10:42 PM, New York City
PIPER
I opened the door to my apartment and closed it slowly, my eyes staring at the ground.
One day. What was I supposed to do in one day? Rob a bank?
If the situation hadn’t been so grave, I just might have laughed at that.
I turned and banged my head against the door, and then banged it a few more times.
All of this had happened because I had tried to find some alternative means of paying of my college loans. When I dropped out of college before I had gotten my degree, I was told that I would have to pay back my loans in the next year. Being the stupid young adult that I was, instead of spending that year to get a job and gain some money to pay back the loans, I went out partying and got a boyfriend who later ended up dumping me and stealing what little money I had left. It was a bit backwards, considering it’s usually the girl who runs off with the money in a bad relationship, but in that particular case I sometimes doubted whether I actually was the girl in the relationship.
I shook my head.
You could always ask Mom… That little nagging voice told me. Wouldn’t it be better to owe your mother than someone who was probably going to kill you?
I scoffed at myself. Even if she had any money, I had told myself I would never trust that woman again, and I wasn’t about to break that promise even if my life depended on it.
And that was when it hit me. I felt like I had run into a brick wall.
I was going to die. And there was nothing I could do about it.
The more I thought about it, the worse I felt. My life started crashing down on me until it pushed me into the floor, smothering me until I began to sob uncontrollably.
I had always wanted to be someone. I had gone to college because I had planned to be the best engineer out there. I had “potential,” as my mother used to say, and look where it had gotten me. I had done even less in life than she did. Heck, I had probably done even less than my no-good brother had.
My brother. Now that was someone I hadn’t thought about in a while. Funny the things you think of when you’re about to die.
As I sat on the floor mulling about how worthless my life had been up to this point I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket.
Not now, can’t you see I’m having a moment?
My phone didn’t seem to care though, as it kept ringing incessantly.
Finally, I gave in. I took a few deep breaths as I tried to get my crying under control, then wiped my eyes with my sleeve. I pulled out my phone and pushed the answer button, not even bothering to read the caller ID.
“Hello?” My voice was quiet and wobbly, so I cleared my throat and tried again. “This is Piper.”
“Hey sweetie, it’s mom.”
My tongue must have dropped to my stomach, because when I tried to speak, nothing came out.
“Honey?” my mother repeated, her voice slightly slurred in a tell-tale sign that she was once again drunk. “I need to ask you for something.”
I wanted to say so many things right then; all the rage and tears and loneliness that had built up over the past 10 years, but all that came out was, “What.”
“I’m… In a bit of a jam.” My mom continued as if she didn’t sense anything strange in my tone of voice. “I need a bit of money, not too much, just a couple hundred, but-“
I felt my hand tremble and my jaw set. “No.” And then I hung up.
The phone rang again. I knew it was her again, but for some reason I answered it anyway.
“Honey, it’s only five hundred. I’ll be able to pay you back next month. I just need it for-“
“No mom. Stop calling me,” I said, surprised at how calm I sounded. Needless to say, I hung up again.
I sighed and dropped my phone into my lap while I let my head loll against the door behind me.
Mom needed money. Surprise surprise. It must have been hereditary.
Well Mom, you can have my money in two days. All negative ten thousand of it.
When my phone rang for a third time, I simply stared at it. Did she really have the nerve to call again? Did she really think I’d have any pity for her?
Without thinking, I snatched up the phone once more.
“No mom, I won’t give you any money. You know why? Because I’m going to die in two days! You hear me? Die!” I felt my throat start to tighten as tears began to well again, but I wasn’t about to stop. “Not that you’d care. Oh no, you never cared. In fact, the only time you even think to call your daughter is when you need to milk more money out of her. And you know what? You’re part of the reason I’m in this mess! I wouldn’t even be here if it wasn’t for you!” My voice rose with the last two sentences in a grand crescendo that finally broke down into violent sobs.
The other end of the line was completely silent as they listened to me. Finally, they spoke. “Piper?”
That voice was enough to quiet the choking sounds that came from my mouth. This wasn’t my mother… I pulled the phone away from my ear and stared at the screen to see if I recognized the number. I didn’t. But there was something in the voice that I did recognize.
“It’s Aaron. Your brother.”
