Page 56 of The Penalty

Not My Brother: You had me fucking blocked.

Cherry Pumpkin: im srry ill go with u so u don’t have 2 face ur brothers alone

Not My Brother: No.

Cherry Pumpkin: its the right thing 2 do!

Not My Brother: I don’t want you to.

Cherry Pumpkin: y not

Not My Brother: Because you’ll just block me again. It’s better to say we broke up.

I don’t even know why I’m fucking texting him.

I turn off my phone. I can’t deal with this right now. Not while Tobi is being weird and finals coming up. Dinner is already too much. I don’t have the mental space to add being upset about Teddy again.

I walk into our apartment, and my mother is sitting at the table.

“Why did I get this in the mail?” she asks.

“What?” I hang up my coat and walk over.

It’s an envelope. A fancy one with embossed gold lettering. She’s already opened it, so I pull it out to read.

It’s an invitation to a charity gala the Godfreys host every year, but why would they send one to her?

But then I see it. My name is signed to the bottom. I guess Owen was serious about this being part of the family thing.

“They want to get to know me.”

She looks like I smacked her. “Why would you want to put yourself through that? They were raised by your father, and you saw what he put me through for money for the last nineteen years. Why would you want to do that for your entire life?”

“They may not have liked my existence in the beginning, but they tell me the fucking truth.” I regret the words as soon as they leave my mouth.

“It’s your life. I guess you’ll keep doing what you want.”

SEVENTEEN

TEDDY

Cherry Pumpkin: ? y wont you let me go 2 the party

Not My Brother: Because you’ll just block me again after. It’s better to say we broke up.

That message is a punch to the throat. I hate it with everything in me.

Cherry Pumpkin: no it’s not and no i wont

What is this feeling that’s clawing at my insides?

Why does it feel like I can’t breathe?

And why isn’t he responding?

Cherry Pumpkin: did u fall in2 a manhole

Cherry Pumpkin: did the rats get u

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