Chapter 2 Retching

But I didn't want them digging up my grandfather's coffin either.

Lawrence paused for a moment. He looked at me and praised, "So Yvette's idea worked. You are more docile now."

Before the Marlins found me, Yvette Marlin was the one who lived in my place. Yvette's grandfather was the only family I knew before that fateful day. Her father died at a construction site, so his wife tossed me to Yvette's grandfather and went MIA.

I didn't wonder why he brought up Yvette. Lawrence beckoned me like he would a dog. "Come here."

I was in the spot furthest away from Lawrence, and I didn't even spare him a single look after I got into the car. All of a sudden, I was very interested in the rug underneath. I did not do as he said. I refused to.

That only made him sterner. "I said, come here."

I did not answer. I tensed my back, trying my best to save my crumbling dignity, even though it was gone the moment I begged for mercy from my tormentors.

My silence infected the air. Lawrence wasn't used to this kind of quiet, or he probably didn't want to wait, so he extended his arm and got closer to me.

My back tensed further the moment he extended his arm, but I was already backed to the window. There was nowhere else I could go.

The moment he held my arm, my nose was assailed by the stench of alcohol. That brought up some memories.

I did something wrong, and my parents took away my cards. Furious, I stormed off and went to my grandpa's place.

My grandfather was seriously ill by the time I got there. Without a single cent to my name, I had no choice but to call my parents, yet I couldn't get through.

Then, some rich kids from Astonia showed up, looking gleeful and mischievous. "I heard you need money, Ms. Marlin? How about you get on your knees and grovel to us? Maybe we'll lend you some cash if we feel like it."

Every time I closed my eyes, I could see Grandpa coughing on his bed, and every cough seemed to take everything he had. Sometimes he'd even spit out chunks of blood.

I went down on my knees without hesitation. The room was quiet, save for the sounds of my groveling. I did it so hard, my forehead was still hurting.

When I was done, the rich kids laughed and tossed me a grand total of fifty dollars. "That's how much you're worth, Ms. Marlin. Mr. Seinfield's words, not ours." They left happily.

I had no choice but to take out a loan from the loan sharks, but my grandfather died in the end, anyway. He didn't get treated in time.

When I was done with the funeral, it was time to pay up. I called Lawrence and asked for a loan, but he sneered and hung up.

These memories suffocated me, and goosebumps appeared on the arm Lawrence was holding. It didn't feel like a hand was holding my arm. No, it was more like a serpent coiling its slimy body around me. I could feel my heart freezing up.

My head started to spin. Nausea caught up to me, and I wanted to hurl. I swung Lawrence's hand off and bent over, my hand clutching the front seat.

I held my neck with my gloved hand and started to retch, but nothing came out. Of course. I barely had anything to eat the last few days.

Even so, Lawrence covered his nose with a tissue and looked at me with disgust. "Yvonne!" he warned.

I ignored him and kept on retching until I shook off that urge to vomit.

Lawrence's veins were starting to throb. I knew that look. He was on the edge of exploding. I did not try to play dumb like I used to. He would not tolerate that kind of behavior from me.

My body was weakened, and I was wobbling. I kept my head down, and my hand was still holding the front seat, though it was shaking.