The Whole Family Begged Me to Come Back Chapter 1

Senior year, my parents cut off all my living expenses, trying to force me to drop out of high school.

With nowhere else to go, I walked through the gilded gates of Sterling Crest Academy, a boarding school teeming with the children of the one percent.

My grades were my golden ticket; the school had waived my tuition.

But I still needed to eat.

After two weeks of gnawing hunger, dressed in my most threadbare clothes, I finally worked up the nerve.

I turned to the classroom of trust-fund kids who treated school like a social club.

"Does… does anyone need homework done? It's… it's just five bucks a page."

The boisterous chatter of princes and princesses, busy comparing their summer yachts and winter chalets, died down. Every eye in the room swiveled to me, a mix of shock and morbid curiosity on their faces.

A moment of stunned silence, and then, an eruption.

"Five bucks? Who do you think you're insulting? I'll give you five hundred. Do mine first!"

"Five thousand! I'm first in line!"

"Fifty thousand! In cash!"

"Forget bidding. A hundred grand. I dare any of you to try and take my spot!"

* * *

The day I was kicked out of my home, I had just started my senior year.

My father’s face was a mask of fury, his finger jabbing at my nose. "Other girls your age are already bringing value to their families, getting married! But you? All you do is bleed me dry. You're a worthless money pit."

My mother chimed in, her tone dripping with faux sympathy. "Aria, if you don't find a husband, how is your brother Kyle supposed to have a future? Where will the money for his life come from?"

I clutched a stack of academic awards, my voice raw as I argued with them, but it was useless. I fled the house, his voice chasing me down the street.

"Let's see how long you last before you come crawling back! How are you going to even think about college without my money?"

With my transcript in hand, I went from one high school to another.

The answer was always the same.

"Your grades are impressive, Aria, but who's to say they won't slip in your final year?"

"The best we can offer is to waive your tuition."

It wasn't enough.

Clutching my last shred of hope, I found myself standing before Sterling Crest Academy. This was a playground for the rich and famous, a sea of trust-fund babies. Their days were a blur of petty fights and ostentatious displays of wealth. No one cared about academics. For them, college entrance exams were just a formality before they were all shipped off to study abroad.

When I stood in the admissions office, my worn-out clothes a stark contrast to the polished mahogany, the Dean of Students gave me a once-over, her gaze dripping with disdain.

"Are you certain you want to be here? Aren't you afraid you'll be eaten alive?"

I shook my head, my jaw set. "As long as you can waive my tuition… and maybe offer a small scholarship…"

My voice dropped to a whisper. "Just a little… maybe a hundred, no, fifty dollars a month would be enough. I promise I'll work harder than anyone. I'll bring honor to this school when I get into the Ivy League."

The dean nodded, a flicker of something unreadable in her eyes. She agreed.

I clutched the ten thousand dollars they advanced me from a special "hardship fund," a torrent of thank-you tumbling from my lips as I backed out of her office.

The moment the heavy door clicked shut, I heard her scoff to someone in the room.

"Fifty bucks a month? Who does she think she's kidding?"