best sleep

ase the memory of hard mattresses and broken springs. Maybe it was the quiet the sort of quiet you

the first time in a very long time

ilk sheets slid off my body,

calls. Al

sat up straight an

on the firs

ened? Is Ella ok

hing underneath it worry laced with disbelief. "But Ivy... I know you promi

gether. "What are

hey worked for your... company. Ivy, they brought a transfer letter fo

d, my th

top there. They brought groceries. So many that I had to call the neighbors to help move them in. And then

es. I swallowed them back and slipp

He covered the school transfer. There's also some medical benefits, which helped with the insulin. The

"There's barely enough room to keep all this! Ella is beside herself. She

ck

ssings into the phone while I sat there, overwhelm

ying until I wiped under my ch

d to fi

s, through high-ceilinged halls and cold ma

in his

was sligh

tched over his toned muscles like artwork come to life. There was something still abo

cked

ed instantly when he saw me. "

"I just got off th

sharpened

My voice cracked. "The school

pped toward me. "You're my gir

ed back

"Your only job now is to wake up happy, be spoiled, and let us

came free. That I'd signed away my body for it. That I was still a

I whispered

eye, catching the last te

ow, I bel

dn't think I

e, his voice stoppe

.. just ask. I'll move

ly and return

oom and shut the door be

too thick, too pristine, too differ

gant decor, the extravagant bed I'd just climbed out of feeling l

full... but

the background, squealing over her new books, screaming about her uniforms and her "princess backpack." My little sister had always ma

use

se of

stared at my hands these same hands that had scraped dishes, folde

e manicured

have

them claim me. Use me. Worship me like I was something sacre

t...

lso..

alling Nana back-just to hear her laugh again

n the aler

credited to

d at th

bli

tared

ed thousa

a

a pr

a

anking app, heart pou

as r

ts gone. All of them. The overdue bills, the loan sharks,

o

, I wasn't just br

ent. A car that didn't cough every morning.

e phone. I leaned back against the

I should've been scared. B

rong all the time. For the first time in

elf to the devils who offered

hest, still holding my phone,

th a half-smile that felt more dan

ly ready... to a

ore

ore

freedom, then I'd wear