Fight For My Life

ge, my mother didn't hesita

er-in-law was secretly having

ding I hand over 500, 000 dollars. My parents took it even further, threa

I went to the bank to

, and my parents were forced to iss

ardboard box, and immediately locked

grown up, huh? Hanging up o

about this tomorrow?" I let out a wear

er. She sprang to her feet and slapped the box out of

with me. I've already told the matchmaker that y

sinking. "Are you really that

till wasting your life away. Do you have any idea how embarrassing this is for me? P

eous fury, like some martyr sacrificin

nly am I not getting married, but I've also lost my job. Are y

ges, I'd been dragged out of an important meeting and later fire

ammed her hands against the table and burst into loud, bitter sobs. "Why is my life so miserable

ediate. "Kelsey isn't an unreasonable kid. Ca

drift through life without consequences! Thirty years old, no husband, no fu

, but looking at my father, I rea

ing the scattered items off the f

as acting out of love. I'd always been n

o make things any ha

ent to the meetin

I'd been dragged into, this man wasted no

once the money's paid, tell your parents not to expect an

tting me- my mother was using me as

e, the price they were asking f

the game they wanted to pl

come from a family where things like marriage are often decid

van said with a laugh, sliding his large, sweaty

back, my original plan s

very next day, he showed

uldn't help but wander toward my b

, but I also made sure to s

h? Well, I couldn't just l

ere seeing Nigel out, I decided it wa

ee to ask for whatever yo

you're making demands before you're even married?

, only asking for half. Think it over- if I pull

was fuming, but at this point, she c

g in their room. "Take what we can get. At least

ould've married her off. She was younger and pr

. From now on, we'll feign illness now and then to gai

zing that someone's kindness could, i

riend must be rich

uldn't forget how, behind my back, she had badmouthed me

a wealthy family?" I asked

ned, and she forced a smile. "

new idea. "You know what? I heard Nigel is setti

nda made an excuse to leav

he sound of things be

000, and I'm only worth 100, 000

her voice cold, asked, "Is it true that Nigel is s

now anything about it," I

the money. Quit showing off," she snapped. My brother, probably furious at Lind

n't even come up with a marriage fund, is nothing

se? Apologize to Jeremy right now!" My mother fina

you really throw me out? I'm th

age; she was so angry she loo

n a dog would turn its nose up at it, a

od, started choking violently, his face tur

up, you think you can do whatever you want? Don't thi

smack echoed through the room- my mo

our own girlfriend in line, and you're

swung her glare back at me. Before she could get a word out, I

this anymore

ly insane!" My mother sat frozen on

scrambled to grab me a

not. All they cared about was keeping me here- because

me in, I jammed the

LP" across a white shirt in big, frantic letters

ong with multiple posts exposing how my parents were trying to force me into an arranged ma

f an hour before there

wood and caught the unmista

cops. May karma treat them better t

clearly clueless about how to explain themselves. Finally, with n

t going to hit me again!" I sho

u! What's wrong with you?" My father, ever

ly stepped out- eyes puffy, face smudged with fake tears a

of your mind?" My mother snapped, poi

rms to shield myself, bracin

room exchanged a knowing

ell us what happened. We

e of safety", and I poured out everyt

use us of abuse?" My brother jumped

standing there, I was pretty sure

with a hard stare. "Your att

n the couch, casting fur

d to turn the whole situation aroun

uilty or not, they l

t home might lead to more trouble, sugg

neighbors, I managed to slip away fr

cursing under her breath- calling me an ungrateful brat and wai

about me on Facebook. I found her posts pretty tame,

pretty soon, her acc

oul language was

hotel, cabin fever got the be

pping out one after the other. Coincidence? Maybe. But

elf. I followed fro

essage, "If you want your girlfriend,

ver, still in hi

re messing with me, yo

ht away, he called me, his

yourself a heart attack. If the Binder family ends

our concern. Lind

back, I saw the com

growing crowd. Loud enough for everyone to hear, I muttered, "Oh boy, cheating in bro

gel, which had been cooling off,

uld get there, I melted into

icly humiliated by his girlfriend would fin

later, I got a c

ad. You need to

cream curses at a brick wall for half an hour without taking a breath- she was the la

brewing, I decided to go s

he stares, sharp, heavy, lingering... Clearly, my parents

as greeted by my mother's wailing, ech

I'd move heaven and earth for you!" She was clinging to Jeremy like her life depended on it. Jeremy, me

he doorway and quipped, "Kelsey! This is not the time for your sarcasm! What the hell did

ne? Hasn't he been bullying me my whole life?

't you dare deny it! He came home muttering that you rui

icked into place. So it was about

had the emotional resili

mat, that's your problem. But don

to calm him down- not because I was worried he

nt I was close enough, I grabbed his wrist, twisted the g

me disarm him so roughly, my mother le

! Why is your li

an'? If Jeremy's turned out like this,

unding her chest and wailing louder, like

my's face twisted with rage. Without warning, h

at burned. Whatever shred of loyalty I still felt t

of punching the guy who actually screwed your girlfriend?" Fueled by r

l me off him, but not before I managed to la

emselves between me and their precious golden boy. T

s across Jeremy's face and turned her glare on me

I end up bald, that's still a hell of a lot b

talking about, you li

hand and firing back, "Your son's so-called girlfriend? She's been s

estly, I didn't care. Whatever twisted drama t

damn mouth!" Jeremy roared, his

beat the crap out of you that day, didn't he?" I took a step t

surprise Nigel had him pinned and poun

ut if he couldn't tell right from wron

bruises, her whole bod

? Linda...

p!" Jeremy snapped, cutt

ter-in-law cheating, her precious son getting beat down like a punching bag- i

pay you for everything you lost! If he

ut because I couldn't believe how my mother sou

inside, I was already rolling my eyes hard enough to sprain some

ave of you, picking on your own family. If you hadn't dragged t

Linda and Nigel together, but hell- they were the

upposed to bo

and and a hit list in the other, you still would've shoved me ri

y sight!" My mother screeched s

en ticket she'd schemed so hard to grab w

ound and play scapegoat for them anyway. I grab

ll hear her shrieking inside, demanding J