Chapter 4: The Name on the Withdrawal Form
Dad didn't sit down.
He stood beside the bed with his phone pressed to his ear, staring at Vanessa as though he were waiting for her face to change into something he could understand.
I sat at the edge of the mattress, clutching my acceptance letter against my chest. My hands were still trembling.
Mia stood near the closet, her ruined designer handbag hanging from one hand. For once, she wasn't checking her reflection in her phone camera or complaining about how unfair life was.
She looked scared.
"Westbridge University admissions office, how may I help you?"" a woman answered.
"My name is David Brooks. I'm calling about my daughter's scholarship withdrawal. Her name is Aaliyah Brooks.""
Dad glanced at me.
"Yes, she's eighteen. She's here with me.""
Vanessa took a step forward.
"David, please. You don't need to involve strangers in a private family matter.""
He covered the phone with his hand.
"Someone used my daughter's name to cancel her future. That stopped being a private family matter the moment it happened.""
He returned to the call.
After several minutes of verification, the admissions representative asked to speak directly with me.
I took the phone.
"This is Aaliyah.""
"Hello, Aaliyah. I'm Rachel from the admissions office. Your father has explained that you dispute the withdrawal request we received.""
"Yes," I said, fighting to keep my voice steady.
"I never withdrew my application. I never declined the scholarship. I didn't even know I had been accepted until five minutes ago.""
There was a brief pause.
"I'm very sorry you've experienced this. We have a record of an electronic withdrawal submitted through your applicant portal on September twenty-ninth.""
My stomach tightened.
"Can you tell me how it was submitted?""
"The request came from an authenticated session associated with your application. However, the submission included a declaration that you had personally authorized the withdrawal.""
"I didn't authorize anything.""
"I understand. We can open a formal review and place a hold on the withdrawal while we investigate. Your scholarship award may be reinstated if the request is found to be unauthorized.""
"May be?"" I whispered.
Rachel's voice softened.
"I can't promise an outcome before the review is complete, but please don't assume your opportunity is gone. We'll send you the dispute procedure today.""
I thanked her and handed the phone back to Dad.
He ended the call and looked at Vanessa.
"Now explain.""
Vanessa wiped her eyes.
"I was trying to help.""
I laughed once, a short, disbelieving sound.
"Help me do what? Not go to college?""
"That's not what I wanted.""
"Then why did you hide every letter?""
She looked away.
Dad stepped between us.
"Answer her.""
Vanessa drew a shaky breath.
"When you applied, I thought you were being unrealistic. Westbridge is expensive. College means moving away, and David has already sacrificed so much for this family.""
"The scholarship covers my tuition," I said.
"I didn't know that.""
"You didn't open the letters?""
She hesitated.
That hesitation told me more than her answer could have.
Mia suddenly spoke from the closet.
"Mom knew about the scholarship.""
Vanessa spun around.
"Mia, don't.""
"You showed me the letter!""
The room went silent.
Dad's expression hardened.
"You knew about the scholarship before today?""
Mia nodded, staring at the floor.
"She showed it to me when it came in. She said Aaliyah would leave as soon as she could, and then Dad would spend all his money on her while we were stuck here.""
I felt sick.
"So you knew I got in when you cut my dress?""
Mia's eyes filled with tears.
"I knew you had an acceptance letter.""
"And you still did it?""
She looked at me, then away.
"Mom said you needed to learn that you couldn't always get what you wanted.""
I stood up.
"You cut up something I bought with six months of my life because your mother thought I was getting too much attention?""
Mia's lower lip trembled.
"I didn't think it would become this big.""
"You didn't think?""
My voice rose.
"I was crying on the floor, and you laughed at me!""
She flinched.
For once, I didn't care whether she felt bad.
Dad picked up the withdrawal form and examined the signature again.
"Vanessa, did you submit this?""
She shook her head quickly.
"No. I helped her access the portal. That's all.""
"Who is her?""
Vanessa froze.
Dad lowered the paper.
"You just said you helped someone access the portal. Who?""
"I meant I helped Aaliyah with her applications.""
"Then why does the university's record identify you?""
Vanessa's eyes darted toward the door.
"Because I was trying to protect her.""
"From what?""
"From leaving!""
The words burst out of her.
She covered her mouth, but it was too late.
Dad stared at her.
Vanessa began crying harder.
"David, please. You don't understand. Since you married me, everything has revolved around Aaliyah.
Her grades, her plans, her future. Mia and I have been trying to find our place in this family, and every time Aaliyah succeeds, there's another reason for you to put her first.""
Dad's voice turned cold.
"She's my daughter.""
"And Mia is mine!""
"That doesn't give you the right to destroy Aaliyah's future.""
"I wasn't trying to destroy her future!""
"Then what were you trying to do?""
Vanessa looked at me.
For a moment, I thought she might finally apologize.
Instead, she said, "I wanted you to stay home for another year. That's all. I thought you'd eventually choose a college closer to Atlanta.""
I stared at her.
"You stole my acceptance letter and forged my signature so I would stay?""
"I didn't think it would go this far.""
Dad's face changed.
"How did you sign her name?""
Vanessa didn't answer.
Dad repeated the question.
"How?""
She pressed both hands against her face.
Then Mia whispered, "Mom practiced it.""
Vanessa lowered her hands.
"Mia!""
But Mia kept talking.
"I saw her copying Aaliyah's signature from the permission slips on the kitchen counter. She said she needed it to look right.""
My knees weakened.
Dad looked as though he'd been struck.
"You practiced forging my daughter's signature?""
Vanessa took a step toward him.
"David, I can fix this.""
He moved away.
"No. You can't.""
He placed the acceptance letter and the withdrawal form in a folder.
Then he looked at me.
"Aaliyah, you're going to that university if I have to fight every person in that admissions office myself.""
For the first time that morning, I believed him.
But when Dad turned back toward Vanessa, she made one final attempt to save herself.
"Before you decide I'm the villain here," she said, her tears suddenly stopping, "you should ask your daughter what she told me about her college plans.""
Dad frowned.
"What are you talking about?""
Vanessa looked directly at me.
"Tell him, Aaliyah. Tell him what you promised me in exchange for keeping this family together.""
I had never made such a promise.
But the confidence in her voice sent a chill down my spine.
May you like
Because Vanessa wasn't finished lying.
And I was beginning to suspect that the hidden letters were only the beginning.
