You honestly think I’d want to be here of my own choice? Do you see what they do to people here? Do you? Because I’m starting to think that you’ve been drinking too much Kool-Aid over the years. No one in their right mind would put up with this. You had a choice, Vern. Okay? Your parents cared enough about you to give you this choice. Mine? Mine were just…you know what? Forget it. Forget I said anything. I can see I’m not getting through to you. So go back to your meal, Vern. Enjoy that sweet, sweet Kool-Aid while it lasts. Because one day? It’s not just gonna be Kool-Aid in your cup.

Wait, wait, keep it down, he’ll hear us. I’m not spying. It’s not spying if he’s talking too loud for me to ignore. Get off my case. I’m not here on purpose. I just needed to stretch my legs for a little while, okay? I know they let us pick our rooms, but I made a mistake when I chose to bunk with Sophie and Lou and them. They don’t know when to shut up.

Just leave me alone. I don’t want to talk about it…no, wait. I’m sorry. It’s just, they told me she called again today. And you’re probably going to say, why didn’t you take the call? I just can’t. I can’t bring myself to love her, and I can’t bring myself to hate her. She doesn’t know what she sent me into, but I don’t want her to know. I don’t want her pity, and I don’t want her to start acting like the mother she never was. Because that’s all it’ll be. An act.