Chapter 12
Mia lay across her bed, staring up at the ceiling, her thoughts are a tangled mess of frustration and fantasy.
Her shift doesn’t start until 2 p.m, but being at home was its own kind of torment. She avoided her mom and siblings as much as possible. Every interaction left her drained, and today was no exception.
Her mind, which she is unable to control lately, drifted back to Alex. It always did.
The way he carried himself…it wasn’t arrogance. It was something quieter but just as loud, like he didn’t need to say or do much to demand attention. He was cold, aloof, and yet somehow still magnetic. It wasn’t fair.
Mia sighed, squeezing her eyes shut as if that would stop the images from forming in her head. But there he was again- Alex at the wheel of his car, his hand resting casually on the steering wheel, the faint smirk tugging at his lips.
It was stupid to feel this way. She knew that. Nothing good could come from thinking about him, but her heart didn’t seem to care. Her chest tightened at the thought of him, and she groaned, turning over onto her side to bury her face in her pillow.
A knock at her door jolted her from her thoughts.
“Who is it?” she called, her voice muffled with exasperation.
#
No answer, but the handle jiggled. Mia sat up with a sharp sigh, glaring at the door. “Why are you trying to open my door?”
“It’s your mother,” came the reply, clipped and impatient.
Mia rolled her eyes, muttering a curse under her breath as she got up to unlock the door. Her mother stood there, hands on her hips, looking annoyed.
“I want to sleep,” Mia said before her mother could start. “I locked the door because I don’t want any
Her mother’s gaze narrowed, but she didn’t argue. “I came to tell you something.”
disturbances.”
Mia froze. Her mother’s tone was serious, and Mia knew from experience that whatever it was wouldn’t be good.
“The man you saw yesterday-”
“Mom, stop,” Mia cut her off, her stomach sinking. “Please don’t tell me that man wants to sleep with me. I’m not interested.”
Her mother’s expression didn’t change. If anything, she looked amused. “He said he’d like to marry you, though.”
Mia blinked, her brain struggling to catch up. “You’re joking.”
“I’m not.”
Mia stared at her, speechless.
Her mother continued, her voice growing more enthusiastic. “He has money, Mia. His wife left him, so he’s single. I even told him about your desire to go to school, and he said he’s willing to support you through college after the marriage.”
Mia’s throat tightened, anger bubbling up inside her. “Mom,” she said, her voice shaking, “what are you talking about?”
“This could be a good opportunity for you—”
“No.”
Her mother blinked, startled. “What?”
1/2
Chapter 12
“I said no!” Mia’s voice rose, trembling with rage. “What is wrong with you, Mom? What is wrong with you? That man was literally screwing you in our living room last night, and now you’re saying he wants to marry me? Are you serious?”
She cannot believe this
Her mother’s expression hardened. “Watch your tone with me, young lady.”
“I will if you leave me alone!” Mia snapped.
They stared at each other, tension thick in the air. Her mother’s face twisted with anger, but there was something else there too-a cold calculation.
“Stop being a fucking idiot,” her mother hissed finally. “Come down from that high horse of yours and see the opportunities in front of you. This could change your life. Think about it.”
And with that, she turned and walked away, leaving Mia standing in the doorway, stunned.
Mia slammed the door shut and leaned against it, her breath coming in short, shallow gasps. Her mother’s words rang in her ears, each one more infuriating than the last.
“Change my life,” she muttered bitterly.
Her hands clenched into fists at her sides, and she let out a frustrated scream, muffling it into her palm so no one would
hear.
This house was suffocating her. Every single day felt like a battle, and she was losing.
Mia sat down on the edge of her bed, her legs shaking. Her mind raced, replaying her mother’s words over and over again.
How could her mother even suggest such a thing? How could she think Mia would ever agree to something like that?
Tears stung her eyes, but she blinked them away, refusing to let them fall. She wouldn’t cry over this.
She wouldn’t give them the satisfaction.
Instead, she grabbed her phone and threw on her headphones, blasting music to drown out her thoughts. The pounding bass filled her ears, and she let herself get lost in it, lying back on her bed and staring up at the ceiling.
Her chest ached with the weight of it all-the hopelessness, the frustration, the anger.
She wanted out. She wanted a life that didn’t involve dodging drug dealers and disgusting men and her mother’s schemes.
But no matter how hard she tried, the walls of this house always seemed to close in on her.
Mia closed her eyes, her hands clutching the edges of her blanket as if it could anchor her to something, anything.
This wasn’t fair. None of it was fair.
And
– she co
