It was a full scholarship, the first one anyone from my small, forgotten town had gotten in

my head down, studied until my eyes burned, and aimed

ith pride for me, but with a greedy, calculating glint I knew all too well. He was a mechanic

table so hard the salt shaker jumped. "We're goin

led her usual weak, tired

er seen before. They weren't family friends or neighbors. They were all older, single men from the surround

hed me onto the small, makeshift stage at the front of the hall. The room was decorated with

artificially. "Straight A's, top of her class. And smarts aren't

der, holding me in place. My body went rigid. I wanted to shrink, to disappear, but I just st

They were assessing me, their eyes crawling over my face

presents. One by one, the men came up to the stage

chain said, peeling a hundred-dollar bill from a thick wad. He d

eyes, walked up. He looked me up and down sl

f I were a horse. He handed my father a

against my ribs. I felt a wave of nausea. This wasn't

my mother, who stood by the refreshments table, smiling vaguely at anyone who looked her way, completely avoiding my eyes. I was utterly alone in a room full of strangers