Chapter 2: The Price of a Favor
The next morning, the house felt different.
Not louder.
Not more dramatic.
Just colder.
I woke up early, expecting another argument.
Instead, everything was strangely quiet.
I walked into the kitchen and saw Jessica sitting at the table with a cup of coffee.
She didn’t look at me.
For a moment, I wondered if maybe she was embarrassed.
Maybe she had realized what she had done.
Then she spoke.
“You really made your father angry.””
I stopped.
“I didn’t make him angry.””
She slowly looked up.
“Yes, you did.””
I stared at her.
“You spent my money.””
Jessica sighed.
“You always make everything about yourself.””
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
“My scholarship is about my future.””
“No,” she said.
“It’s about you refusing to help your family.””
I felt my anger rising.
“Family doesn’t steal from family.””
Her expression hardened.
“Watch your words.””
Before I could answer, Dad walked into the kitchen.
“What’s going on?””
Jessica immediately changed her tone.
“Nothing.””
Dad looked between us.
He knew her too well.
“Jessica.””
She looked away.
“I was just explaining how hurt I am.””
Dad frowned.
“Hurt?””
“Yes. Because Jasmine is acting like Cameron doesn’t matter.””
I almost laughed.
Cameron walked in at that moment, wearing his basketball jacket.
He stopped when he saw everyone’s faces.
“What happened?””
Nobody answered.
Dad looked at him.
“Your mother used Jasmine’s scholarship money for your team.””
Cameron’s face changed instantly.
“What?””
Jessica stood.
“Don’t involve him.””
Dad shook his head.
“He deserves to know.””
Cameron looked at me.
“Jasmine… is that true?””
I nodded slowly.
“I didn’t want this to happen.””
His face turned pale.
“I thought Mom paid for everything.””
“She did,” I said.
“With my money.””
Cameron looked embarrassed.
“I didn’t know.””
“I know.””
That was the worst part.
I believed Cameron.
He wasn’t the person who had taken from me.
Jessica was.
Cameron turned toward his mother.
“Mom, why would you do that?””
Jessica looked offended.
“Because I was helping you.””
“I didn’t ask you to steal Jasmine’s scholarship.””
The word hung in the air.
Steal.
Jessica’s face went red.
“Excuse me?””
Cameron shook his head.
“You should have asked.””
Dad watched him carefully.
For the first time, I saw Cameron understand what his mother had done.
Later that day, Dad sat with me at the dining table.
He had a notebook open.
“We’re going to make a plan.””
I wiped my eyes.
“What plan?””
“The money.””
“Dad, you don’t have to—”
“Yes, I do.””
He looked at me.
“You worked for that scholarship. Nobody gets to erase that.””
I smiled sadly.
“I just don’t understand why she did it.””
Dad was quiet for a moment.
Then he said something I never forgot.
“Some people don’t take because they need something. They take because they believe they’re entitled to it.””
That evening, Jessica came home from shopping.
But she wasn’t carrying bags.
She was carrying paperwork.
She placed a folder on the table.
“What’s this?”” Dad asked.
Jessica sat down.
“I found a solution.””
Dad opened the folder.
I leaned closer.
My heart sank.
It was a loan application.
“You’re taking out a loan?””
Jessica nodded.
“For Cameron’s basketball expenses.””
Dad looked confused.
“Why would you need another loan?””
She hesitated.
Then she said:
“Because I already promised the coach the team would have new equipment next season.””
Dad stared at her.
“You’re still thinking about basketball?””
Jessica crossed her arms.
“Cameron has a future.””
Dad slowly closed the folder.
“So does Jasmine.””
Jessica rolled her eyes.
“You always choose her.””
That sentence hurt.
Not because it was true.
Because it revealed everything.
Jessica didn’t see me as a daughter.
She saw me as competition.
Dad stood.
“No. I choose what is right.””
Jessica laughed bitterly.
“Right? You’re embarrassing me over some money.””
Dad looked at her.
“Some money?””
His voice became quiet.
“That money was my daughter’s chance.””
Nobody spoke.
Then Jessica grabbed her purse.
“You’ll regret treating me like this.””
She walked toward the door.
Dad didn’t move.
“Jessica.””
She stopped.
“If you think protecting my daughter is something I’ll regret, then you never understood me at all.””
She left.
I watched the door close.
And for the first time, I wondered if the woman who had lived in our house for years was someone I had never truly known.
But I didn’t know yet that Jessica had already started telling people a completely different story.
May you like
And soon, everyone would know my name.
Just not for the reason I wanted.
