Chapter 2

But thanks to her damn mother, Leah, it was ruined. Just like she ruined the Christmas dance, showing up drunk. Just like she ruined the school prom, appearing as the date of one of the students.

"I hate her!" Evie grumbled, while Felippa caressed her curly hair. "What did I do to deserve a mother like her?"

"Nothing, Evie. You're not to blame for her being a shitty mother."

Sniffling, Evangeline moved away from her friend and stared at her.

"What am I going to do, Felps? It was my dream in that box. There's no way I can get that money in time."

The girl with dyed red hair, in desperate need of a root touch-up, stood up and started pacing back and forth.

"Well, there is one thing, but you won't like it."

"What?"

"Do you remember JJ?"

Evie didn't need to make any effort. She was referring to the slim, light-eyed black boy whom Felippa had a torrid year-long love affair with. No one knew his name; they simply called him JJ. Not even Felippa knew.

"What about him?" Evangeline shrugged.

She didn't think for a moment that this boy could help her.

"He joined the gang from the street below some time ago."

"Really?" Felippa nodded. "We talk every day, and you never told me."

"It wasn't relevant, anyway. He knows someone who lends money. Well, with interest, but they do lend."

"A loan shark?"

"Yes, but not exactly. I don't know who the person is who lends. I just know they exist."

Evangeline began to weigh the pros and cons of that idea. The pros were perfect. She would perform at the recital, someone would fall in love with her, and they would take her on tour. The con was just one. She would be killed if she didn't pay the guy.

"No way," she said, trying to push that tempting desire to accept it out of her head. "I want to be alive to be famous."

"Oh, my friend, I..."

The trailer door was abruptly opened, causing the two friends to stop talking. Leah, Evangeline's mother, entered the small space, stumbling and holding a paper bag in her hands.

"Daughter!" Leah smiled broadly and tried to hug the girl, who pulled away. "What's this? What happened?"

Evangeline glanced at Felippa, who understood immediately. The girl smiled shyly at the older woman and stood up, heading towards the door.

"If you change your mind, let me know."

Evie shook her head, but she had no intention of borrowing money from anyone. She had her own money. Her mother would have to give it back.

"What's gotten into this girl?"

"What's gotten into you!" Evangeline leaned against the thin wall of the trailer and confronted her mother, who was sitting in a chair. "Where the hell is my money?"

"Your what?"

Leah squinted her eyes and stared at her daughter. She was drunk, but still sharp enough to speak some truths to her heir.

"My money!"

"Girl, you eat and sleep here for free. There's no such thing as your money. I needed it, so I took it."

Evangeline felt her blood rushing and exploding in her head. She let out a loud scream that Felippa could hear from her own trailer.

"WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?" she continued shouting. "THE MONEY WAS MINE! MINE!"

"Oh, Evangeline! Spare me." Leah stood up and opened the refrigerator, looking for something to eat. "Look at this. No food. And you're saving money for nothing."

"Nothing? Leah, that money was for the recital! Damn it!"

"To hell with this recital nonsense. Instead of looking for something better to make money, you waste time playing that crap."

As she walked towards her room, Leah kicked Evangeline's instrument case, making her even more furious.

"STOP KICKING!" Evie crouched down and held onto her instrument, embracing it, trying to protect it from further aggression. "Just because your life is a mess doesn't mean I have to accept that mine is."

"Blah, blah, blah. Enough talking. I need to take a shower and go to bed. I have work early tomorrow."

"Please, Mom." Evie's eyes burned so much that she couldn't hold back the tears anymore. "It's my dream. I had been saving that money for so long."

Leah was unmoved by her daughter's tears. To her, the only things that mattered were her drinks and the various men she had sex with. Her greatest dream was for her daughter to use her beauty to hook a wealthy man and get them out of all that misery.

But contrary to her mother's desires, Evie had completely different plans.

"I've already spent it." That's the only thing Leah said before locking herself in the bathroom.

Knowing that her mother would hide in the bathroom until she fell asleep, Evangeline crawls to bed and lies down, crying profusely while still clutching her musical instrument. Hungry and saddened by having to give up something she loves so much, Evangeline falls asleep, trying to dream of a life where her mother is not an outcast.

[...]

The next day, the girl spent the entire day lying down, lamenting the life she led. Felippa knocked on the door a few times, but since Evie didn't make any noise, she assumed her friend was out.

In the evening, when Leah returned from her job as a housekeeper, she brought leftovers from the lunch served at her workplace. Upon seeing her daughter still lying in bed, wearing the same clothes as the day before, a hint of the mother she was appeared.

"There's a party tomorrow at the mansion where I work," she said, approaching the bed where Evangeline lay. "They need people to serve the guests, and I thought of you. Are you up for it?"

Evangeline didn't even think twice. She quickly sat up in bed and stared at her mother. For the first time in years, she felt that the woman in front of her was being sincere.

"What do you mean?" she asked.