Chapter 52
DEMI
"She’s working late? Does she realize what today is?" I scowl at my dad at the breakfast table while he continues to whisk eggs in a bowl. His face is partially covered with white flour. He dusts his apron and sighs.
"Of course, baby. Mom won’t miss your birthday for anything in the world." I don’t find his smile reassuring so I cast my eyes in a sorrowful droop into my bacon and eggs.
"Why did she have to take that stupid job? It’s all the way across town. We barely even see her."
"Danvarr is just an hour’s drive from here and honey, mommy needs the job. I’m between jobs right now and she couldn’t turn down such an opportunity from a big company like Rollins Empire. She isn’t happy being away from us most of the time but I need you to remember that she’s doing it for us because she loves us. I promise things will get better. I’ll get a job soon and mommy won’t have to work so hard."
"You’ve been saying that for months now." I drop my fork with a clatter and grab my bag. "I’m off to school."
"I’ll drop you."
"NO." I give his apron a onceover. "Thanks dad but William already offered."
That’s a lie. William is one of the richest kids at my school. He drives a fancy car to school every day. Coupled with the fact that he is a good looking senior, all the girls in school have the biggest crush on him.
I’ll admit I find him quite attractive too. However, he hits on literally every girl and has a new girlfriend every week. He’s so popular he organizes a spinning wheel game to pick a random girl to date him each week.
After a year at my school, William’s wheel finally stops at my name but it unfortunately came at a time when I am no longer the giggly teenager that secretly fawns over him. Hence, I declined. It’s the first time any girl at school has declined dating William and that neither went well with him nor my schoolmates.