rising above

02

chapter 2

My heart sank as Mom continued her rant. "We talked about this, law school is too risky! Me and your father have had enough, we're enrolling you in the local pre-med program whether you like it or not. At least that way we know you'll have stability."

The frustration and defiance rose up in me again. "No Mom, that's not what I want! I've told you a million times, I'm going to be a lawyer. Just because that's the safe choice for you guys doesn't mean it's right for me."

"Don't you take that tone with me, young lady!" Mom snapped. "After the stunt you pulled tonight, you're lucky we don't send you straight to nursing school. We brought you into this world, we'll decide your path. End of discussion!"

I bit my tongue, holding back a snappy retort. Getting into a screaming match right now wouldn't solve anything. But I was sick of letting other people dictate my future. No matter what it took, I had to find a way to take control of my own destiny. This was just the beginning - I knew my dreams were worth fighting for.

The car came to a stop at a red light and Mom took another exaggerated sniff in my direction.

"Milana, is that lean I smell on you now too?" she asked sharply, her voice rising in anger and disbelief.

I shook my head emphatically. "No Mom, I swear! I didn't drink or do any drugs, you have to believe me."

But the doubt and mistrust was clear on her face. She just stared straight ahead, jaw clenched tight. We both knew whatever trust we had was shattered.

A long moment passed in tense silence. Then she spoke in a low, steely voice. "I'm done. I tried to support your dreams but all you and your friends have shown me is disappointment. From now on you'll be going to med school, no arguments. And you can forget about seeing those so-called friends ever again."

Her words felt like a punch to the gut. I knew there was no use arguing right now, not when she was this furious. But I wasn't ready to give up on myself or my future without one hell of a fight. This setback was just fueling my determination to prove everyone wrong. One way or another, I'd find my way to law school.

The stress and frustration of the night finally boiled over and I snapped at my mom, "You don't understand anything! You just want me to be some robot doctor like you always planned. Well I'm my own person and I'm going to be a lawyer whether you like it or not!"

Mom slammed on the brakes, threw the car into park and turned to me with fire in her eyes. "Don't you take that tone with me! After all I've done to support you, this is how you repay me?"

I knew I should backtrack but I was too angry. "You call dragging me to this country and dictating my whole life support?! Well I'm done following your rules. I'm eighteen, you can't control me anymore!"

"You ungrateful child! Get out of my car this instant." Mom's voice was deathly calm.

My anger dissipated, realizing how far I'd pushed her. "Mom please, let's just go home and talk about this-"

"No, it's over. You've made your choice and now you have to live with it. Get out before I do something I regret."

Part of me wanted to fight more but I knew she was at her breaking point. As I grabbed my bag with a sinking heart, I prayed this wasn't the end...but feared my reckless actions may have burned that final bridge for good.

I wiped my tears, trying to gather myself as Aisha's car rolled up. Of course they were still partying, not a care in the world.

"My mom just kicked me out," I said flatly, not wanting to get into it all. But I could have sworn I heard snickering from the car.

"Aww no way, that sucks! But hey, you can crash at my place tonight," said Aisha cheerfully.

Part of me knew this was a terrible idea. But what other choice did I have right now? I was exhausted, upset and had nowhere else to go.

As I climbed hesitantly into the backseat amid whoops and hollers, the scent of liquor and weed hit me like a wall. My mind raced with doubts - was I really about to make yet another reckless decision that could jeopardize everything?

But it was too late to turn back now. All I could do was pray this wasn't the biggest mistake of my life...and hope that somehow, some way, I'd find the strength to get back on track towards my dreams.

The pounding bass and neon lights were giving me a headache as we pulled up outside the club. I sighed, not relishing the idea of what Aisha was about to propose.

"Look, I know you're in a tight spot since getting kicked out. But I can hook you up with a job dancing here!" she enthused.

Dancing was the last thing I wanted to do. But she was right, I needed money and fast if I wanted to get my own place. Working at a strip club went against everything I stood for... but what other choice did I have right now?

"I don't know Aisha, it just doesn't feel right. Isn't there anywhere else I could try applying?" I said skeptically.

She scoffed. "Girl please, with what experience? At least here you'll make bank fast. Don't knock it till you try it! Who knows, you might even like having all those thirsty men throw cash at you."

I grimaced at the image. Had it really come to this, jeopardizing my reputation and self-respect just to survive? My dreams of law school felt farther away than ever. But for now, putting food on the table had to be the priority...

After much hesitation, I decided serving drinks at the club was a safer option than dancing for now. While the environment still made me uncomfortable, I tried my best to ignore lurking hands and raunchy comments as I weaved between tables.

Surprisingly, the pay was decent with tips factored in. I worked as many shifts as I could, trying to save up for my own place off-campus in the fall. It was physically and emotionally draining, but a roof over my head took priority.

In scarce downtime, I studied—cramming knowledge into late nights and early mornings however I could. I refused to let this setback derail my future permanently. My dreams kept me going on exhausting shifts.

A few weeks passed in a haze. I was drained yet determined as ever to get my life back on track. This experience had only strengthened my drive to prove all the naysayers wrong. One day soon, I'd be leaving this place and its temptation far behind...and starting fresh on my journey to law school at last.

As I delivered yet another round of drinks, I did a double take at a new face smiling politely from a corner table. He looked near my age, a rarity in this crowd.

"Just a beer, thanks. What's your name by the way?" he asked conversationally.

I hesitated, usually keeping interactions brief. But something about his friendly demeanor seemed different from the usual patrons. "Milana. You?"

"I'm Callen," he replied, offering his hand. His grip was warm and firm.

Against my better judgment, I lingered a moment. "Haven't seen you here before."

Callen chuckled. "First time. A friend dragged me out for a guys' night, though this isn't really my scene."

Something about his easygoing presence put me slightly more at ease. We chatted for a few minutes until my break, the first real interaction I'd had in weeks that didn't make me feel degraded.

As I walked away, I glanced back to find Callen's blue eyes still watching with an open, genuine smile. Hmm, maybe not all customers were bad after all...