When She Stops Playing Nice

Chapter 3

“Gina, your dorm at school has gone up in flames, Michael stated as they drove.

Gina’s eyes narrowed a bit. “Alright, I’ll head back and check it out” Exiting the car, she made her way on foot.

Her phone vibrated with a text from an unknown number. [Where the hell have you vanished to? Get your ass back to

home, now!].

Gina scoffed and blocked the number. Really? Changing numbers to harass me? What the fuck are they thinking?” she thought.

She had made up her mind to sever ties with the Miller family and wasn’t about to let them pull her back in.

When the Millers first found her, Gina was on a mountain, gathering medicinal herbs, covered in dirt and sweat.

They mistook her for someone foraging for wild vegetables, their eyes laden with barely concealed disdain.

the

They were momentarily surprised to hear Gina had aced her college entrance exam and secured a spot at Trowell University. However, they quickly diminished her achievement, thinking she was nothing more than a bookworm, lacking grace and talents of Olivia, who had been shoehorned into Trowell’s art program through connections and hefty sums.

Gina rarely stayed with the Miller family. They rationalized it by saying living in the dorm was more convenient, saving her the trouble of commuting. Meanwhile, they bent over backward driving Olivia, a fellow Trowell student, around.

But Gina seldom spent her time at school. To her, college was meaningless; she only needed an innocuous front. Yet, this became Olivia’s ammunition to slander her, accusing Gina of being a dropout, always skipping class, and goofing off God knows where.

Regardless of how much Gina tried to set the record straight, the Miller family wouldn’t have a bar of it.

“Look at you. What could you possibly

her. “Grew up in the sticks, eh? First time laying eyes on a computer? Why aimlessly pick computer

school shows you the door. We can’t afford that kind of shame.”

paying her way through college, they

the while, Olivia, who bumbled through piano lessons despite the fortunes spent, failing to grasp even the basics after a year, was showered

her folly. ‘I should’ve seen through this bullshit

BMW rolled to a slow stop beside Gina, the

to school. Blocking her path here was spot on. She

menace. “Come home and kneel, apologize to the whole family

him a look reserved for lunatics.

Tue, 21 May

Chapter 3

about dreaming? Are you ignoring me?

and still talking crap?” Gina fired

thinking, ‘Did she hit her head? Used to be as quiet as a mouse, barely uttering a word. And now look at her, she is sharp

out of the

word to the principal

As if you could, Gina thought, her inner voice

apology?” Gina asked, voice cold and lips curled into

That alone deserves more than a mere punishment, and yet you dare to

help but laugh, retorting, “I only return home when you call. I don’t even have the keys, let alone access to Dad’s room. How

before insisting, “Who knows what you did

the familiar outcome. Never mind, my brothers will never suspect their darling sister, Olivia,’ she thought.

words were necessary,

determined to drag Gina back home today.

gaze made him flinch, thinking of Liam still in the hospital. Reluctantly, James let go. Gina continued towards the school.