Worth the Effort: Ella's Story

Chapter 4

Later, I'm sitting in American Government and feel my phone vibrate. I glance at the clock on the wall to see how much time is left in the class, before I focus on the teacher again. Things like the Electoral College are difficult for me to understand, and I really need a good grade.

When the bell rings, I pull my phone out of my back pocket and read the text.

Your dad is in town. Taking you to dinner tonight. He'll pick you up at 8.

What the text doesn't spell out, but I am able to discern, is, 1) My mom is working late. 2) They argued over his right to see me. 3) Neither of them remember, or care to acknowledge, that I work at 4:00 A.M. on weekday mornings.

I don't really like my parents.

My mother is stunning. People stop in their tracks to watch her pass by. She's elegant, and intelligent, and powerful. Men want her, but they are scared to death of her. She likes it that way. I think she had me because it was expected of her. I don't think she thought about how I'd fit in her life past the age of five. She divorced my dad when she caught him in the shower with my babysitter.

My father is arrogant. Extremely good looking. Richer than God. Head of some financial conglomeration thing where people pander to him constantly. Always traveling because he owns stuff all over the world. I think he only remembers me when his assistant schedules a reminder on his calendar.

I don't think my parents really like me either.

I want to go to college and major in environmental studies. In particular, I'm interested in forest health. My grades aren't that great, so I'm worried I won't get into any of my top college choices. Mom hisses at my love for the environment as if it's a scorpion that stings her. Dad treats it like an adorable little hobby that I will eventually grow out of. My parents want me to be a business mogul of some sort. Finance like my dad, real estate like my mom, or some other eat-up-the-world-and-spit-it-out profession. My parents think I'm a coward. Though I tend to agree with them, I'm determined to prove them wrong.

Or at least ignore them.