14 parts Ongoing MatureI shoved my black curly hair behind my ear, staring at my reflection in the cracked hallway mirror. Black eyes, tan skin-Italian on my mother's side, a little olive glow from spending too much time inside hiding from the world. My lips were set in that sarcastic line I always used when I didn't want to show fear. I looked small, unassuming, harmless. Perfect for slipping through the cracks unnoticed.
"Sophia, are you even listening?!" my mother barked from the kitchen, her voice sharp and jagged.
I sighed, walking toward the sound. "I'm listening," I muttered, though I wasn't. Her words had lost meaning after years of shouting, threats, and empty promises.
"You think I like living like this?" she snapped, slamming a hand on the counter. "Your father can't do anything right, and now-now we're going to lose everything. Do you understand that?"
"Yes, Mom," I said softly, dropping my gaze to the floor. I didn't flinch. Not outwardly. Inside, my stomach twisted like a knot of barbed wire.
Dad didn't look up. He was hunched over the kitchen table, bills and letters spread out in front of him. The lines on his face had deepened in the past year. I didn't even know how long it had been since he'd smiled. "It's not like we have money to pay them," he muttered, voice low, almost broken.
Mom spun toward him, eyes blazing. "Then what do you expect? That we just...give up? Sophia's going to fix this!"
I froze mid-step. The words hit me like a punch to the chest. My parents had...sold me. Not even metaphorically. Literally. "Sold" was the only word that fit.