nurse started begging him to stop.]
“What did you just say? Those people didn’t even leave money for her shots?“||
The second he said that, Tyler exploded. He grabbed the nurse by his shirt and slammed him against the wall![]
The nurse was cleaning up and suddenly remembered something: “Oh yeah, she needs her rabies booster shot soon. Don’t forget.“]
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After we left the nurse’s office, Tyler calmed down a little. He sounded bitter and
ind of sad:
“Did I scare you? My family says I might have some extra Y chromosome thing–like I’m just born bad.”
“So they took me off the inheritance list and dumped me here to rot.”
He said it like it was no big deal, like he was talking about someone else.
–
A few days later, two cops came and took Tyler away. The nurse was behind them,
grinning like crazy.
Fin the Real Heirms Here to Wreck the Game!
