- 4.
Because I didn’t have money, I just watched
everyone else eat. Then, I drank the free
soup.
I was hungry and dizzy.
I passed out during gym class.
I woke up next to my teacher, Ms. Jenkins.
She was crying.
“Sarah, why didn’t you tell me you were
having problems?”
く
I looked down. I didn’t want to tell her that my
family was rich.
But they didn’t care about me, so I didn’t
have money.
She didn’t ask. Instead, she took me to the
cafeteria and put $1,000 on my account.
She gave me two pieces of fried chicken.
It was the first time anyone cared about me.
I started crying.
Chapter 2
Even Ms. Jenkins cared more about me than
lain the bookshelf
く
Even Ms. Jenkins cared more about me than
my own dad and brother.
She knew I was starving, and they didn’t even
bother to ask.
That’s when it hit me: I was done chasing
after a family that didn’t want me.
I wiped my eyes and gently tugged on Ms.
Jenkins‘ hand, a little nervous.
“Ms. Jenkins, do you think… is it too late for
me to go abroad?”
A couple weeks ago, Ms. Jenkins had asked me if I wanted to be an exchange student.
<
me if I wanted to be an exchange student.
She said she’d help me get a scholarship that
would cover everything.
I’d hesitated, then turned her down.
I couldn’t leave my dad and my brother, and I
didn’t want to leave the only home I’d ever
known.
Now, I realized, they weren’t worth giving up
my whole future for.
Ms. Jenkins practically vibrated with
excitement. She grabbed the application
forms and told me to fill them out, ASAP.
<
Seeing how happy she was for me, my heart.
still ached a little.
I was smart, and my teacher was proud of
- me. But the people who were supposed to
love me just didn’t care.
They never noticed how hard I worked. They
wouldn’t give me a second look, no matter
what I did. They liked Ashley better, even
though she wasn’t as good as me at anything.
They’d even get mad at me because Ashley
wasn’t as smart.
I used to feel bad about it, and I’d try to get
worse grades on purpose, so she wouldn’t
feel bad.
<
Now I knew I’d been a fool. It wasn’t my fault
they were jerks, and I shouldn’t have hidden
my talents for them.
I stopped caring what they thought and just
focused on school.
There was only a month left before summer
vacation, and I didn’t go home once.
Dad and my brother didn’t care either. They
didn’t call, and they didn’t send me a dime.
They were so cold. They didn’t care if I had
anything to eat.
The day before vacation, Ms. Jenkins took the
<
day off to help me get everything ready for
my trip.
Before we said goodbye, she slipped me five
hundred bucks. She told me to call her if I
needed anything, ever.
I nodded, tears in my eyes.
I couldn’t believe how lucky I was to have her
in my life.
As I walked out of school, I saw Dad and my
brother waiting by the entrance, holding a
bouquet of flowers.
Ashley ran up behind me, bumping into me on
<
purpose.
She ran straight to Dad and gave him a big
hug, all cutesy.
She looked at me, her eyes full of… well,
triumph, I guess.
I would’ve gone over to them, begging Dad
for a ride.
But then Dad called out my name.
I turned around, trying not to show any
emotion.
He looked… conflicted. After a second, he
く
said quietly, “You look too skinny, Sarah.”
“Get in the car. We’ll take you home.”
“We’ll make you a real meal.
I just stood there, confused.
He never let me ride in his car. I didn’t even
know what it looked like inside.
I used to want it so bad. I asked him all the
time.
But no matter how hard it rained in the
summer, or how freezing it was in the winter,
he always said no.
<
Now, whether he felt guilty or just wanted to
look generous, I didn’t care anymore.
I gave him a weak smile.
“No, thanks. I’m good to walk.”
3)
I started to leave, but then Ashley started
whining.
“Is Sarah still mad at us? I don’t have to ride
in the car if she doesn’t want me to.”
That changed Dad’s whole mood.
He scoffed, his eyes turning cold again.
く
“Sarah, don’t start with me. If you want to be
stubborn, go ahead and walk home. You’ll
never get another chance to ride in my car.”
Η
“I only offered because you look so beat up.
Ungrateful kid!”
“I’ve tried to be nice, but you just want to
argue.”
“Fine! See how long you last!”
I shrugged.
He had no idea I was leaving for good.
He wouldn’t even have a chance to ask me to
at in tha
く
get in the car again.
