My Parents Started Charging Me Rent After I Decorated My Room – What Happened Next Was Unbelievable

My parents never imagined that my flight and their eventual remorse would result from their demand for rent on the basement I had converted into a haven.

In my family, I often felt like I didn’t quite fit in, but it wasn’t just a feeling. The way my parents treated me compared to my younger brother, Daniel, made it obvious. Their approach to us was noticeably different.

My parents thought Daniel needed his own room when I was seventeen years old and we moved into a two-bedroom house. Unlike other siblings, they pushed me into our unfinished basement rather than sharing.

Meanwhile, he had a spacious, brightly lit room upstairs, complete with brand new furniture, decor, and even a gaming system. As for me, I ended up with whatever discarded items they found in the garage.

I remember one day being shown what was supposed to be my new “room.”

Mom pointed around the chilly concrete room as if it were a prize. “This is great, isn’t it, Elena, honey? There will be plenty of room for you down here.

I gazed at the cobwebs in the corners, the bare bulb hanging from the ceiling, and the musty odor that permeated everything. “Yes, mother. Extremely thrilling.

Dad gave me a shoulder clap. Kiddo, that’s the spirit! Additionally, perhaps we can resolve it a little later.

Naturally, later never arrived. I wasn’t going to spend my entire life in a dungeon, though.

I started working at the neighborhood grocery store after school, pushing carts and bagging groceries. Although it wasn’t glamorous, I got closer to changing my basement jail with each payday.

Throughout it all, my aunt Teresa was my savior. The only person who was aware of my home life was her.

She began visiting me on weekends with paintbrushes and an infectious zeal after learning about my plans for the basement.

“Alright, Ellie-girl,” she would reply while pulling her untamed curls back. “Let’s make this place shine!”

We started by painting the grimy walls in a soft shade of lavender. Then, we added area rugs to warm up the cold floor, strung up lights to brighten the space, and hung curtains to cover the small windows.

Over time, the basement slowly became my own, though it took several months since my job didn’t pay much. I arranged my books on upcycled shelves, put up posters of my favorite bands, and even found a secondhand desk for studying.

When I finally added the finishing touch—a string of LED lights around my bed—I stepped back and felt a sense of pride, something I hadn’t experienced in a long time, if ever.

I heard footsteps on the stairs while I was examining my handiwork. When Mom and Dad showed up, they raised their eyebrows and glanced around.

“Well, well,” Dad murmured, squinting his eyes. “Looks like someone’s been busy.”

I waited for recognition of my efforts, or at the very least, praise. Mom pursed her lips instead.

She waved her palm over my tastefully decorated room and said, “Elena, if you have money for all this, then you can start contributing to the household.”

My mouth fell open. “What?”

“That’s right,” Dad said with a nod. “We think it’s time you started paying rent.”

What I was hearing seemed impossible. “Rent? I’m only seventeen! I’m still in high school!”

Mom crossed her arms and spat, “And clearly making enough to redecorate,” “It’s time you learned some financial responsibility.”

I felt like screaming. Daniel had never worked a day in his life, yet he had a room three times as big as mine, completely equipped and decorated on their cash. Even if he was younger, it was still more of their injustice.

Unfortunately, I bit my tongue because I knew I couldn’t argue with them. “Fine,” I said. “How much?”

My stomach dropped as they named a figure. It could be done, but now that the basement was finished, I had to give up all aspirations of saving for college.

Daniel decided to thunder down the stairs at that very moment, as if to make matters worse. After glancing around, he whistled softly.

“Whoa, sis. “Nice cave.” His gaze came to rest on my LED lights. “Hey, are these strong?”

He reached up and yanked on the strip before I could stop him. With a melancholy flicker, the lights went out, leaving a path of peeling paint in their wake.

“Daniel!” I sobbed. However, my parents hurried over to him, inquired about the situation, and just dismissed me.

Dad laughed as though his golden kid hadn’t just ruined everything I had spent months working for. “Boys will be boys,” he said.

And so there I was, standing in my gloomy room once more, fighting back tears of annoyance. After all, Daniel had just damaged my lights, and I could replace those. However, it was more than that in reality.

It served as a metaphor for my life—always the afterthought, always second best. However, as they say, karma has a way of leveling the playing field.

My parents brought Aunt Teresa and a few of their friends over for dinner a few weeks later. Ava, an interior designer from her reading group, accompanied her.

