“Nina, get up!”, shouted her mother from her bedroom’s door.

Nina grumbled and moved under the sheets. She didn’t want to get up yet.

After a few minutes, she sighed and finally opened her eyes. She looked at the clock on her night table lazily. It was half past 6 am. She frowned. Nina was still tired and wanted to sleep a bit more but if she did, she would be late for school. She sighed one more time and got up.

“There is money on the kitchen’s table”, said her mother conveying her hair in a ponytail. She was leaving to work.

“Thank you mom”, Nina replied smiling half-hearted.

“There’s a sandwich too. Eat something before going to school, ok?”.

“Yeah, I will. Don’t worry”. Nina headed to the kitchen and poured some coffee in a mug.

“Well, I’m leaving then. See you at night”. She waved to her mother and saw her off.

Nina finished her breakfast quickly, put an apple in her backpack, grabbed the money from the kitchen’s table and left the house.

She got off the bus and walked towards the school. It was still two blocks ahead when Nina turned right in a narrow alley. She walked further until she saw three girls. They were Adela and her friends.

“I thought you were not coming”, spout Adela angrily.

“Sorry, I fell asleep”, said Nina lowering her gaze trying to explain.

“I don’t have all day, give it to me”. Adela extended her arm with her hand open.

Nina hurried to open her bag and handed her some papers. Adela studied the sheets, her two friends stood closer to take a look. It was their history homework.

“The money”, demanded Adela while extending her arm again.

Nina took cash from her pocket and placed it on Adela’s hand. Adela looked at her hand and smiled.

“Good job Nina. Let’s continue working together”. Adela smiled mockingly at her. The girl lowered her head. She just wanted to settle this soon.

“Where are we going today?”, asked Christy cheerfully.

“Let’s go shopping after school. I have a date tomorrow”, answered Adela passing by Nina’ side.

Nina stood there a few minutes, lost in her thoughts. She snapped out when she heard some students shouting and running to school. She was late!

“Nina, are you listening to me?”, asked Lara.

“Yes, what’s the matter?”. She came back to her senses.

“Are you ok?”. She asked, you could see the worry in her green eyes.

“I’m still sleepy, sorry. What were you saying?”. Lara sighed.

“The movie! We are going to the cinema this afternoon, right?”. She smiled. Lara knew that even if she insisted, Nina would not say what was on her mind. Her friend only opened when she couldn’t stand it alone anymore.

“Oh, Lara! I’m sorry! I forgot about it. I have a shift today”.

“But we planned it a week ago”, she frowned.

“I know. I’m sorry”. Nina looked at her apologetically. “My boss called me last night and asked me to go to the café today because the other girl got sick. I forgot about the cinema and agreed to it”, she explained. “I’m really sorry”.

“Don’t worry”. Adela patted her back. “Let’s go next week”.

“I promise”. Nina smiled.

Lara knew that it was a hard time for Nina. Summer break were just around the corner and she had to gather enough money to keep Adela at ease the next couple of weeks. So an extra shift was a good thing.

“I haven’t forgotten about our study session next Monday though”.

“Don’t you dare to forgot it. If it’s not because of you, I would still be in first year!”. Lara chuckled.

“What can I say? I’m a good teacher”.

“Bet you are”. She said looking at Nina warmly. She was indeed a good teacher and even a better friend.

Lara and Nina talked during the break and then went to their classrooms.

The two girls met the first day of their freshman year in high school. Both were late for the opening ceremony, so they had to wait in the hall of the school after being reprimanded by a teacher. After being scolded harshly by the old man, the complains came out instantly and the conversation flowed naturally. Then, they found out that they were attending the same classes that year. They ended up being best friends.

But even though they were best friends, Nina started avoiding Lara at school on their second year. Lara didn’t understand what had happened. The change was too sudden. Lara only came to understand everything after a few months later.

It was three days before summer break. Lara was late for the first period so she was in the hall waiting for it to end. Suddenly, she heard someone screaming. She stood up quickly and looked for the source. It came from the girl’s bathroom.

“Do you think I’m joking?”, she heard someone shouting angrily.

“I’m sorry. I’ll have it for tomorrow”, the other one cried. That voice sounded familiar.

“Tomorrow? I have to submit it today!”.

“I have been busy studying for the finals and I couldn’t-“

“I don’t care about your finals!”. Lara peeked through the door and saw Adela pulling the other girl’s hair.

“Ouch”, she cried.

“Do you want me to give you a lesson again?”. Adela seemed enraged.

“No, no. I’ll-“. Adele cut her words off hitting the wall with the girl’s head.

“What are you doing?”. Lara shouted stepping in the bathroom. She couldn’t stand it anymore.

Adela was startled. She flicked her tongue in displeasure and she let go the girl’s hair. Adela ran out the bathroom as fast as she could.

“Hey, are you ok?”. Lara hurried to the girl that was kneeling on the floor. “Nina!”, she exclaimed. “Nina, are you ok?”. She went closer and crouch beside her.

Nina was sobbing quietly, her hair was a mess. She looked up at Lara and started to cry helplessly and the sight of her friend.

Nina told Lara everything that day, from what she had been enduring the past few months to why she have put distance between them. She was afraid Adela would take it towards Lara too.

“But why does she do this to you? Why have you not told the teachers?”.

“I don’t know. We have been classmates since primary school but we were never in bad terms”, she sobbed. “How can I tell this to the teachers? Do you think they can do something? Her mother owns the school!”, she said desperately.

“What about your mom?”.

“I can’t. She works in her mother’s company”, she put on a mockery and hurt smile. How bad was her luck? “It’d just troubled her. My mother is too busy already to give her more problems”.

“But Nina…”

“No, you don’t understand! What if I tell my mother? She would go to talk to Adela’s mother. And which mother would believe their child behave this way? She could lose her job for backing me up. It’s only the two of us, there’s no money to spare. If it weren’t for the scholarship, I would not be able to study here”. She started to cry again.

Indeed. Lara could not understand Nina’situation at all. She, as everyone in the school, was the daughter of a wealthy family. She had never had to worry about anything in her whole life. Lara knew that her friend was in a difficult situation though. Adela’s mother was the wife of Daniel Ward, the director of one of the biggest companies in Massachusetts, and she had businesses on her own. There was really no use in fighting back when she was in the losing side.

Lara could just hug her friend and try to comfort her.

Difficult months came after that. Adela would beat Nina every time she handed school work belated. Lara’s heart broke every time she looked at her friend. Therefore, Nina started to stay a few hours after school every day to finish everything on time. And little by little, she let Lara to come close again since Adela didn’t threaten her after what she had witnessed.

This year, on their sophomore year of high school, the beatings stopped. The price was money. It was inexplicable, Adela should have enough money. Why did Nina have to give money to her? But she would not question her.

Adela gave less work to Nina but she had to hand her a hundred dollars every month. So Nina started to work part-time in a café last summer. The pay was good and she could save up the tips to go to college in the near future.