Growing up is never easy, especially when your parents’ idea of responsibility feels more like exploitation.

At just 17 years old, this teen is learning that independence comes at a price, but she had no idea her parents would make her pay so dearly.

Read on for this story full of twists and turns.

AITA for going off on my parents after they make me pay for my portion of a family dinner (when they payed for everybody else), despite them taking half my paycheck?

I’m 17F right now, and the middle child of my family.

I’m at an age where I’m able to care for myself, but my parents take it to an absurd degree.

So, just so I can pay for what I need, I have a job.

Her parents don’t just let her keep the money for herself.

However, they take half my earnings and say it’s because “they’re my parents, they deserve it”.

That, plus me having to pay for my phone bill, leaves me with a rather small amount of money for me to have.

The other night, my family took me and my sisters out for dinner, since my older sister could come down from her college.

It started off well enough, but then trouble started brewing.

We all eat, and have a generally good time until the check comes.

My parents decided to pay for everybody but me. I had to pay for myself.

So, naturally, I ask my parents about it.

What could have been a productive conversation goes south fast.

From there, the conversation escalates into a full-blown argument, which ends in them saying that I’m kicked out of the house.

I say fine, and go to stay at a friend’s house for the night, hoping they didn’t mean it and will cool off by the next day.

The next day, I received a text from them saying that I needed to pick my things up from the house.

It appears they did mean what they said.

I go to the house, and find all my stuff sitting on the front porch packed up. They were serious about their threat.

My friend, being very nice, decided to let me stay at their house for the time being, until either I’m allowed back home, or I find someplace else.

It was also the day that I received my paycheck (it was resent since the first one bounced).

She was in for another big surprise.

When I go to get it, I find that my parents have cashed the WHOLE paycheck, not just the usual half they do.

This obviously gets me more pissed off, and I go off on my parents again.

They say that they’re going to disown me, which considering what they just did, makes me believe they actually will.

So AITA?

It’s hard to believe people you are supposed to trust the most would behave this way.

Redditors chime in.

There’s major red flags all over this story.

It’s clear to this redditor who’s in the wrong here.

Despite what the parents may think, they can’t just do whatever they want.

This teen should really look into what legal options they have.

She’s left weighing the cost of staying versus the value of her independence.

Maybe her relationship with her parents isn’t worth the cost after all.

If you thought that was an interesting story, check this one out about a man who created a points system for his inheritance, and a family friend ends up getting almost all of it.