Chapter 2

My reaction only threw fuel on the fire.

Patsy Whitney, forced to protect the act, could only play dumb and gnaw at the empty air.

Diana Matthews wiped away a tear and helped Patsy up.

"Mom, let's just go. It looks like our roommates don't want us here."

With that, she grabbed the luggage and moved to leave.

I stepped straight into the doorway, doing my best heartbroken look.

"Diana, hearing you say that really breaks my heart."

I cut a glance at the action camera.

"My grandmother is eighty. She's been paralyzed for ten years, and I've taken care of her that whole time. Without me she can't manage the bathroom on her own, she can't even eat. My only choice was to bring her to college with me!"

Cynthia Manning pinched her thigh hard, looked at her grandmother, and burst into tears.

"My grandma has epilepsy. There's no way I can leave her at home. If she suddenly has a seizure, I, I couldn't go on living either!"

Diana's mouth twitched into a stiff line as she turned to Skylar Reeves.

Skylar's face went red with the effort.

And just as Diana thought she'd caught the weak link, Skylar shouted:

"My grandmother has severe separation anxiety. She doesn't recognize my dad, doesn't recognize my mom, only me. We have to stay within ten feet of each other at all times."

To play along, Grandma Reeves nestled against Skylar's arm and nuzzled it.

Diana's mask cracked, piece by piece.

"Diana."

I called out to Diana, whose fists were clenched tight.

"For all of us sad, hard-luck dutiful daughters to end up in the same dorm, that's fate, a gift from heaven!"

"Diana, you're reacting so strongly. Don't tell me you don't want to live with us?"

Two clean tears slid slowly down my face.

"How could that be?"

Diana forced out a smile.

I glanced at my phone.

The comments in the livestream were all sympathy.

"This dorm room could be on 'Hometown Heroes'!"

"Diana, meeting these three roommates is a blessing. You all have to take good care of each other."

"Is it just me, or are they even worse off than Diana? Especially the one whose grandmother is paralyzed. She looks so pitiful."

I let out a quiet breath of relief.

Of course Diana had seen which way the livestream was leaning too.

She sat down, bringing Patsy with her.

In the blink of an eye, her expression had softened.

"Then we'll all just have to help each other out."

We nodded, again and again.

Only Patsy sat there with a foolish grin, her eyes full of resentment and rage.