Chapter 2

The next morning, I had my period.

I only had one tampon left in the cabinet.

After I put it in, I gave Nancy a call.

She did not pick up the first time, and she hung up the second time.

Then, she sent me a voice message.

[You called to ask for money to buy food yesterday. Today, you’re calling again for money to buy things!]

[How can you be so careless with money?]

[If you’re requesting more money, I’ll be deducting it from your next month’s allowance.]

I asked if she could transfer me twenty dollars.

Then, she sent me another bill.

My father gave me two thousand dollars every month.

Four hundred dollars were deducted for rent and utilities.

Another two hundred dollars was deducted for transportation fees.

There were also miscellaneous deductions like my student card top-up, laundry, and room cleaning.

After all the deductions, I had no allowance left.

However, the school’s utility bill was included in my monthly rent amount.

I took the bus every single day, so there was no need for an additional transportation fee.

I also washed my own clothes.

My hearing aid was not serviced for the past six months.

I typed all these into the chat, then I deleted everything.

The last time I asked why she deducted the room-cleaning fee, she tossed a washcloth next to my feet.

“Lilian doesn’t want you, and Gloria doesn’t like you.

“I’m the only one who’s willing to take care of you. Why are you being so petty over such trivial amounts with me?”

The second class was not over, yet blood started to stain my pants.

My deskmate, Poppy Nelson, saw it, so she lent me her jacket to tie around my waist.

“Go to the washroom first; I’ll cover for you.”

I hid in the washroom cubicle and placed a huge stack of toilet paper in my underwear.

The toilet paper was too fragile.

With every step I took, the chafing hurt a lot.

At noon, the dorm manager, Raegan Carpenter, called me to the security office.

There was a huge parcel on the table.

It was from Gloria.

The box had already been opened.

There was a down jacket, a scarf, hearing aid batteries, and some snacks.

A card was placed on top of the items.

[Zoe, it’s getting cold. You should layer up. I bought six packs of batteries for you. Tell me if they’re not working.]

I picked up a box of batteries.

Raegan smiled and said, “Your mother sent you parcels every single week. She must love you a lot.”

“She’s not my mother.”

After I said that, Nancy arrived.

She took the batteries away from me.

“Who let you open the parcel?”

Raegan was stunned.

“It’s addressed to her.”

Nancy laughed, “Her stepmother cares about her image a lot, so she always buys her some useless things.”

When Nancy saw the tag on the down jacket, she immediately stuffed the jacket back into the box.

“It’s too expensive for school. I’ll keep it for you.”

I grabbed the box.

“Give me the batteries.”

Nancy’s face fell.

“Do you really think she likes you?

“She only sent you these because she’s afraid others will say that she’s a wicked stepmother.

“If you dare to take what belongs to the Johnson family, she’ll make you leave!”

I let go.

She took the entire box away, leaving nothing but a pack of cookies that were about to expire.

Before she left, she glanced at me.

“It cost me thirty dollars to take a cab over here. I’ll deduct it from your allowance next month.”

During PE, I did not dare to run.

I could not hide the blood stain on the back of my pants anymore.

A few female classmates were whispering behind me as they kept looking at my back.

I could not hear what they said, but I kept tugging on the jacket.

After class, Poppy passed me a pack of tampons.

“Take it.”

I did not want to take it.

“I’ll pay you back next week.”

She stuffed the box into my arms.

“It’s only twelve dollars; you don’t have to pay me back.”

I teared up.

Peter always told me not to go to him for money.

Nancy said that I was careless with money.

However, when I was at my lowest, Poppy was the one who helped me.

At night, Lilian sent me a photo of a down jacket.

She asked whether I preferred blue or white.

I stared at the bag of cookies that were almost expired, and I did not respond to her text message.

I was not allowed to wear the down jacket that Gloria had sent me.

But I did not want the clothes from Lilian either.

Lilian had abandoned me, and Gloria was afraid that I would go after my father’s money.

However, they kept asking me if I liked what they gave me.