Dielive [ENGLISH]

THREE

MY EARS were still perfect, healthy and could do their job well. However, Mom's words just now made me silent as if I were deaf.

"You will sleep in the room upstairs, then your little brother," Mom stroked her stomach again, "will sleep in the room next to Mom."

"Wait - what?" I stared at Mom in disbelief. "You told me to... what? Live here?"

I turned to Phil. With this new person? And leave Dad?

I almost vomited the dirty words that were actually inherited from Mom herself. However, instead of doing that, I followed Dad's nature. I threw the napkin on the table and ran to the room.

When I stepped foot in the airport earlier, all I had in mind was that I would spend my summer vacation here for two weeks and sunbathe on the beach. That's it. Period.

Live here? No. No. I refused it desperately. It didn't matter that the place was small and different from Dad's house in Chicago. However, how could I live with a childish Mom and leave my life in Chicago? My perfect life. I had lots of friends at school. Will likes me. Dad, and Jason.

I really don't want to live in Florida. I don't want to leave Chicago. Graduate from high school, graduate from the University of Chicago and marry... whoever it is in Chicago! I swear I'll never go back down to change my mind.

Mom said after I turn seventeen. That's one more month. She's crazy. How could I just find out? This is so sudden.

Wait... but she also asked about Dad not telling me. They're in cahoots!

I curl up in my blanket and sob into my pillow. I've been betrayed. As I'm lost in my tears, someone opens the door. She sits on the edge of the bed.

"I'm sorry, I should have told you sooner." Mom's voice is weak.

"Yes, you should!"

"It's not as easy as you think, Nad."

I pull back the blanket and turn to look at her sharply. "Then what?"

"Actually the court order says after you turn seventeen, you have to live with me."

I laughed bitterly through my tears. "Just cancel it! I can't leave Dad!"

Mom remained silent. Her eyes clearly showed disappointment.

"This will be hard for all of us, Mom." I looked around the narrow room. The paint on the walls was cracked and some of the ventilation was broken. "We can't survive just by relying on Phil's job."

I said it clearly so that I was sure Mom understood what I meant. Yes, it was a matter of money. Of course, Dad was more able to support my life. However, I was sure Phil wouldn't receive a dime from Dad. So Phil would buy groceries, pay for electricity and water, and support Mom, my sister, and me. I hated Mom even more now.

"Fuck you! I'm staying with Dad!" I snapped, glaring.

"Nadya!" Mom snapped back. "Where did you learn to be so rude?"

"From you!"

I glared at her fiercely without mercy. Meanwhile, Mom was shocked and hurt. I was sure she was actually holding back from slapping me now because her hands were shaking. Finally Mom got up and left the room. I curled up in the blanket again.

I regretted it a little. My actions just now showed that I was becoming more like Mom. I didn't want that. Imagining my fate living in Florida for the next ten years was a nightmare.

I would definitely be a bar singer like Mom, whom I hated so much. And worse, I would never find true love. Yeah, maybe I would marry a Floridian. A tall, tanned, muscular man with a weird Spanish accent like Phil. Not a Chicagoan. Not Jason.

We used to joke that we would get married if there were no more humans left on earth. How should I tell Jason? Hey Jason, I'm moving to Florida forever. Forget about me!

Someone knocked on the door again politely.

"Go away, Mom! I'm not changing my mind!" I snapped.

However, the door was unlocked, so it went back inside. The sound of footsteps approaching, I pulled the blanket, buried my face in the pillow and closed my eyes tightly.

"Nadya?" he called.

I was shocked and woke up facing Phil. His face was calm, not at all explosive like Mom's. But there was still a mystery in his eyes. His jaw was set firmly.

What are you doing here? I thought, but I surprised myself because I was able to ask more politely.

"What's wrong?"

"I know this is hard for you, but try to understand, there's no other way."

Yeah, there's no other way. He was right, actually. This was a court decision. I really hoped Dad could pay the court to change this decision. But that wasn't something Dad would do. He was as law-abiding as he was a doctor's oath and all. So expecting Dad to fight all this was just impossible.

I just kept quiet. Phil pulled up a study chair and sat facing me. What did he really want? I was suspicious. If he intended to give me something on the condition that I obey, it was clearly unacceptable. Mom often gave me junk, but I still accepted it as a form of respect for her. This was another matter, I couldn't change my decision.

"Let's make a deal." His voice was clear, but not pushy.

Deal, he said. Okay. This was another matter. I knew he must be planning something with his deal, but this was interesting too. Usually in a deal, both parties would benefit.

"What deal?" I asked carefully.

He smiled a little, must have thought that he had won because he managed to get my attention. "Before your seventeenth birthday, you can spend time with your friends and your father in Chicago."

My brow furrowed. "What do you mean? You want me to throw you a farewell party?"

"You could call it that. After you turn seventeen, you come back to Florida with us."

Is there really no other way? Yeah, there really isn't. It would be hard to say goodbye to my friends. But it was better than nothing.

"I'll be home early?" I asked to make sure.

"Yeah, you'll be back a week early to Chicago."

I looked up, taking a deep breath. Then I'd have a few days to get everything ready. I'd say goodbye to my hometown, every corner of its streets, tell my friends and most importantly have some time with Dad.

"Okay, I agree."