“And you’re just going to put aside your family’s needs? Don’t be ungrateful,” my mother says, crossing her arms.
“I just want to be happy,” I mutter. “I want to study what I want.”
Artemis gives me an incredulous look.
“Even if that means turning your back on your family?”
“I’m not . . .”
“No.” My father interjects. “We’ve all made sacrifices for this family, Ares. Do you think Artemis wanted to study management? No, but he did it for us. We have what we have because we’ve all put aside individual wants for what we need as a family.”
“Really? How happy are you, Artemis?” My older brother gives me a cold look, and I look at my father. “Or are you, Dad? What good is so much money if we can’t do what we want?”
My mother reprimands me. “Don’t be impertinent! Your father has already given you an answer.”
“I’m not going to study management,” I repeat. I can see my father clench his jaw.
“Then you won’t study anything.” His coldness surprises me. “Nothing will come out of my pocket for your schooling if you don’t study what we need. I will not support a son who does not support the good of his family.”
Apolo speaks for the first time.
“Dad . . .”
A lump forms in my throat, but I don’t let tears fall from my eyes. I don’t want to look weaker than I already have.
“Dad, I want to be happy,” I say, not caring that everyone is watching me. “Without your support I can’t make it. Without financial support there is nothing I can do. Medical schools are expensive. Please support me.”
My father’s expression does not waver.
“The answer is no, Ares.”
My mind travels to an old memory when Dad was different, before he turned out like this.
“Dad, you know you are my hero . . .” The little boy runs around his father and hugs him. My father smiles at the child—at me.
“I always will be, I will keep you safe.”
My mother’s betrayal has changed him so much. Controlling the pain in my heart, I get up and walk out the door. I can hear Apolo talking to my father in the background, pleading with him, but I just keep walking.
When I get to my room, Raquel rises from the bed, looking at me cautiously. I thank the world for having someone who supports me unconditionally, who won’t turn her back on me, who I can break down in front of without embarrassment.
I’m trembling, and my vision is blurred by tears. She was right. I want to study medicine with all my heart, and now that dream has shattered. Raquel walks toward me slowly, as if she is worried that any sudden movement will push me away. Her mouth opens, but she says nothing. When she reaches me, she hugs me, and I bury my face in her neck, crying. I’m not ashamed, not with her. She knows every side of me. She has believed in me far more than my own father.
“Shhh,” she whispers, stroking my hair. “You’ll be all right, it’s going to be all right.”
I hear the door open and immediately pull away from Raquel, wiping away my tears defensively. Apolo comes in, and his eyes are red.
“You can count on me,” he says with determination. “I want you to know that not everyone in this family is turning their back on you. Count on me.”
He smiles at me, but the sadness in his eyes is obvious.
“We’ll look for scholarships. We’ll both work part time. We’ll figure it out . . .” His voice breaks. “You deserve to be happy, and you’re not alone. Do you understand?”
This idiot . . . I smile and nod.
“I understand.”
“Good.” He gives me a thumbs up. Raquel grabs both our hands, smiling at us.
“We’ll figure it out,” she says.
I know it’s not going to be easy and the odds are against it, but for some reason I believe them, so I smile.
“We’ll figure it out.”
FIFTY
The Job
- RAQUEL -
Apolo, Ares, and I are doing our best working the evening shift at Dream Burgers after school.
However, I’m hating my boyfriend right now. I know, how could I when I can hardly believe he’s really my boyfriend? But why does he have to be so attractive? Why does everything have to look good on him? The Dream Burgers uniform is the most antisensual clothing in the world, and yet Ares looks great in it.
I grunt, noticing a group of three girls smiling at him and sharing glances while he’s taking orders behind the register. I understand them, I really do, but this Dream Burgers has turned into a fucking circus since Ares started working here a week ago. I swear we’ve seen an increase in our female clientele because of him. The manager is just as fascinated with Ares, and I have to watch half the town come in here every day to see my boyfriend.