Chapter 14: Clothes Gift Card

Chapter 14: Chapter 14: Clothes Gift Card Aurora walked out of the shop with her head held high, a spring in her step, and a grin so wide it could light up the street. "That," she muttered to herself, "was worth every penny." Back at home, she set the cake on the table, feeling like she'd just won a battle. She couldn't wait to dig in—and maybe share it with her siblings. Wait...if she shared the cake with her family...would she get a rebate? At night. Aurora placed the cake on the dining table, carefully removing the packaging to reveal the golden-brown Lotus Biscoff Cake in all its glory. The sweet, caramel-like smell filled the room, and her siblings rushed over, their eyes wide with excitement. "Whoa! Where'd you get that?" Olivia asked, leaning closer to sniff the cake. Theodore popped his head in from the living room. "Did you rob a bakery or something?" Aurora rolled her eyes and sat down. "No, I didn't rob anyone! I helped an old lady carry her groceries, and she gave me this cake as a thank-you gift." Adam, her father, raised an eyebrow as he joined them at the table. "An old lady gave you this? Are you sure about that, Aurora?" Aurora nodded quickly, trying to look as innocent as possible. "Of course! She said she had too many cakes and didn't need this one." Adam stared at her for a moment longer before shrugging. "Well, if that's the case, let's dig in." Aurora grinned, grabbing a knife and cutting the cake into even slices. She made sure to give herself the biggest piece—it was her cake, after all. "Here you go!" she said cheerfully, handing out plates to her siblings and parents. As the family enjoyed the cake, compliments flew around the table. "This is amazing!" Olivia said, her mouth full. "Yeah, the best cake I've had in ages!" Theodore added. Aurora felt a little guilty for lying about the cake, but hearing their praise made her proud. After everyone finished, Aurora cleaned up the table as quickly as possible, her heart pounding with anticipation. Sitting at the desk, she opened the rebate system and started typing in the details. She double-checked everything to make sure it was accurate. "What did you buy? And for whom?": Cake, for the entire family. "How much did it cost?" : $17 She hit submit and waited, her fingers drumming on the desk. A notification popped up a second later, and Aurora clicked on it eagerly. But as she read the message, her excitement turned into shock. "Rebate denied. Reason: The item was primarily purchased for personal enjoyment and not as a gift for the family. No rebate applicable." Aurora's jaw dropped. "WHAT?! No rebate?!" She reread the message, hoping she'd misunderstood. But it was clear. No rebate, not a single penny. "This can't be happening!" she groaned, slumping in her chair. "I shared it with them! They loved it! How is this not a gift?" Her frustration grew as she thought about how much she'd spent. That cake wasn't cheap, and now she didn't even have the satisfaction of getting her rebate. Her eyes filled with tears—not from sadness, but pure, boiling anger. "Stupid system!" she muttered, pounding her fists lightly on the desk. "How could you do this to me?!" For a moment, she considered writing an angry email to the rebate service, but she realized it wouldn't change anything since she didn't have their email either! In the end, Aurora flopped onto her bed, staring at the ceiling with a defeated sigh. "Next time," she muttered, "I'm eating the whole cake by myself." Aurora was heading to her room, still sulking about the rebate fiasco, when she overheard her mom, Mary, talking in the kitchen. "I don't know what to wear. Everything I have is so old," Mary said, her voice a little tired. Aurora froze. She peeked around the corner and saw her mom on the phone, probably talking to Aunt Cathy. "It's not like I'm complaining," Mary continued, "but it's been ages since I bought something new. I just don't see the point when there's always something more important to spend on." Aurora's heart sank. She thought about her mom's closet—barely five outfits for parties, and even those were kind of worn out. Mom always put the family first, never herself. Aurora waited for her mom to finish the call, her mind racing with an idea. When Mary hung up, Aurora marched into the room with as much confidence as she could muster. "Mom," Aurora announced, making Mary jump. "Aurora! Don't scare me like that!" Mary said, placing a hand on her chest. "What's gotten into you?" Aurora ignored the scolding. "Mom, I think you should ask my fairy godmother for a $150 clothes gift card." Mary blinked at her daughter like she'd just grown two heads. "What did you just say?" "You heard me! My godmother—she's magic, remember? She can totally get you a gift card for new clothes!" Mary sighed, a mix of amusement and disbelief on her face. "Aurora, you're too old to believe in fairy tales. And even if they were real, I wouldn't ask for anything. I'm fine with what I have." "But you're not fine, Mom!" Aurora protested. "I heard you say it yourself—you don't have anything to wear!" "That's not the point, Aurora," Mary said gently. "Life isn't about getting everything we want. We make do with what we have." Aurora pouted but didn't back down. "Just try, Mom. For me? Please?" Mary shook her head, smiling softly. "Fine. If it makes you happy, I'll... uh... wish for it. I'll wish for a $150 clothes gift card. Happy now?" Aurora grinned. "You won't regret it!" She darted out of the room before Mary could say anything else. The next day, Aurora stood in front of the gift card display at the store, biting her lip. $150 was a lot of money, and buying this card would leave her with exactly $0 in her bank account. She stared at the card for a long time before snatching it up and heading to the register.