ne's

My

ist I have heard my who

one kept gushing about it so much that it distracted the

ing to our school to do, knowing their status and all?" Someone finally asked the one thing I

ily is one of the wealthiest in the world. If you and I get in with them, we won't ever need anybody e

d in, "I heard their dad o

own this entire country. And their mum? She's basically the queen of Hollywood. Do you know how many celebri

knew the basics-that they were rich and famous. But Tricia spoke like she had th

sane. But do you think they'll even talk to us? I mean, w

ly run this school. And they'll be new here, which means they'll

her nonsense made s

hance to slip away with my mum. She had been dragged into enough humiliation already wi

*

urse didn't ask too many questions-she just gave me a sympathetic look and went to work. She dabbed gently at the blood

with fresh white bandages. My stomach twisted, watching my mum flinch at

weight of everything slammed down again. The bracelet. Adrian's betrayal. Tricia's cruelty.

't even hesitate to push you to the ground. And now Tricia has stolen the only thing I had

now that people like Adrian and Tricia always have power here. They take what they

m. I wish your job wasn't on the line every time. I wish I could afford your surgery so you wouldn't have t

weetheart..." Her eyes carried both pain and pride. She always trie

at bracelet is the only lead I have to my birth family. Maybe... maybe they could help

asn't just jewelry-it was my only connection to the life I mi

ithout the bracelet, there's no way. She has it now. And I

interrupted us. "Students, this is the principal. Please

to think. The world just kept moving, even when I felt like I was falling apa

s fine, my daughter. Go. Just take care of yourself.

anyway. That smile cut deeper than

thing. For adopting me. For raising me like your own even when you had nothing. For loving me when life was a

would do it all again. A thousand times over. Don't thank me, my

in the faint scent of laundry soap cli

ckly with the back of my hand, and turned to

forced steady. Whatever waited for me in that gymnasium, I had to face it-even if