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As Jamie entered her apartment, she immediately became tense. She hadn't expected to see her mother in the kitchen since the woman had made it her mission to avoid the apartment at all costs.
She diverts her eyes as she shuts and locks the door behind her. She attempted to make a beeline for her room, but was stopped by Amber.
"I need the keys to the car."
Jamie frowned, "What?"
"The keys." Amber says, "I need the car from now on."
"I need the car to get to the tournament. You told me it was practically mine." Jamie stammers
"Yeah, well, I need it back. It's your dad's anyway."
Jamie stared back at Amber before scoffing and putting the keys on the counter, "Right. Just another thing you guys want to do to punish me."
"We haven't talked in a month. I've been practically on my own since Barcelona."
"Well, I'm sorry if I'm a little upset at what you pulled."
"What? Telling the truth. Not being stuck in the middle of whatever game you and Dad want to play?"
"It's not a game, Jamie." Amber snaps, "What happened wasn't your business to tell."
"If that were the case, you and Dad wouldn't have pressured me to keep it a secret. Do you even understand what that did to me?"
"Not everything is about you, Jamie."
"Nothing ever is." Jamie yells, "Why couldn't Barcelona be about me? About you guys being my parents and being supportive?"
"It wasn't on purpose. It was just something that happened."
"And kept happening. You guys knew what that would do if it ever got out and you still decided to do it. To take my moment away from me." Jamie says, "God, you guys are so selfish."
"So are you." Amber yells, "You decided to ruin his family to protect your own conscience. Not once thinking about what it would do to others."
"And did you guys ever think about me?" Jamie cries, "I'm your daughter, Mom. No matter what, I should always come first to you. I'm competing in a world tournament that could completely change my life and while everyone has their family in their corner, I have no one. Not my dad, not my mom, no one."
"You did that to yourself." Amber says, "Whether you win or lose, you'll always have to live with what you did. With what you ruined."
Jamie lets out a shaky breath as tears continue to roll down her cheeks. She turns away toward the front door without another word. Slamming it shut behind her.
