But nothing bothers me more than the shopping trip I share with Jocelyn after school. I insist on helping her find an outfit for prom, not that she’s been asked yet, but I have a very strong feeling that she will be. But it’s one word that quickly ends my three day vacation.
“Declined,” the lady behind the cash register purses her lips at me.
My cheeks redden slightly. “No, it can’t be. Run it through again.”
She sighs and almost smiles as the cash register dings. “Declined again.”
I snatch my card out of her hand, and reach into my wallet passing her another one. “Here, try this.”
And to my utter dismay, she passes it back. “Declined.”
Jocelyn taps me on the shoulder. “We don’t have to get it today.”
“No. My cards work. I know they do.” I grab another one. One that I’m sure has money, because it’s my emergency card. I never use it, and my dad always keeps some money in that account for me. She slides it through. “Declined. I’ll just put this dress back for you, ma’am.”
I cover my blushing cheeks with my hands. “Oh my god, Jocelyn. I’m so sorry.”
She waves it off. “It’s no big deal. I didn’t need a dress anyways.”
She may think it’s no problem, but I, on the other hand, find it highly appalling. After dropping her off at her house, I rush back towards my own, ready to find out what the deal is. And nothing is more shocking than when I see Weston’s dad sitting at the dining room table, and my dad sitting across from him.
“Addelyn,” Weston’s dad greets me, and I can tell he still a little wary of me after I ‘broke into his house’.
I smile briefly at him, before turning my attention to my dad. “What’s going on? Why aren’t the credit cards working?”
It’s not until then that I notice the giant eviction paper resting on the table. He looks up at me, stress filling his face. “Addelyn, I have something to tell you.”
He explains the situation, and I can’t help but reflect back on Kristina’s words. The bankruptcy. My father’s business crumbling to pieces. I didn’t believe her, and now those exact words are coming back to haunt me. But eviction was most certainly not something she mentioned.
“I knew I should’ve have trusted that man with my personal papers.” My father says. “I specifically asked him to file the official papers that protected us from losing our personal property if the business went under. I should’ve done it myself.”
“Well they can’t do that. We were scammed. They can’t take our house away. And they can’t evict us so quickly either. Where do they expect us to go? What do they expect us to do?”
“Apparently, the state of Virginia doesn’t care much about whether or not someone was scammed.” Weston’s father explains. “I’m sorry Matthew, but I don’t have enough time to haggle with the bank. Until this is settled, you’re going to have to find somewhere to go.”
“How can I do that if I don’t even have the money to pull the car out of the driveway?” The stress is obvious in his voice.
“Do you have any relatives to stay with?”
“My parents have retired in France. Most of my wife’s family is dead. We have nothing but this home.”
There’s dead silence. I can’t help but feel horrible. I could’ve done something. I could’ve said something, and stopped this, maybe. But I walked away.
YOU ARE READING
Strictly Business
Teen Fiction"It's so simple," I say. "All we have to do is pretend we're in love with each other. You know, hold hands, share Eskimo kisses and all that crap. And at the same time, we'll destroy Jackson and Kristina's relationship. Make them think that thei...
Strictly Business~ Parental Faculties and Co-ed Sleepovers
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