Page 36 of Make Me Scream

“Fuck it,” she mutters, pulling out the bottle of rum.

I don’t blame her.

Getting out shot glasses for us both, I also take out the pretzels and a bowl.

She slams the first shot I pour in one gulp, cringing as it goes down. I push the pretzels close to her, then get us both a glass of water.

“Okay,” she says. “Stop stalling. What am I supposed to do?”

“The first option is to transfer to another school, but I take it you’d need to find one that will also offer you a scholarship.”

“Yeah. And it wouldn’t be as good a school,” she says.

“No, it wouldn’t be. Your next option is to make Mundell happy — keep your scholarship. Write down your ideas and perform them later. You’re just getting started, you have all the time in the world.”

Gwen rolls her eyes.

“I really don’t want to let Mundell win. Fuck that guy.”

I chuckle.

“Understandable.”

“Look, three years is a long time. What if something were to happen to me, and I could have done something great, but I didn’t because of him? I can’t let that happen.”

Pretty grim for someone her age. What would make her think like that?

“Are you worried something will happen, Gwen?”

She looks away, saying nothing. Anger burns behind her eyes.

“Your work is very personal, isn’t it?” I say. “Am I wrong in thinking bothThe Ohio Zooand Enmity Jane come from a place inside? From your past.”

“They do,” she says, pouring herself a second shot of rum.

“What happened?”

I drink when she does, then give her a minute.

“Are you asking if I was abused or something?” she asks.

“If that’s what’s driving your art.”

Gwen shakes her head.

“My home life sucked, okay? It could have been worse, but I got out of Ohio the minute I could.”

I could have guessed.

“Tell me about your family.”

“My dad’s a psychopath, my mom’s a bitch and my brother’s a freak,” she said, counting them off on her fingers.

I nod.

“Go on.”

“Dad’s such a zealot, he’d make the Puritans look like hippies. I could dress like the Amish, he’d still call me a whore. The first time I told him I’d like to go on a date, he locked me in my room for a day. He cut up my library card when he caught me readingGhost World. I couldn’t buy leggings until I moved to New York. I had to send out my art school applications through my high school. And when I told them I was leaving, he told me not to come back.”

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