Page 8 of The King's Maiden
“What makes you say that?” Words muffled in my arms, and I feigned outrage even though she’d hit the nail on the head. “Not all my embarrassing moments involve a guy.”
They really did, though.
I huffed, sitting up and freeing my face from my self-imposed prison. “My card declined at the pharmacy today, trying to pick up my inhaler. Whatever my doctor prescribed isn’t covered bythe school’s crappy student insurance policy. So, I have to pay for it out of pocket.”
“Yikes.” She balked. “How much?”
“Three hundred dollars!” The cost still made my blood boil. “Oh, plus the extra some odd dollars and like, eight cents. I don’t remember exactly. I blacked it out because it was outrageous.”
Gia grimaced. “Shit.”
She didn’t have to say anything else. We both knew I couldn’t afford anything close to that right now, not if I wanted to pay for anything else. Or, I don’t know,not starve.
“Yeah, I spent, like, twenty minutes going back and forth with the pharmacist over it. He checked for alternatives and coupon codes. But even with a coupon, I still would’ve been short. So, of course, I started freaking out.”
“Oh, no.”
“Oh, yes. Literally about to have a full-on asthma attack, all while the damn medication was on the other side of the counter. It was infuriating. And then, some guy comes out of nowhere, slaps his card on the counter, and pays for the whole thing.”
Taking a seat at the table with me, she covered my hands with hers. “Which I’m sure you appreciated, but it also made it worse?”
“Yup.” I resisted the urge to pull my hair out, stopping only because of her gentle grip. I nodded toward our hands. “Thanks.”
She shrugged. “You’re under a lot of stress. Just figured I’d save you a few strands.”
I turned my hand over and linked our fingers. “I’d probably be bald without you. Or on the streets. I promise. I’m going to find a way to get you the rent money on time.”
“I know you will.” She smiled, but all of my shit put stress on her, even if she tried to hide it. She got up and went back to the stove. “Did you end up applying for those jobs?”
“Every single one. No luck. All the hours interfere with our program, or they decided to fill the position with someone who had more flexibility.” I released a heavy breath and threw my hands in the air. “I’m a dance major, for crying out loud! I’m totally flexible.”
She laughed while I tugged my lower lip between my teeth. I chewed over the idea that I’d been going back and forth on. I was starting to think I didn’t have much of a choice.
When my dad died last semester, I’d lost more than my only remaining parent—the security I’d taken for granted had gone with him. And instead of going to the prestigious dance academy he’d signed me up for on the other side of the country, I joined Gia at D’Art U, a public university with a dance program, only a few states away.
But I’d woefully underestimated the cost of living, even with the help of student loans.
“I think I need to take next semester off and work full time.”
Her eyes snapped back to mine. “Quinn, no. We can figure something else out.”
“I’ve thought over everything else about a hundred times. And it’s not so bad. It only pushes back my graduation for a year. Tops.”
“But I can ask my parents?—”
“No way.” I shook my head adamantly. “They do more than enough by covering our utility billandsending you extra money until I can pay you. That already saves us on late fees with the landlord. Not to mention the food you make us. It’s too much. I can’t accept anything else.”
She held back from voicing her protests, having been down this road with me many times before.
I hated being a charity case. Everyone already looked at me with pity when they found out about the accident and my dad. And I didn’t need or want anyone’s sympathy.
I didn’t deserve it.
Trying to put Gia’s mind at ease, I shrugged it off like it was no big deal. “Hey, it might be the only way to get my asthma under control and finish the program anyway. Not much of a silver lining, but look, I’m making lemon drops.”
She frowned, not buying it for a second. But she didn’t call me on it. “If you’re sure…”
“I’ll talk to my financial advisor about it tomorrow. But I might not have much choice. It’s either take a break and work full time or start stripping. And I’m not quite ready to go down that path with my dancing. Not yet.”
