Chapter 2 — “What Are You Wearing?
Behind the building, the sounds of celebration became distant.
Linda looked at Emily with confusion.
"Emily, what's wrong?"
Emily released her arm.
"What's wrong?"
She laughed bitterly.
"You seriously don't understand?"
Linda shook her head.
"I just wanted to congratulate you."
"You came here looking like that."
Emily pointed toward the cardigan.
Linda looked at it again.
"I didn't think it mattered."
"It matters to me."
Those words hurt more than Linda expected.
She forced a small smile.
"You look beautiful."
Emily's expression hardened.
"My friends are here."
"I know."
"They're all from wealthy families."
Linda nodded slowly.
"I'm proud of you."
"You don't understand."
Emily stepped closer.
"I worked hard to get here. I built a life for myself."
Linda's eyes softened.
"I know you did."
"Then why would you embarrass me?"
Linda stared at her.
"I never wanted to embarrass you."
"You should have known better."
A long silence followed.
Linda looked down at the flowers.
"I brought these for you."
Emily glanced at them.
"They look cheap."
Linda's fingers tightened around the paper.
She had bought them with money she had saved for weeks.
"I thought you'd like them."
Emily shook her head.
"I don't want my friends seeing you."
Linda's face became still.
"You don't want them to know I'm your mother?"
Emily didn't answer.
That silence was enough.
Linda slowly nodded.
"I understand."
But Emily wasn't finished.
She stepped closer.
"Go change."
Linda looked at her.
"Emily..."
"Go change that outfit. Now."
Something inside Linda broke.
Not loudly.
Not dramatically.
It simply went quiet.
She looked at the daughter she had protected for twenty-three years.
Then Emily raised her hand.
The slap echoed against the brick wall.
Linda's head turned slightly.
The bouquet slipped from her fingers.
One flower fell onto the concrete.
For several seconds, neither woman moved.
Emily breathed heavily.
She expected tears.
She expected screaming.
She expected her mother to beg.
Instead, Linda slowly turned her face back toward her.
Her expression was strangely calm.
Emily swallowed.
"Mom..."
Linda said nothing.
She simply bent down and picked up the fallen flower.
Then she placed it back into the bouquet.
And that was when Emily realized something terrifying.
May you like
Her mother wasn't crying.
She was thinking.
