Her grin drops.
“You think two minimum wage jobs would pay for an apartment?”
“Doesn’t hurt to try. We can find an older roommate to sign the lease.” She shrugs her shoulders.
This might work, and Kai turns eighteen soon. All three of us could live together. Paige and I can get part-time jobs after school. Kai would help us. Especially if that lets us be together more.
My mom doesn’t want me, anyway. This will take some stress off of her since she won’t have to worry about me anymore. It will show her I can make it on my own.
“First, we need to find jobs,” I say.
Her brows raise, and I can tell she’s hopeful. “So you want to?”
“Let’s see what jobs we can get first.”
“Claires at the mall are always hiring. We can try there.”
The mall closes at nine every night. The school day ends at two fifteen. By the time we drive there, we could start work at three thirty—if we drive fast. That would give us six in a half hours of paid time a night.
This might actually work.
Another dreadful week has gone by. Kai is on board with the three of us renting out an apartment and putting it under his name once he turns eighteen. A wide grin spread across his face when I told him our idea. We have to wait until his birthday, though, and he doesn’t turn eighteen until March. That gives us time to find jobs and save money.
“How are the applications going?” my mom asks.
I presented the idea of getting a job to my mom, and I told her it was mainly so I could learn more about having responsibilities. She was completely taken aback, especially coming from me. She doesn’t know about my plan to move out yet. I figured if she could see me working and making money, it would help her with the idea of me going out on my own.
She told me she would take me on Saturday, so here we are.
“Good.”
I walked through the mall, asking about job openings at all the stores I would want to work at. A lot of them refused after asking my age. A lot of sixteen-year-olds work, so I can’t understand why they only hire eighteen-year-olds. I got an application for Charlotte Russe, Rue21, and Wet Seal. We're eating at the food court while I fill them out so I can drop them off before we go home.
“I’m glad you’re taking on more responsibilities. That’ssomething you need,” she says as she dips her fry in fry sauce. Which is basically ketchup and mayo mixed together.
“Can I get a job, mom?” Bryn asks with her mouth full of a chicken nugget.
“No.” She giggles. “You’re too young. Maybe when you’re sixteen.”
“That’s not fair.” She pouts, crossing her arms over her chest and frowning.
“You need to be a kid and enjoy your childhood. You don’t want to work. Wouldn’t you rather play with your friends instead?”
“I guess so.”
My mom turns her attention toward me. “You could save up for a car.”
A car? I didn’t think about a car. None of us owns a car. Paige uses her mom’s and Kai uses his brother’s. They’re not going to let us take their cars. We’ll need to save up for that too. Kai did say he was saving for a car. I guess we can share his if he gets one.
After returning all the applications,we came home, and I went straight to my room. The tension between my mom and I is still there. It’s been a week since the party, but judging by how she’s acting, it feels like yesterday. I could tell she was a little more hopeful when I asked if she would take me to the mall to fill out job applications. There’s a sense of awkwardness now, living in her house; it’s like I need to ask permission to use anything. Ever since she threatened to put me into foster care, I feel like I don’t belong here. I still can’tbelieve she would really do that, but I know better than to call her bluff.
Bryn asked me to come and eat dinner with them. I’m sure my mom didn’t ask her to ask me because I truly feel like she still doesn’t care if I eat or not. It’s not her responsibility to feed me. It's awkward when I go to the kitchen and make myself something to eat. When I get my first paycheck, I’ll buy my own groceries.
“Why is everyone so quiet?” Bryn asks.
All three of us are sitting around the dining room table as we eat the pot roast my mom prepared. My mom and I have barely spoken a word, and she’s still not really making eye contact with me.
My mom clears her throat. “Bryn, what should we do tomorrow?”
