Saved by the Bad Boy

Money Troubles

Agnes had a distinct look of displeasure on her face as Lacey came rushing down, her face pinched as she waited arms folded. 

"I'm here" Lacey said breathlessly, skidding to a stop in the entranceway. 

She was surprised to note her father also standing behind Agnes silently, not acknowledging his daughter or greeting her in anyway. It stung but she shrugged it off used to it. 

"About time" Agnes cried with a dramatic gesture. Her eyes widened when she took in Lacey's clothing as Lacey silently cursed herself for not changing first. 

"What are you wearing Lacey?" Agnes demanded "is that a work uniform."

Lacey gave a weak nod, her head hanging and her eyes firmly fixed on the ground. 

"So that's why the house is such a mess and you haven't cooked dinner yet" Agnes breathed, sounding almost gleeful?

Why did her stepmother sound so happy now? Shouldn't she be furious at Lacey for lying? What the hell was going on?

She got her answer "Well in that case" Agnes purred in a sickening sweet voice "you can start paying two thirds of you income to us in exchange for room and board as well as food costs."

Her heart sank. She needed this money to pay for any school necessities and groceries when she began residing at Raven Academy. She would have no objection to pay room and board if she wasn't also doing all the cooking, cleaning and even making sure bills were paid!

"But I need that money for" Lacey began to protest as her father gave her a stern look. 

"For what" Agnes prodded, eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Nothing" Lacey muttered glumly but Agnes would not be persuaded and continued to prod at her.

"For What Lacey? Do not lie to me or your father" she yelled and Lacey flinched.

Well they were going to find out sooner or later. 

"I got accepted into Raven Academy" Lacey murmured reluctantly "I was working to pay for groceries and school essentials when I started."

"Why would you need to pay for that" Agnes exclaimed before realising "you were planning to live there weren't you?"

She nodded glumly. 

"How are you paying for all of this? Raven Academy is an elite academy. It's school fees must be through the roof! No way are your father and I paying that when there's a perfectly good public school nearby."

"I got a scholarship. No school fees as they are covered and free rooming as well. I just need to pay for my basic needs and food. That's why I'm working."

For a brief moment she could have sworn her father's eyes lit up and that he looked at her approvingly. But after Lacey had blinked in surprise his usual stern face was looking back at her. 

Agnes led them all directly into the loungeroom and motioned an upset Lacey to sit down, her father doing the same and not uttering a single damn word as usual, letting Agnes take the reins.

"It seems like you really want to go to this academy Lacey" Agnes began "but if you were to attend there would have to be some ground rules so to speak."

Of course thought Lacey bitterly, can't wait to see what you say next you evil hag.

Aloud she said "what kind of rules?"

Agnes was thoughtful "we will still require two thirds of your income as p*****t for keeping your room and your stuff instead of placing it in storage."

She could scream at Agnes, refuse, but she knew that if she didn't concede to their wishes that they would find a way to bring her back and destroy her dreams.

"What else" Lacey said dully, blinking back the tears welling in the corner of her eyes.

"We will still expect you to clean the house on weekends and to prepare dinners for the coming week. Your father and I are very busy with church business at the moment and its the very least a good daughter could do to ease our burdens."

Busy my ass thought Lacey indignantly.

"I work weekends though" she protested.

"Both days?" Agnes inquired and grinned when Lacey slumped.

"I was planning on using the other day to study. I have to keep up my grades to keep my scholarship"  Lacey explained almost hysterical.

Agnes was nonplussed as she waved a warning hand at Lacey who instantly quieted down.

"You will have to study on the days you don't work during the week. You should have thought of this Lacey when you applied. If you do fail the semester then you can just come back here and work fulltime at wherever it is you are currently working."

"Caffeine Express" Lacey whispered cringing as her stepmother gave a gurgle of laughter.

"That old place" she sniggered "full of hippies and schoolchildren? I can't imagine it pays much."

"It doesn't but the owner is lovely and its good experience that will serve me well in the future" Lacey snapped starting to get irritable with her and her father's attitudes. 

This was her future didn't they care about that? She wasn't going to stay here forever as a personal servant and have no dreams of her own. Why couldn't they just be happy for her? 

"It is that" Agnes was calm. 

"I expect that it has the same start date as the other school in two weeks time?"

"Yes" Lacey said tightly, trying not to clench her hands into fists and trying to focus on her breathing to remain calm.

"Great" Agnes said "You will take any hours that your boss gives you and ask for more if there is any. I want two thirds of the money you have already earned in my hand tomorrow morning and make no mistake" she warned "I will be checking your payslips to make sure that you are not trying to short change us."

She stood up, leaving a completely dumbfounded Lacey on the couch. 

"For now get changed, start dinner and you can clean the house after that" Agnes said over her shoulder "your father and I are going out to have some coffee with some friends so you have about an hour or so to get dinner done." Agnes said nothing else as she made her way upstairs to get dressed.

Lacey shot a look at her father who just sat there comfortably, staring off into the distance as she shook her head and got up. She would shower and dress, do what they said and keep her mind on the fact that in two weeks time she would no longer be living in this house she thought sourly.