Swapped By Fate

Chapter one The Scholarship “What the hell is wrong with you” the woman shouted, her voice echoing across the private dining room. I stared at the wine spreading across the cream colored hem of her floral dress and wished the floor will open and swallow me whole. Today just had to be the worst day of my life, I’m not normally this clumsy, i guess I’m just a bit distracted cause the mail for my scholarship to ASHFORD, my dream school is supposed to arrive today. “I need your manager!’’, she said. While i raised my head looking around at the two other people in the private room , which i assumed were her sons They said nothing, while scrolling through their phones so nonchalantly that one could tell they were already used to their mom screaming and creating a scene. “Are you deaf, i said i need your manager” ‘’okay ma’am let me go get him’’, i said while i rushed towards the exit. I arrived shortly after with the manager and from the look on his face, i was pretty sure things were not going to end well at all. ‘’You called for me ma’am, please how may i help you’’. ‘’Did you see what this poor server did to a dress i ordered from France just last week’’ she said, while pointing towards the stain at the hem of her floral gown. ‘’I’m so sorry ma’am’’ the manager apologized repeatedly, promising that the restaurant would take responsibility. From the way he kept glancing at me i already knew what that responsibility meant, I was going to lose my job. i couldn’t stop the few drops of tears that fell from my eyes while i tried to console myself, well…at least it was better than being asked to pay for the dress which i knew fully well that i would never be able to afford. ‘’Don’t you think you should let it go’’ the youngest of the two guys spoke up after staying silent throughout the entire process. In my opinion he looked like he is around my age if I’m not mistaken, with curly black hair and a really handsome face. While observing everything about him from how he was simply but expensively dressed, to the way he carried himself like he owned the entire restaurant. i think I got a bit carried away cause when i looked up i caught him staring and I really couldn’t help the way my heart skipped a beat and i could feel the heat on my cheeks. But that didn’t last long, cause his next statement took most of the air away from my lungs and made me want to scream and ask nature why it was always so cruel to the poor even when they tried their best to survive. ‘’ Mom, be for real. Does she look like she can afford it?, with shoes so worn out that one could tell they’ve not been changed in years’’ . ‘’ Fine. Let her go because my son wants me to’’ she said looking towards the manager ‘’Ethan, Sebastian let’s leave’’ she said motioning towards door of the private room i bent my head in shame. Taking note of the fact that the who insulted me was named Sebastian, not like there was anything i could do about it. My shift was finally over and i rushed to pack my things, by now i had already forgotten everything that transpired earlier and the only thing on my mind was the scholarship. —————- ——————. —————- —————— I had never run home this fast in my life. My shoes slapped against the cracked pavement and my lungs burned in that good stupid way that told me I didn’t care how i looked, sprinting down my street with an envelope tucked against my chest like someone might snatch it away if I loosened my grip for even a second. I stopped for a bit to catch my breath as I watched people pass, staring at me like i had lost my mind, considering the huge smile on my face. I looked down at the envelope once more and there it was ASHFORD HIGHSCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM. I had actually gotten into one of the most prestigious schools in LA. I Hazel Carter finally had something to be proud of. I hadn’t felt this light in years, i was so overwhelmed that it felt like the universe was finally giving me something instead of always taking things away. ‘’Momm… mommmmm!!!’’ I screamed as i got closer to the door of our tiny apartment. I reached our front door and i pushed it open while already laughing ‘’Mom’’ i called ‘’mom guess what?’’ No answer. i stepped inside and the smile stayed on my face for exactly three seconds before the sound reached me… a crash, something heavy reaching the kitchen counter and then my dad’s voice, loud and sharp edged in a way i would recognize anywhere. ‘’You’re not doing this!’’ By now I already understood that something was terribly wrong, I tip toed quietly towards the kitchen trying to get a better view of everything without being noticed. i could see my dad’s back from where i stood and my mom faceing him with tears streaming down her face while she begged him. ‘’Please don’t take this opportunity away from our daughter’’ ‘’she worked so hard for it’’ ‘’She’s not going anywhere!’’ Dad shouted My stomach twisted into something small and hard ‘’She’s not going to that school. Do you understand me?’’ School. i stopped breathing for a second or so…I looked down at the envelope in my hand, hoping it could somehow explain what was going on.