181 Days of Madeline Jesty

Chapter 50: A Spark

"She's the—"

Even without continuing what I was about to say, Mickey already nodded.

"I thought you were not being serious!" her mother commented as she wiped her hands on her shirt. She was about to reach for a handshake, but she paused after seemingly realizing I was familiar. "I-isn't she the daughter of one of the sponsors of the school?"

When Mickey nodded, her mother began to panic. "Oh my, I'm sorry, madam—"

"Ma—"

"Please, you don't have to call me madam," I interrupted Mickey then introduced myself. "I'm Maddie, Mickey's classmate."

"So, you're using Mickey in class too?"

"Yes, Ma," Mickey responded.

Her mother looked at me, genuinely worried about her daughter. "Is she giving your class a hard time?"

I laughed at her question. "No, ma'am. Mickey is as studious as me, in fact."

"Good, because she has to maintain her grades, or else . . . I don't know where to enroll this poor child. How about . . . is your class okay with her? Have they found out who we are?" Her shaking voice told me this was her root of her concern—that Mickey would be left alone if our classmates found out Mickey was not in the same financial status as us.

Mickey held her mother's arm. "Ma, I trust Maddie. She won't tell a soul."

If I could remember it right, Mickey said that she transferred schools because her mother had an opportunity here she couldn't miss. I realized that the opportunity she was talking about was not her mother's job but her scholarship, as it was no secret that our school accepted children of their employees as scholars as long as they maintained good grades and behavior.

"Don't worry, ma'am," I assured her. "Besides, there is nothing shameful about anything. Mickey's studying hard, working hard. If anyone will judge her just because of her financial status, that will definitely be envy. It's a reflection of who they are, not who Mickey is. But if it gets to that point, I will make sure I am at Mickey's side."

My short speech made Mickey's mother smile. My heart ached a little and wished I could see Mom—and Dad, if heavens would be so kind to bring him back—smile at my achievements too.

"I'm sorry. I didn't take her seriously when she said one of her classmates would be having a sleepover here. I mean . . . why, right? Please, Maddie, make yourself comfortable . . . oh, well, I'm sure you're not. You can . . . uhm . . . maybe Mickey could—"

"I'm fine here. Don't worry."

"Mom's a bit nervous, as you can see."

Her mother went back to her cooking, while Mickey and I went inside the only bedroom in the house. It had a loft-type design, but a covered mattress was there instead of a working space under the mezzanine, which served as her mother's area. The mezzanine, on the other hand, was her own space.

Their room was like a bed bunk itself. Only a small window allowed light to enter.

We climbed up the small stairs that led to her space. It only had three noticeable items: a stainless-steel clothes rack where her uniform and clothes were mounted to a wall, a mattress that served as her bed, and a folded study table.

"Small, isn't it?" She sighed as she placed my backpack on her mattress. We both sat on it as she did.

"I don't care, Mickey."

"You won't now . . . but soon maybe. That's why I'm working double time."

"That's why you lied."