- 7.
Mom and Dad looked surprised and angry
when I started packing.
“Don’t think you’re going to get us to pay
more attention to you if you just leave.”
I sighed. “It’s a pre–college program at
Berkeley. They only accept high achieving
students.”
They looked shocked. “Why didn’t you say
anything? It’s so far away. You can’t just go
by yourself.”
I didn’t respond. They realized that they had
left me alone at the beach a while back.
く
This wasn’t the first time that they had left
me alone.
Ashley was a year younger, so she started
school later.
In seventh grade, Ashley was in sixth grade.
Mom and Dad went to the elementary school,
so no one picked me up.
Later, we went to see my grandparents.
Ashley wasn’t feeling well, so they took
Ashley back to our home and left me there
for two weeks.
Then, a snowstorm. They went to Ashley’s
school.
I was stuck in my after school program
without electricity for a night.
I told them about these things.
But they never remembered.
Now I was going to a pre–college program,
and they were mad at me.
I didn’t look too good. My parents looked
guilty.
They looked at each other. My dad spoke
first. “Autumn, we know that we messed up in
the past…
But then Ashley shouted.
“Mom and Dad. I’m in pain!”
く
Dad didn’t finish his sentence. They ran to the
kitchen.
I followed them. I saw a small cut on Ashley’s
finger.
But Mom and Dad acted like it was a big
deal. One got the first aid kit, and the other
one comforted her.
Mom saw me standing there.
I shook my head and went back to my room.
