“I low-key want to thrift it this year.” As I pressed send on that message I immediately regretted it. A message from Sasha came in really quick. “Secondhand Splendor? Ick! I wouldn’t be caught dead wearing something I might see on a homeless lady at the shelter.” A hot sharp pang of embarrassment shot through me. Tiffany pipes up with all of our usual places, “We should go to Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Lululemon. We always find cute stuff there! And of course we can’t forget about Starbucks and Chipotle!” Tiffany also mentioned taking her dad’s car instead of Vicky’s. It’s to be expected that Sasha and Vicky agreed immediately. I decided to say, “Well we always go to those places, maybe we could go somewhere cheaper? Save some money? Plus everyone at school will have those things, at a thrift store we can find things no one else will have!”

Tiffany really wasn’t a fan of that idea, she sent a whole paragraph about how she wouldn’t be caught dead in a thrift store. Then Vicky says, “What are you trying to make us outcasts? Of course we want to get what’s trending!” Finally Sasha piped in one more saying, “Eloise I don’t know why on earth you would suggest such things, we are going to all our usual places, none of us are stepping foot in a dirty, grimy thrift store!”

“YOU WENT GAMBLING AGAIN?” as the scream floats up the stairway I hear doors slam. I get up and walk across my room, stepping over boxes of practically everything I own. I close my door and dig through one of the boxes to grab my headphones. I will do anything to drown out the argument my parents are having right now. I’ve heard nothing but my parents screaming for the past month, ever since my dad bet big and lost everything we had. Since then they’ve been arguing nonstop, dad keeps going back to the casino though. Mom says it’s because “this grown man doesn’t want to fix the mess he’s made of his family’s lives.” Dad says it’s because “your mother is such a nag. I’m going to win it all back and then some, she’ll see.”

I don’t care about any of that, I care that I might get kicked out of school and lose all my friends. Not to mention I can’t even afford to go on our annual summer shopping spree. Every single year before school we go to the most expensive stores and buy whole new wardrobes for school. My usual practically unlimited budget has plunged to a nice even 20 bucks. I only have that because I found it in my closet when I was cleaning it out. On top of everything else, we are moving. Where to, you might ask? A hotel. I am going to be living in a hotel for the foreseeable future. Unless, of course, I actually do get to go to my boarding school this year. My mom said she’s working on finding a way for me to go. What’s even the point in going when I can’t buy a new wardrobe? When I show up to school wearing the same old clothes I wore last year, I won’t have any friends left. Much less Sasha, Vicky, and especially Tiffany: the three richest girls in school—there used to be four. They will probably dump me as a friend as soon as they realize I’m not buying anything on our shopping spree.

My dad walks in and silently puts a plate of mashed potatoes and corn on a pile of boxes. He walks out not saying a word. No goodnight, or I love you, just silence. Mashed potatoes and corn is a far cry from the three course dinners Chef used to make. Her last pay period was a week ago, and she’s since packed up and left. I didn’t touch the plate of food, I just went to sleep.

* * * * * *

I wake up bright and early at 6:30. We are meeting at Starbucks at nine, but I want to go for a run to clear my head. I get up and go for my run, take a shower, then I start my makeup. Full glam as usual but instead of my expensive vanity, I’m doing my makeup in the bathroom mirror. My vanity is in a box somewhere. Thankfully I haven’t packed up my makeup, I can’t see them without a full face.

My dad stomps up the stairs. “Let’s go, Eloise! I’m not wasting any more time on these things!” he screams, “You’re finding your own way home! I’m going to spend all day in my car because your mother is making me sell it!”

“Ok, ok I get it Dad. I’m almost done.”

“No you are done! Get in the car right now or you’re not getting a ride there either!”

“Ok!” I rush to finish my mascara, and run downstairs and out the car. He drives like a manic to Starbucks, he likes to drive fast but he usually doesn’t drive this recklessly. He speeds though stop signs and runs red lights, it’s a miracle we didn’t cause an accident. You can tell he’s really mad. He drops me off at the front door and speeds away.

I’m the last to arrive, and Vicky, Sasha, and Tiffany are in line. I join them in line but don’t order, 20 bucks doesn’t leave much room for Starbucks. They each get their incredibly complicated drinks and then we all go to sit. Tiffany is mad that she had to repeat the order three times, but her Starbucks drink is as long as an essay, and she talks fast. The poor girl makes it wrong too, which only makes Tiffany more angry. Tiffany makes her remake it. Sasha and Vicky’s drinks came out perfect the first time, which adds to Tiffany’s anger. They start drinking their drinks as I sit there, silently. I start thinking about everything, my dad and his gambling, my mom and her stress, me losing everything. I start tearing up slightly.

“Eloise, lock in,” Tiffany yells. “Eloise, your mascara is all messed up,” she adds.

Of course it is, I practically run to the bathroom. I fix my mascara and pull myself together. When I get back to the table we head out for Lululemon. Sasha and Vicky are bickering over something the whole time. About what, I have no idea. I’m so preoccupied in my own head. Tiffany ends up making me carry her things because I “have nothing better to do because you’re not actually shopping,” I’m not shopping because I have 20 bucks to my name, everything here is over 200.

After that we head to Gucci. Sasha keeps looking over at me while they are talking about their shopping lists.

“Eloise, why aren’t you getting anything?” Sasha finally asks.

“Well I just think that everything is super expensive.”

“Eloise, stop glitching and buy yourself a new wardrobe. You’re rich, remember?” Sasha remarks.
“Yeah, Eloise. Don’t be cheap. I can’t hang with someone who doesn’t wear the same expensive clothes as I do. What kind of relationship would that make if I had a friend that I could criticize the outfits of?” Vicky adds.

“I don’t think I’m rich anymore.” I admit.

“Why not?” Tiffany asks.

“Because my dad recently gambled away our money and we have to sell the house and maybe the Porsche and stay in a hotel until things get better,” I say with tears in my eyes. It’s the first time I’ve admitted it out loud. “I might not even be able to go to the boarding school this year.”

“Your dad gambles?!” Vicky shrieks. “That’s gonna cause a big scandal. Everyone is going to be talking about this once it gets out and I can’t be associated. To think about how that will hurt me rep…” she trails off.

“Why didn’t you tell us when it happened? My parents hate gambling and they can’t be in on the gossip; everyone will recall the huge scandal over my uncle and I’ll have to go to boarding school with an entirely new identity!” Sasha cries.

I can no longer hold my tears in, they start to drip down my face. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you guys sooner. I just… I-I didn’t want you guys to leave me.”

“The way I see it, you’re leaving us,” Tiffany says matter of factly. After everything my three best friends look at me like I am dirt on the bottom of their shoes. I walk away more embarrassed than I’ve ever been. I go to the bathroom and sob for at least 20 minutes. When I finally pull myself together and walk out, I bump into them at the check out. I start following them out the door.

“What are you doing?” Vicky says with a sneer.

“Well I-uh-I need a ride home.” I say weakly.

“There is no way I’m letting you in my dads car,” Tiffany shouts, “No peasants allowed!”

They walk off and leave me there, in front of Gucci. I start calling my dad, he doesn’t pick up. I called him like ten times and no answer. I start to call my mom but I know she doesn’t have a car. So I hung up before she could answer. What is she going to do without a car? I have 20 bucks, not enough for a cab back home, at least in this city. I’m stranded with no ride, no friends, and for the first time in my life poor.