Wait…Why Did Everyone I Love Suddenly Call Me a Bitch?! novel Chapter 64

Chapter 5

Once, I was handing out flyers outside the hospital when I overheard some old neighbors talking.

“Oh, you heard about that Garrett kid? The one from 3B?”

“Apparently he’s doing real well now. Got some big scholarship, doing his PhD or whatever.”

“Yeah, but what a piece of shit. After everything the Carters did for him. Ungrateful bastard.”

“Right? And poor Sloane. Never even went to college. Working three jobs to pay her mom’s medical bills. So sad.”

I crushed the flyers in my hand, nails digging into my palms.

Was I pathetic?

Yeah. I was.

That night, I sat alone in the hospital hallway. Staring at my mom through the ICU window, hooked up to all those machines.

For the first time, I thought about ending it.

My life felt like it had no light left.

But art saved me.

When I was at my lowest, my dad pulled out my old sketchbook.

Eyes red, he said: “Sloane. Look at me, kiddo.”

“Your mom… when she wakes up-and she will wake up-she’s gonna want to see you doing your thing. Drawing. Being you.”

“Don’t… don’t let this take that away from you too. Okay? Please.”

I held that sketchbook and sobbed.

From that day on, I picked up my pencils again.

Stopped doing those random jobs. Started taking commissions online instead.

Started with $20 profile pics. Then $100 illustrations. Then $1000 commercial work.

I drew until my fingers cramped, Until my eyes burned.

My skills shot up from all that practice. Slowly, I built a name for myself in certain circles.

Life finally showed me a tiny sliver of light through all that darkness,

Five years, Over 1,800 days and nights.

I moved my mom from ICU to a regular room. Hired the best caregiver I could afford.

And rented a house with a little yard. Brought my dad to live with me.

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Wait…Why Did Everyone I Love Suddenly Call Me a Bitch?!

In that yard, I planted a crabapple tree.

I wasn’t that girl who needed protecting anymore. I learned to hold up the sky myself.

Only thing-I never touched watercolors or oils again.

Just commercial illustration. Because that’s what paid.

I thought I’d never cross paths with Garrett Brooks or Harper Sullivan ever again.

Until when I saw Harper’s post.

That’s when I realized-all that “peace” I thought I had? Bullshit. Self-deception.

That thorn was still there. Still stuck in my heart.

And the really crazy part? Three days after that post, I got a call from a gallery.

Said some client saw one of my old pieces I had up for sale and wanted to buy it-offering serious money.

It was my only non-commission piece-a painting of the crabapple tree from our old apartment courtyard.

I’d painted it on my 18th birthday. In the picture, there’s a boy and a girl under the tree, smiling and carefree.

That was me and Garrett.

This painting held all my high school memories. I never wanted to sell it.

But the price they offered? Enough to cover three months of my mom’s care.

After going back and forth, I agreed.

Day of the transaction, I walked into the gallery’s VIP room and saw this guy with his back to me.

Expensive suit. Good posture.

Eight years later, I recognized him instantly.

Garrett Brooks.

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Wait… Why Did Everyone I Love Suddenly Call Me a Bitch?!

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