Chanel went online and started a GoFundMe page to help Claire raise the tuition money. Chanel kept the page a secret from everyone because she wanted it to be a surprise. The page was skillfully put together. She wrote about how her sister was a poor project girl who had graduated high school with honors and was now in danger of missing out on the opportunity of a lifetime—a Harvard education. Chanel expressed sadness and guilt on the page, and she reached out to everyone. The campaign was created the day after Claire’s graduation, and by mid-July, Chanel was able to raise $30,000.
Feeling excited about the money she’d raised, Chanel felt that it was finally time to share the good news with her sister. It was early afternoon and the house was quiet. Claire was in the living room supposedly reading. Chanel took a deep breath and with Claire’s laptop in her hands, she approached her with a smile on her face.
“Claire, can I talk to you for a minute?” Chanel asked.
Claire looked up at her sister deadpan. “What do you want, Chanel?” It was clear that she didn’t want to be bothered.
“I want to show you something.”
“Like what?”
Chanel took a seat right next to her big sister and opened the laptop. Claire looked like she was ready to become upset, but she took the time to listen to what Chanel was going to tell her. Chanel went to the GoFundMe page and proudly announced, “I got you the money you needed.”
“You got me what?” Claire asked, her face a picture of confusion and shock.
“I was able to raise thirty thousand dollars for you to attend Harvard this fall. I set up a GoFundMe page and lots of people wanted to help you out with your education.”
Claire’s mouth remained open. “You raised thirty thousand dollars?”
“Yes. And I’m turning the account over to you.”
“Wow!”
At first, Chanel thought Claire was proud of what she’d accomplished. But then Claire went on to say, “So you think you’re better than me?”
A look of incomprehension decorated Chanel’s face. “Huh?”
“You think I’m some fuckin’ charity case, Chanel?” Claire asked.
“I just wanted to help you out.”
“You help me? Do I look like I need your help?”
Claire felt some kind of way that she hadn’t thought of the idea. Then Claire uttered the unthinkable when she said to Chanel, “Thirty thousand dollars, huh? You sure you ain’t steal any of it? How do I know you didn’t raise more and spend it?”
Chanel was befuddled by the accusation. Now Claire was accusing her of stealing?
When Charlie heard about the idea, she was upset that she hadn’t raised the money. She was supposed to be the hustler of the family. The fundraiser completely turned against Chanel, and her family looked at her foul and showed absolute ungratefulness for what she did to help Claire out.
The only thing Chanel could do was cry and hide in her bedroom. What was an act of kindness turned into bitterness and hatred against her. After her tears and disappointment dried up, it hit her. She’d had enough.
“Fuck this!” she said to herself.
She called Mecca and asked if she could stay with her for a while. Chanel wanted to spend the rest of her summer in Harlem, and when Mecca’s parents said it was okay, Chanel packed her things and left the apartment that evening without anyone noticing.
***
Chanel exhaled and smiled. It felt like a new day. Sleeping at Mecca’s place was like a whole new world—absolute peace and tranquility and no bullshit from her family. Last night, she and Mecca laughed and talked for hours and snacked on pizza, chips, and candy and played games. It was the perfect sleepover.
Chanel wanted to thank Mecca for having her over, and she felt that the perfect way to thank her friend was to cook breakfast. The one thing Chanel knew how to do well was cook. She went into the kitchen to make an omelet, but the one ingredient she needed to make her omelets was missing—eggs.
“Mecca, you don’t have any eggs in your fridge,” Chanel said.
“I know. We need to get some.”
“I’ll go to the store,” Chanel volunteered.
“You sure?”