My Sister Controlled My Life with Pocket Change Chapter 01
My sister, Rhea Sutton, wanted to be the only child in this family.
Because of that, Mom changed my family name and demanded that I pay for every single thing in this house.
Whatever Rhea saved with her coupons, that was what I got to live on for the month.
If she saved thirty bucks using coupons, I got thirty bucks the next month.
Today was the deadline for my college application.
I begged Rhea to let me use her computer.
She held out her hand. “Twenty bucks per use.”
I emptied every pocket I had, clutching the nineteen dollars I’d scraped together, my voice desperate.
“I’m just a dollar short. Please!”
Rhea raised an eyebrow and shook her head.
“Not a cent less.”
“If you can’t afford it, don’t bother applying. No one’s forcing you to go to college.”
Mom stood by and watched the whole thing, completely indifferent. She chimed in, “Rhea’s right. Nothing in this house comes free. The rules don’t change.”
Watching the minutes tick away, I rushed into my room and searched frantically, finally pulling a dollar from the gap between the bed and the wall.
I ignored the sour look on Rhea’s face and rushed straight to the computer.
But the words on the screen froze me in place:
[The application deadline had passed.]
The deadline had passed one minute ago.
I stared at the screen, my blood running cold.
From outside the door, I could hear Mom’s muffled voice, still comforting Rhea.
“She’s just a relative staying with us for a while. She’s not worth getting upset over.”
Bitterness spread through my chest.
I pulled up my messages: [Mrs. Hartley, I’ll go to London.]
Just a relative. Then I wouldn’t be a burden to them anymore.
…
“Mom, Zelda hid money!”
The moment I sent the message, I heard Rhea shouting at the top of her lungs.
“I saw it with my own eyes!”
“She stashed cash in the bed frame!”
I rushed out to explain, but Mom was already glaring at me.
“Zelda, what’s wrong with you?”
“You’re so young, and you’re already sneaking around hiding money?”
I waved my hands frantically.
“I didn’t hide any money!”
“I really did have twenty dollars left this month. That money just accidentally fell into the bed frame.”
I tried desperately to explain, but Mom still didn’t believe me.
I ran back to my room, grabbed my ledger, and flipped it open.
Every single expense was recorded there, clear as day.
“Mom, that really was my money…”
Mom glanced at it, her face darkening as she cut me off.
“Why are you keeping track of this?”
I froze. “I just wanted to prove…”
Mom snapped impatiently, “Prove what? That we mistreated you? That we played favorites?”
“Don’t forget, you’re not one of us.”
“The only reason you’re still living in this house is because of Rhea.”
“Now apologize to her.”
Her tone was harsh and left absolutely no room for argument.
Rhea stood there with her arms crossed, looking down at me.
“Zelda, this is the Sutton house. Your clothes, your room, your money—it’s all mine.”
My chest tightened and my eyes burned, but I couldn’t get a single word out.
I had no choice but to lower my head and apologize.
“Alright, clean yourself up and come eat.”
Mom acted like nothing had happened.
“Mom, I didn’t get my application submitted.”
A trace of unwillingness crept into my voice.
Mom looked at me and spoke flatly.
“So you missed it. That’s your own fault for taking forever to pay.”
“Look, we already did our job getting you through high school.”
Rhea let out a cold snort and bumped past me on her way to the kitchen to bring out the dishes.
Mom stopped her immediately.
“Don’t touch those. You’ll burn yourself.”
Then she turned and shot me a glare.
“Get the dishes! What are you standing there for?”
My chest tightened. I would never be the one they held close.
The dinner table was covered with all of Rhea’s favorite foods.
My dad kept telling Rhea to eat up and asked about her classes. Mom was too busy fussing over whether she was getting enough rest.
I sat quietly off to the side, eating my dinner rolls.
I couldn’t afford to pay for any of the dishes today.
According to the rules, I was only allowed to eat the dinner rolls.
Mom finally seemed to notice me.
She peeled a shrimp like she was handing out charity and tossed it into my plate.
“Eat it. This one’s free.”
I stared at the shrimp and didn’t move.
When I didn’t show any gratitude, Mom’s expression turned ugly in an instant.
She picked up the shrimp and threw it to the dog waiting beside the table.
Buddy gobbled it up happily and let out a couple of barks.
Mom’s voice dripped with sarcasm.
“Buddy knows how to say thanks with a wag and a bark. You just sit there like a brick.”
I said quietly, “I’m allergic to seafood.”
Mom’s face went rigid.
Rhea frowned and rolled her eyes.
“You’re always the difficult one in this family.”
“Would one bite kill you?”
I kept my head down and answered softly, “Yes.”
It really would.
Benadryl cost more than I could afford. That money was meant for rent, for meals—not for me.
I couldn’t afford to waste it, and I couldn’t afford to buy it anyway.
The moment the words left my mouth, Dad slammed his fork down on the table.
“We can’t even have a peaceful meal with you around!”
“Rhea says one thing to you, and you just have to shoot back.”
“All this drama over a single dollar, and now the whole family’s upset!”
He stared at me; his eyes filled with nothing but irritation.
“Next month, no matter how much Rhea saves with her coupons, you’re only getting one dollar.”