As Mom raved about Daniel and his football squad, we all gathered around the dining table and nibbled on her overdone pot roast.

Aunt Teresa, however, abruptly interrupted. “You must see my niece’s renovations to the basement, Ava. It’s amazing!”

All eyes were on me, and I could feel my cheeks getting hot. I muttered, “It’s not that big a deal,”

Ava, however, was curious. “Seeing it would be amazing. Would you mind?”

I escorted Ava downstairs, ignoring the tight smiles on my parents’ faces. Her eyes grew wide as she glanced about.

“This is fantastic, Elena. You handled everything yourself?

With a sudden shyness, I nodded. “The majority of it. Some of the more significant tasks were assisted by my aunt.

I had recovered a repurposed bookcase from a neighbor’s curb, and Ava stroked her hand down it. “You truly have a sense of style. Although there wasn’t much room for improvement, the way you made the most of the available space and the color selections is truly amazing.”

I felt a glimmer of hope for the first time in ages. “Really?”

She grinned and nodded. “My company is actually hiring for an internship. I believe we could make an exception for a high school kid who is about to enroll in college, even if it’s typically for college students. Do you want to pursue a profession in design?

When I tried to talk, I had to keep my jaw from dropping. “Certainly! Even though I’ve never given it any thought professionally, I adore it.

Ava grinned. “Well, think about it now. The internship is compensated, and if you pursue design, you may be eligible for a college scholarship from the company if you perform well. What are your thoughts?

What I was hearing was unbelievable. “Yes! Yes, a thousand times! I’m grateful.

“Great! You may get started right away. Ava agreed and walked upstairs, avoiding my parents, saying, “I’ll give you a call later with more information.”

They had followed us downstairs, and I was completely unaware of it. Their expressions were astonished, and my brother appeared perplexed that someone else was receiving all the attention for once.

Everything changed because of that internship. All of a sudden, I had a goal, a direction, and most importantly, people who respected and wanted me to be successful.

I thus stayed late at the office, absorbed information like a sponge, and poured myself into learning everything I could about design.

I balanced school, my internship, and my part-time job at the grocery store throughout the course of the following few months. It was both thrilling and stressful.

Things were… different at home. My parents didn’t appear to know how to handle me at this point. The demands for rent ceased. They instead inquired about my “little job.”

“So, uh, how’s that design thing going?” Over dinner, Dad would ponder, but he never looked into my eyes.

I would say, “It’s great,” attempting to be casual. They did not own my joy. “I’m learning so much.”

For his part, Daniel appeared perplexed. “I don’t get it,” he grumbled one day. “Why does Elena get an internship and not me?”

Mom gave him a hand pat. That’s because you’re still young, my dear. Later on, you’ll receive an even better one.

I gave an eye roll. They had to appease the favored, of course.

I began assembling my portfolio for college applications as the academic year went on. Ava was an amazing mentor who helped me select my best work and helped me navigate the process.

As she told me one afternoon after work, “You’ve got a real talent, Elena,” She had graciously remained so I could complete my goals. “These schools would be lucky to have you.”

Her advice inspired me to set lofty goals. I applied to Ava’s alma university as well as some of the best design schools in the nation.

After then, the waiting was excruciating, but at last it came. I heard Mom call down while I was in the basement, refinishing some paint on my bookshelf.

“Elena? You have a large envelope here.

I tore the package out of her hands and went up the stairs two at a time. “Dear Elena, We are pleased to offer you admission to our School of Design…” It only grew better, but my knees went weak!

It was unbelievable to me. Not only had I been accepted, but the same institution that Ava went to had granted me a full scholarship.

“Well?” Mom smiled tightly at me as she asked. “What does it say?”

“I entered. I looked up, my eyes watering, and whispered, “Full ride.”

There was silence for a while. She returned upstairs after that. Not even a modest congratulation would come out of her mouth.

Daniel was in some way upset, and my dad remained silent over supper.

I sensed their resentment. I didn’t care, though. I got what I desired at last. Aunt Teresa threw a huge party for me, while Ava had a small celebration at work. I only needed it.

My dorm room was the next space I designed. After that, I re-decorated my entire life with hues that reflected my soul, the patterns that gave the world its individuality, and the family I had formed along the way—who were as dependable as a comfortable bed frame that last for decades.