When my father looks at me, it’s as if he’s laying eyes on a stranger. And decided to take one that never existed in the first place. I went off the board, left the right path. To them, this is nothing more than foolish. To be alone in a city with no familiar face. I want them to see how much it took out of me to stay here. It’s what’ll pay my bills without headache, he believes. Was your college education not worth it to you?” For my father, this is a rhetorical question.

“You lost your scholarship,” my dad says, his face reddening in ire. “I didn’t…I didn’t know how to tell you.” “I’m sorry,” I say what I should’ve started with.

I turn my attention to my parents, both silent in thought. Last month, I confessed to her that I’d been lying to my parents, after she asked what they thought of me being in Vegas. Hot tears roll down my cheeks, but I nod. We’re all forced to take a seat and ride it out. Life is a rollercoaster with no volunteers. Once upon a time, I saw a broken girl sitting in a booth. This is her favorite diner, so of course she’s here.Ĭoncern reflects in her gray irises, empathy for me. Katya’s round, globe eyes fix right on me. “Stop talking, Thora.” His gaze shifts to the seat beside him, my mom burying her face in her hands, tears streaming full-force.Īnd that’s when I catch someone watching us. “Stop it,” my father cuts in, his voice like nails, full of angry disappointment. And the fear of leaving would’ve poached all my resilience that I mustered to come here in the first place. My father would’ve pointed at my mother and said you’re making her sick over this. “If I flew home, I would’ve stayed in Ohio.” She would have broken down and cried, convincing me to stay. “You could have flown home and we would’ve started job hunting-” “We would’ve helped.” She dabs her eyes with a thin paper napkin. I wasn’t good enough.” A rock in my throat, I add, “I didn’t have a place to stay.

Amour Amour by Krista Ritchie