Chapter 2

My rented room was behind an auto repair shop. The stairs were so narrow you had to turn sideways to climb them.

Teresa paused when she walked in.

I hurried to grab the clothes off the chair. "It's a little small, but the landlord doesn't overcharge me."

She didn't comment. She just asked, "Taking all of it?"

I nodded, then shook my head.

Under the bed was a box with my old textbooks and my acceptance letter. I'd never been able to throw it out. Every month, after making a payment, I'd figure out what I had left and wonder if I could still go to school.

In the end, I missed six semesters.

Nico carried the box out while I bent down to fold the blanket.

My phone started buzzing nonstop.

I'd been added back to the family group chat.

My mother sent a photo. My old bedroom had new curtains, and Bianca's portrait hung on the wall. Under the photo, she'd written, "I've made up the downstairs guest room for you. It's close to the kitchen, and since you get up early, you won't wake your sister."

Bianca replied, "Elena's old room gets great light, so I moved in for now. She won't be mad at me, will she?"

My father wrote, "If she managed out there, she has no reason to be picky at home."

Three years earlier, when I first walked into Teresa's diner, she'd asked what I used to do. I didn't dare tell her. I was afraid she knew my father and would figure out I was the daughter he'd kicked out.

Whenever anyone asked about my family, I said, "They're fine."

So she didn't know how I'd hurt my hands or why I kept asking for advances on my pay. The people who'd promised to protect me had taken every cent I'd earned.

This time, I handed her my phone.

She read the messages one by one. Her finger stopped on the one from Marco, which read, "Remember to apologize to Bianca first tonight."

"What did you do?"

I opened my mouth, but it was a long time before I could answer. "I don't know."

Before Bianca came home, I didn't even know she existed.

After she came back, I gave up my room, my car, my fiancé, and my future. My mother always said Bianca would accept me eventually if I learned to step aside for her.

But no matter how much I gave up, I still owed them.

My father sent a voice message.

"Elena, get your ass home. Stop making us a laughingstock."

He knew where I worked.

I jumped to my feet. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have dragged you into—"

"Enough apologizing," Teresa cut in. "You told me what's going on, so I can help. I'm not going to pick a fight with your father. But you can get a good night's sleep at my place tonight."

She didn't promise anything more. But I had somewhere to sleep that night.

I let go of my apron.

I saved the messages and left the group chat.

Marco called right away. I let it ring, switched my phone to silent, and put it in my pocket.

Before we left, I went back to tidy the room.

Teresa put a hand on my arm.

"You're not here to clean up for the next tenant."