Chapter 2

Selena's POV

By the time I got back with the cookies, Ben had already fallen asleep.

Mom told me Aunt Ashlyn's family would be staying in my room for the night.

"Where am I supposed to sleep, then?" I asked.

"Just make do on the couch for one night. After all, when you were little—"

"Fine," I agreed, then turned to look her straight in the eye. "Mom, you have to promise me something too. Stop shoving other people's unwanted junk into my room."

Mom pursed her lips. "How can you call it junk?"

"It is junk."

"How can you say that?"

Her eyes began to redden. "It's the thought that counts. We all passed down things from older kids to younger kids when we were growing up."

I clenched my fists, but before I could say a word, the bedroom door opened.

Ben had woken up and was crying to go home. He said there was a strange smell in my room.

Aunt Ashlyn looked uncomfortable, knowing full well it was the musty odor from the clothes she had brought over.

"Lola, I think we should go home."

"I'm so sorry, Ashlyn. Selena just hasn't cleaned up properly."

As Mom said that, she stuffed all the cookies I had bought straight into Aunt Ashlyn's hands.

"Keep them, Lola. We don't need them," Aunt Ashlyn said.

"How could I? You brought so many gifts over, and we didn't even get to host you properly."

Smiling, Aunt Ashlyn reminded, "No need for hosting. But Ben's homework…"

"Leave it to Selena."

"Mom!" I called out.

Mom glared at me.

Fearing I might refuse, Aunt Ashlyn and Ben practically bolted out the door.

They took off with my brand-new coat, leaving behind a backpack full of homework and a wardrobe stuffed with damp, musty hand-me-downs.

Mom shoved the assignment checklist into my hands.

Looking down, I saw ten poster projects and two craft assignments.

"Do a good job," she instructed. "Ben needs to win an award with these."

On the third day of Thanksgiving break, I set the completed assignments on the table and told Mom to have Aunt Ashlyn come pick them up herself.

"Why bother other people like that? I'll just drop them off."

Smiling brightly, she grabbed the papers, hopped on her electric scooter, and rode over to deliver them.

When she came back, she handed me a bag. "Aunt Ashlyn bought this for you. It's brand-new."

I took it without opening it.

I suddenly remembered how Aunt Ashlyn had taken me out for burgers once when I was a child.

Maybe our relatives really did mean well when they gave us their old clothes and shoes. Perhaps they pitied Mom for raising me alone after her divorce.

Before the warmth in my chest could fully settle, I heard Mom speak up. "Your Aunt Ashlyn is so good to you. Why don't you help design her new house as a little favor?"

I looked up and stared at Mom in disbelief. "A little favor? Besides, Mom, I didn't study interior design."

"It's all the same thing."

Mom patted my shoulder. "You're the first college graduate in our family. Even if you don't know how, you can pick it up fast."

"Why doesn't she hire a professional?" I asked.

"If someone in the family can do it, why hire an outsider? Isn't that just a waste of money?"

"So you expect me to do her design work for free?"

My head pounded, and my ears started ringing loudly. "Mom, have you ever considered that I have a job? I'm busy."

"Then do it after work."

"I work overtime until midnight every day!"

"Selena Dodson!" Mom snapped.

"We really raised you for nothing! When you were in school, Ashlyn even lent us money for one of your tuition payments. How can you be so ungrateful? Either way, I've already promised her. Ashlyn said she'll send you the floor plans in a bit."

As I looked at the zip file that popped up on my phone, a cold chill ran through my entire body.