Just Pucking Money [COMPLETED]

Chapter 57 - I already do

Lily

All around me, people are rushing to get their last minute Christmas shopping done. There's music and bright lights everywhere. Santas and reindeer and ads showing the perfect Christmas present.

Meanwhile, my insides are dying. I almost unblocked Ethan just so I could know if he's engaged yet. But I couldn't bring myself to do it. I'm sure I'll hear about it when it's public. News like that will be all over UNI in a heartbeat.

I never should have let myself fall so deeply for him.

I check my phone yet again for any messages, and sigh as I see an incoming call from Alice. I move away from the worst of the crowd before I answer.

"Merry Christmas, Alice."

"And a Merry Christmas to you." She sounds much too cheery and I don't like it. "I have great news."

"Oh?"

"The house sold."

It's like everything around me falls away.

"What?"

"And we got over the asking price. Anyway, I'm just calling you to let you know you need to come and get your things."

"I can't afford to travel right now." My head is spinning. She's wrong. She has to be wrong. "The house sold?"

"It sure did. I'm already looking for a place for me and Dan, so you need to take care of your things."

"Can't you just pack it up and keep it safe?"

"Lily. You can't put all of this work on me. I'm very busy. And I'm not a storage facility. Where would I even keep it?"

"I don't know." She sold the house. I signed the papers. I knew it was coming. But somehow, I didn't expect it to happen so soon.

"We can just leave whatever we don't want. I think the new owners might tear it all down, so it doesn't matter."

Tear it down? My house? Who would tear down the place where I grew up? That can't be right. But, my things. I have memories there, photo albums and letters my mom wrote.

"Please don't do that. Everything I have left from my mom is in that house."

Alice sighs with exaggeration. "You have until the end of January until we have to be out. I'm sure you'll figure something out."

Fuck. Why is this happening to me? Fuck, fuck, fuck. But there's no point in feeling sorry for myself. Right now, I have a problem to solve.

"I will. I'll figure something out."

"Great."

Another thought hits me. "How much money did we get?"

"Well, there are fees and closing costs and a whole bunch of stuff. You don't have to worry about it. The main thing is that we got over asking. The buyer seemed very eager to get his hands on the house. I think he's a developer or something."

"That's great. Maybe the money could pay for my tuition next year if I can't get a scholarship."

"Maybe. I have to go now. Dan needs lunch."

"Ok, wish him a Merry Christmas for me."

She's hung up.

Having some extra money will be such a relief, but fuck, it hurts to lose my childhood home.

I'm floating, disconnected, as I continue my shopping. It's like an anchor has been severed and I don't know how to stop myself from drifting away.

But was the anchor the house, or Ethan?