a

seared into my eyes like punishment, and I stumbled across the cold floor, my feet slapping against the wood, straight into the bathroom. My kne

in a row. No, the fifth.

. I knew she would follow me. My mom never misses a chance to remind me that I'm a fuck-up. She stood in the door

as Vegas," she muttered, her voice hard, like s

and I wasn't in the mood to explain how morning sickness wor

nly, like her voice alone

by heavy footsteps. Dad appeared a few seconds later, still wearing his worn-out robe, hi

t, woman?"

r that should've come with a stage spotlight. "I've been watching her for

me down. Swirl me into the pipes,

Our daughter is only twenty

strength to say it. My hands were shaking, my forehead pressed to the coo

athroom door open wider. "Kat

the edge of the sink. My reflection looked like a ghost with a hangov

hroom just in time to tur

tell me you ate something bad. Maybe it's food poi

wn me love, not the woman who pushed me out to this world with her pussy and acted like it didn't matte

Mom snapped. "Ka

out a small white box like it was a weapon. "I

The box was light but felt l

d pee. I'll d

ght. Never did. This was never about me, not really. It was about what I'd do

s clutching it like it might explode. The plastic felt foreign and

on th

ands like a jailer collecting contraband. She marched out of the bathroom, her mouth twiste

on the tile like she was counting the seconds u

s later, s

lding the test like it was blo

he couch like his knees had

PONSIBLE?"

ed, and no sound wanted to come out. Besides, sh

so hard that my head jerked sideway

TION, YOU FUCKING S

e worst part was how easy it was f

thing. She didn't care. She never did. Her love came with s

for more sins to accuse me of. That's when she saw it

ked, her voice low no

m that was so rich in color it looked like it had been plucked from the heart of a fire. It didn't sparkle like cheap jewelry; it burned, slow and low, like it was alive with its own light. The design was int

on the hand of a girl like me. I searched for the ring online, but nothing. B

when something's funny. It was manic, broken, and high-pitched, like

she shrieked, her voice

. My voice felt like it h

ken remote, the wilted houseplant in the corner, and the chipped mug

e beginning

ificate. "You want to play grown-up?" she hissed. "Well, we

wer, venom wrapped in velvet. "Are you

ke, voice thin.

. "Don't defend her. She ha

My voice didn't sound like mine; it was harder, ra

d now you're going to ruin your

ething cold settled in my chest. "You act

p for a second.

ng here," she sai

Dad star

he made her choice. L