Prologue
"Peyton, are you done yet? We're going to be late"
"Go ahead. I'll be right behind you" a lie. She would take her time. Arrive at the venue after the event was halfway through and then leave immediately after it was over. She had no desire to watch her classmates take pictures with their families or friends or both. If she could, she would stay at home and pretend it was another normal day. But she'd go if only to acknowledge the four years she'd spent getting her degree. Even if she had wanted to die most of the time. Peyton jumped when the door burst open and Shaelyn rushed in "Jesus! You scared the crap out of me"
"I know what you're thinking"
"Is it along the lines of 'I'll push you down the stairs if you start with your motivational speech again?"
"Today is your day. We are going to your graduation ceremony and after that, we'll get wasted. If we're lucky, we'll find you a hot guy who'll bang your brains out to end this beautiful, perfect day. Okay?"
"I'm totally alright if you want to skip the first part. We can go straight to the..."
"Nuh-uh. We need pictures as proof. You can shove them in her face and let her know you did it all on your own"
"Like she would care"
"Then get rich. Pick one of the companies that offered you a job and work your ass off. In five years I'll guarantee that she will be desperately looking for you"
"I want to move to another place where I can start all over again"
"That's the spirit. Now get your sexy ass ready. Remember to wear the dress I bought for you" Shay slapped her ass and then left. She was the only friend who'd stuck with her up to the very end. They were the same age but she'd graduated a year earlier because Peyton had been forced to defer due to lack of fees. Thankfully, with the help of her part-time job and support from her friend, she'd managed to finish school. A few companies had asked her to join them and she would have already accepted their offer if she hadn't decided to move. There was too much history, painful history in that city for her to handle. She needed a fresh start. A place where no one knew her or her past.
Taking a deep breath, she put on the navy blue skater dress that Shay had gotten for her. It was cute but the plunging neckline had her reconsidering. Would it be too sexy for graduation? But they were leaving right after and she could wear something on top to cover it. Especially because she wouldn't be wearing a bra. It wasn't that she was self-conscious of her body. But she wanted to avoid more rumors. It was the last day and it would be better if she disappeared in the background. If she was lucky, she wouldn't bump into the two people she hated the most. Her ex-boyfriend and her mother. She did her hair in a half updo hairstyle then grabbed her purse and left the room.
"How men are not falling at your feet is beyond me" Shay whistled
"Maybe because they're blind?"
"Definitely. If I wasn't engaged I'd marry you in a heartbeat"
"I'm not sure if that's a compliment but thank you"
She curtsied "You're welcome your highness"
Shaking her head, they left. But Peyton's stomach dropped when she saw her mother waiting for her at the entrance. There was no such thing as being lucky. Why couldn't the universe give her a break? It was just one day. Couldn't they let her have twenty-four hours without ruining it? "Did you tell her about today?"
"I'm the last person who'd invite her. Who else did you tell about your graduation?"
"No one" she replied grinding her teeth. There was no hope of going unnoticed. Elowen Lister's appearance could only mean one thing. She was either there for money or she was having a bad day and wanted to take it out on her only daughter "We are definitely skipping this graduation" she spun around only for her mother to ask,
"Where do you think you're going you ungrateful bitch?" Her voice was loud enough to turn a few heads. The nosy people paused, waiting to see what would happen next and Peyton braced herself. She would make a scene, call her names, blame her for everything bad that happened to her then leave. Because embarrassing her daughter was the only joy she had left in her miserable life "How could you not tell me about something so important? What do you take me for?"
The devil incarnate
"How did you find out?" She asked turning to face her. Old age made her worse. She didn't care if they had an audience or not. At least when she was a kid, she'd hold her tongue in public in case there was an admirer around. Now? Elowen didn't give a fuck.
"Is that all you want to know? How could you not tell me?"
"Drop the pretense. What do you want?" She raised her hand to slap her because violence was her way of asserting authority but Shay grabbed it.
"People are watching"
"So what? She's my daughter and I will teach her a lesson if she speaks to me like that again. I gave up my youth to raise her. The least you should do is respect me you ungrateful brat".
"I don't have any money"
"You have three months to get yourself a job and start supporting me. I did not suffer for nothing. I expect at least ten thousand dollars a month"
"I'm leaving. In a week I'll move to another country and forget you ever existed" She walked past her ignoring the insults hurled at her. Just a few more days and she would be free from that woman. How would that life be? She couldn't wait to find out. Surprisingly, Shae had managed to make Elowen leave or maybe security had kicked her out. Whatever it was, Peyton was grateful.
The ceremony was short. Peyton didn't bother staying for pictures. She left the second it was over. Suspecting her mother might be waiting for her at home, she went in the opposite direction and ended up in a coffee shop, a few blocks away from the school. Shay couldn't join her because her boyfriend had called. They made a pact to go home tomorrow in order to avoid her mother. She watched people come and go all the while planning her future in her head. The idea was to not end up like the woman who had birthed her. She would plan every little detail of her life meticulously. Make money, save enough to last her a lifetime, and only then would she consider dating and having a relationship.
After a few cups of coffee, she moved to a restaurant where she had dinner alone. There was a family in a nearby table and a couple on the next. She envied them. How did it feel to have parents who loved and adored you? A lover who cherished you? A father who was present? Would she ever know? Her life had been a series of ups and downs. At some point, she'd considered herself an orphan and even acted like one. She expected nothing from Elowen. As she was paying, she thought of her next destination.
Peyton wondered if it was a good idea to go to a club alone. What if someone drugged her drink when she wasn't looking? But she couldn't go home either. She was almost sure that she devil was there waiting for her. She'd turned her phone off so her mother couldn't reach her but that woman wasn't above tracking her. A depressed, lonely woman shouldn't think of going to a club. But she'd rather chance it with the perverts than her mother. She would be careful.
The nightclub was packed even though it was barely nine. Music blared from every corner and she had to squeeze through sweaty bodies to reach the bar. After ordering a drink, she settled down and watched people dance. Was everyone as miserable as she was? If she could go back in time, what would she change? If only people chose their parents. She believed everything bad that happened in her life was Elowen's fault. Never her father. Because he hadn't been there. She didn't even know how he looked courtesy of her mother burning everything before she was born. Downing the drink, she ordered another one. Then a third and a fourth. In her head, she told herself to be careful. Sometimes, criminals don't have to drug someone.
However, a few hours and drinks later, she was being carried out by a stranger and even though she was drunk, she noticed what a great back he had. He must have thrown her over his shoulder because she felt dizzy. The last thing she heard him say was how stupid humans were.
