Hello, I'm Kayla. I'm 19 and will be 20 in December. I took a gap year in the hopes of going to college. At the time, it seemed totally possible. I would have loved to get involved in Humanities of some sort. I adore Art, Literature, and History, but it just isn't in the cards for me, and I don't think it will ever be. I've been supporting my family (Mother, Father, and little sister) for a few years now. It started when my family picked up what remained of our lives after the death of two family members (my grandparents on my mom's side). We moved using the inheritance irresponsibly. I began high school, landed a seasonal job, and that's when my financial responsibility to my parents began. It started as normal things like gas money and rent. It completely got blown out of proportion, turning into, by eleventh grade, me paying for my own meals (school lunches), my prom, my senior photos, my senior trip. Rent increased as I got part-time work. Some things I understood, but some felt like an abuse of power.

Nowadays, I currently am working 2 different jobs and am quite introverted. Aside from work, I don't do much. I spend my time working 40+ hours a week picking up shifts and taking overtime opportunities when they come. I don't party, don't go out, don't smoke or drink. I sleep in the same bed and bedding I've had since childhood. As well as having one meal a day, other than work, when I get my groceries for myself, most of it ends up gone mid-week since I'm never home. They end up eating the food I buy, and I get no reimbursement. My room, which used to not have a doorknob, now has one I bought and installed myself, and yet I often come home to my door being open or unlocked after locking it and checking before work.

I wish to move out but I don't due to the cost of living and not having friends as roommate candidates. I would move out if I could, but that is not my issue. I'm saving for my own car after my first one died on me. I'm at the point where I am in a state of applying for loans in order to afford this car. A family friend is willing to help me out under the condition of cash upfront, $5,500. It's a nice car, reliable, good reviews, slightly older but not bad mileage, no accidents, something I'd be comfortable driving to work regardless of weather conditions. I'm absolutely desperate with nowhere left to turn. Due to a lack of a line of credit and being short on time, loans haven't worked out. It's just an all-around bad situation. Any extra cash raised between me working my ass off and people graciously donating will be put into a charity anonymously. I'm thinking cancer research or a children's hospital, charities like Four Diamonds.

Thank you for your time and support. I can't say it enough, but even reading this helps. Thank you.

Sincerely, Hoping for a brighter future,

K