Read My Heart be Damned for Free Online Page B

again?”
    There was a long silence while Dad processed this. Then he cursed. “I can’t believe I forgot again. I’m sorry, Amerie . I’ll go pay it today.”
    “What about work?” I demanded.
    “I’m not going in today. I don’t feel well.”
    “Probably because you stayed out until four in the morning drinking.” I sighed. “Dad, I’m sick of this. I’m sick of acting like the parent. You’re the parent. Not me. So start being one.”
    “I’m trying, but it’s hard for me,” he snapped, sitting upright. Through the dark, I could just about make out his fluffy hair.
    “It’s hard for all of us,” I said. “But I still manage to get up each day and go to school. I even have a job now. A job I won’t ditch out on in favor of finding the bottom of a bottle.”
    “Watch your mouth. I’m still your father.”
    “Whatever. I’ll believe that when I see it.” And with that, I backed out of the room and slammed the door. The frame shook, and flecks of paint drifted down to the worn out carpet.
    “You’re always on his case.”
    I turned to look down the hall. Daniel was leaning out of his room, glaring at me. He wasn’t much younger – two years – but it was as if we had eons between us.
    “Someone has to be the adult. Can’t you feel how cold it is? This means no hot water too, Dan. You can’t take those long showers you usually love if we have no gas.”
    “I know what it means,” he snapped, running a hand over his shaved head. “Don’t get pissy at me.”
    “I’m just saying…” I said. My voice was softer this time. “Hey, wanna catch the Tube together this morning? Would be nice to travel to school together again.”
    “Nah, I’m okay. I’m meeting friends.”
    “Oh.”
    “Well, see you around if you don’t dramatically get frost bite and die.”
    I playfully stuck my middle finger up at him and slipped back into my room. How was I supposed to get ready without any hot water? Reaching under my bed, I grabbed the old photo album – a knee jerk reaction to whenever something bad went down in my house - and began flicking through the pages. This kind of thing never happened then, and Daniel and I were much closer. You’d never know we went to the same school now. For a few minutes as I stared at photos of happy faces, I pretended I was in my old bed in a well-heated room.

    “Are we friends again, yet?” I asked, tapping Mercy on the shoulder.
    She closed her locker and turned to face me. “Sorry about freaking out last night.”
    I smiled, knowing that he'd forgiven me. “All is cool in the world. You done?”
    Mercy nodded. “Yep. I’m ready to get my soul crushed.”
    “It’s only geography, Mercy.” I slipped an arm around her shoulder. “Oh, and I have so much to tell you.”
    I immediately launched into an animated and slightly untrue story of what had happened once she’d left last night. She made the appropriate gasps and facial expressions of disbelief in all the right places, and by the time I’d finished telling my story, we were outside our classroom.
    “Have you seen Chuck today?” I asked, loitering by the door.
    Mercy shook her head. “No, but to be honest, I wasn’t really looking for him. Kinda avoiding him, if you get what I mean. You haven’t said anything to him, have you?”
    “No! I mean, I didn’t even get a chance to talk to him. He’s kinda pissed at me too. Thinks I made him seem like less of a man because I stuck up for him.”
    A teacher herded us into the classroom. I took my seat, and Mercy sat next to me.
    “I didn’t, though, did I?”
    Mercy shrugged. “I’m still stuck at you being blackmailed into working at The Hut! Do I get free stuff now?”
    I rolled my eyes at her. “I don’t know about the free stuff, but in a way, it’s a good thing. I can help out my dad, and the money I made selling my stereo is rapidly decreasing.”
    “But I get free stuff right?” She stuck out her tongue playfully, and I shoved