Graduating meant that Alana would have to leave for college soon, and leaving for college meant that she needed money. Her mom and stepdad, Nick, assured her they could pay for some of her expenses but she knew they wouldn’t be able to afford keeping her comfortable while she studied. They were well off enough. Had a picket fence and a pool, but that didn’t mean they could afford to pay for Alana to have an off-campus apartment and all the amenities she wanted.
Her stepdad only made so much money working in construction. He’d made it to top ranks and had been a manager for awhile, but he still had to work long days for not as much pay as he deserved. Alana didn’t actually get to see him much before she graduated, since she’d been spending her whole day at school and he’d come home sweaty and exhausted some time after dinner. A few hours here and there in passing were all she got of him. And if she was honest, he was a bit intimidating to her. He used to be in the Marines, and was not only physically bulky and big, but almost a foot and a half taller than her too. His dark brown eyes always seemed calculating and harsh, and it didn’t help that his voice was so deep and husky and that he kept a thick beard. He looked like some cross between a lieutenant and a lumberjack, only scarier to Alana. Though she’d never admit it, she sometimes purposely avoided him, because he was so intimidating she felt like he could snap her in two if he wanted. Nick and her mom had been married for a few years, but he and Alana were practically *strangers* living in the same house, so she wouldn’t feel right taking his money. Even if he was technically her stepdad.