Cameron x Nash Short Stories - cash -

The Gilded Age Part One

For @shawnxcash, I'm sorry if this isn't what you wanted.

It's a strange thing to know that you belong to someone, to know that I am not my own person. Someone owns me. He's owned me since I was a child. I haven't exactly been able to piece together the entire story, the bits and pieces that I've overheard confuse me more than anything.

He's paid for my private prep school, Dalton School, in Upper East Side New York mainly because he pulled some strings to have them accept me as a student. It's a very selective college preparatory school, the majority of the students are headed to Ivy League universities upon graduation. I have no idea what I will do with my future. I have no control over my own life.

He's done all of this and I've never even met him. I know he's seen me, I know he's watched me but I've never met him and I don't even know his name. But he owns me.

I celebrated my 17th birthday yesterday. By myself. My mother was never the loving kind and I've never really had a birthday celebration. I used to think that my mom wasn't affectionate with me because she knew she would lose me one day, but I've lived with her all 17 years of my life.

Winter break is almost over, January 2nd I will return to the hell known as Dalton School. I never made any friends and honestly, I prefer it that way. Even though I attend such an expensive and prestigious school my mom and I are poor, we live in a 1 bedroom tiny apartment. She has her room and I sleep on the couch. I've pretty much outgrown the couch, my legs dangle off the edge and it's not very comfortable. I wish we could afford a pull out sofa but we can't so I just have to deal with it. I keep my uniform as pristine as possible, my owner buys me a new set every school year. Somehow, they always fit perfectly. I try not to think too much about it.

My mom has been markedly more distant during my break. She barely talked to me and now that I think about it, she was barely even home. Sometimes I wish she was like the other mothers I see, they pick up their children from school, give them hugs and kisses. Sometimes I sit outside my school and just watch and long for some type of affection.

I think I'm depressed, I don't find joy in anything and I don't want to do anything. I just lie in bed all day and idly watch TV. I don't have a cellphone and we don't have cable so I always just have to watch whatever is on the regular channels. My entire existence is boring, it's blank and it makes me sad.

I'm going into the spring semester of my junior year in high school. All of the students have divided cliques, I don't have anyone. I spend my lunch in a booth by myself. The only thing I excel at is my academics, I have all A's and perfect attendance. I come to school sick because I don't want to lie on the couch sick and miserable. I need the distraction of school.

In the summer I used to visit my father in North Carolina but ever since he got remarried and had a child he no longer buys my plane tickets to come and see him. I've never even met my half-sister Skylynn. Whenever I bring up going to visit him he always tells me that he'll look into it, but he never does. He barely calls me anyway.

I spend the rest of my free days lying on the couch with the TV on. I can't wait to go back to school, I need something to do or else I'll go crazy. The night before returning to school I set my alarm and I iron my uniforms. Dalton School is very strict about the uniforms, they have to be wrinkle free, the tie has to be tied correctly and shirts tucked in. I've somehow gotten away with having longer hair than allowed, I'm going to keep it that way until someone says something.

The next morning I'm up bright and early. I arrive to school a little early but I use the time to organize my locker and get my books for my classes. I'm so relieved to finally have something to do, I know I'm strange for loving school so much but it's my escape from the misery of that small apartment and a mother that doesn't care for me at all. The day goes by too fast and before I know it it's time to head home. I back my book bag head out to catch the subway home.