Chapter 3

3

1 AM. The hospital. I sat on a cold metal chair, staring at the closed doors of the operating room, my stomach clenching every time a nurse went in or out.

I was twelve years older than Lily. Mom had her when I was in sixth grade. When Mom was pregnant, my uncle teased me, saying I was going to be replaced. So, at first, I resented her.

Then, one afternoon, I came home from school and saw Mom holding this tiny, pink bundle. Lily was sleeping, sucking her thumb, smelling of baby powder. The look on Mom's face… pure, overflowing love.

I felt a pang of jealousy.

Then Lily woke up. Her bright eyes fixed on mine. She gurgled and smiled.

Mom gasped. "She's been crying all day at the hospital, and now she sees her big brother and she smiles! She loves you already!"

Maybe she wasn't so bad after all.

By the time she was three or four, she was my shadow. Every day after school, I'd open the door and she'd run to me, arms outstretched. When I did my homework, she'd stand quietly beside me, her little head resting on the table.

"Jake, do you want some fruit?" Mom would ask.

I'd shake my head. Lily would pipe up, "Brother says no."

"How about some milk?"

I'd nod. Lily would scamper off. "Brother says yes!"

Mom would laugh. "You're such a little copycat."

Lily carefully placed the milk on the table. "Brother, what's a copycat?"

"Someone who copies everything someone else does."

She puffed out her chest. "Then I'm Brother's copycat!"

Later, when money got tight, I wanted to drop out of school and get a job to help pay for Lily's education. Dad caught me skipping class and dragged me home. He made me kneel while he beat me with his belt.

Lily stood in front of me. "Don't hit Brother!"

Dad dropped the belt and started to cry. It was the first time I'd ever seen him cry. He said he was useless, couldn't provide for his children.

Later, Lily told me, "Brother, you have to study hard so you can get a good job and marry a good wife…" She trailed off, then turned to Mom. "Mommy, what comes next?"

I promised Lily I'd never skip school again. I'd study hard and go to a good college.

Lily held out her pinky. "Pinky swear. One hundred years, no changes."

That was our pact. Pinky swears were sacred. Unbreakable.

Then I went off to college. Lily started middle school. The last few times I'd been home, she'd been quiet. I thought it was just teenage angst, not wanting to share everything with her big brother anymore.

I should have known better. Why didn't I see it?

The doctor finally emerged. My mind raced, imagining the worst. I stared at his lips, dreading the words he might speak. Mom tried to stand, but couldn't.

"Lily's stable. She lost a lot of blood, she's still unconscious. Someone should stay with her." He paused. "She was millimeters from severing an artery. You need to pay attention to her mental health."

I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. I nodded vigorously.

They wheeled Lily out. She looked so small, so frail. Her face was a patchwork of bruises, her hair hacked unevenly, exposing patches of scalp. The rage boiled up again, choking me.

I stayed until morning, but Lily didn't wake up. I went to get breakfast for Mom and Dad. On the way back, I saw the principal on the phone in the lobby.

"Heard that kid tried to off herself. What a damn mess," he said, his thick lips flapping. "The superintendent's visiting next week, and now this. Of all the times… Make sure the press stays away from this. The family's nobody, easy to manage."

I threw my hot coffee at him.

He yelped, turning to see me. His face went white.

Shouting erupted from the second floor. Mom's voice. "What do you want?"

I ran.

Brittany's father was back, with a couple of tattooed thugs.

"Just trying to be reasonable. A little extra for medical expenses, right? Stop with the theatrics. Another thousand, is that enough?"

Mom's eyes were red. "How can you say that? My daughter is lying in there! I don't want your money…"

"Oh, you don't?" He laughed. "You all heard her? She doesn't want it. Not my fault!"

Dad yelled, "You animals!"

"Old man, you talking to me?" One of the thugs shoved my dad to the ground. "Watch your mouth."

I kicked him. "Touch my dad again and see what happens."

Then everything went black. Two of them grabbed me from behind, slamming me into the wall.

The hospital erupted in chaos. Security guards arrived, pulling us apart. I gasped for breath, adrenaline coursing through me. I wanted to tear them apart.

Brittany's dad straightened his collar, sneered. "My daughter's top of her class. Your daughter's nothing. We beat her up, so what? The law will do what it does, we'll pay what we have to. Even if she goes to juvie, I can make that disappear overnight. You're not getting a dime out of me. Suicide? Good riddance."

The principal stood there, watching, his face cold. He turned and walked away.

Lily woke up.

She reached out, gently touched my lip. It was bleeding, I hadn't noticed.

"Brother," she whispered, tears in her eyes. "Am I causing you trouble?"

I squeezed her hand. "You're never trouble."

"Brother, don't fight anymore. I… I can quit school…"

"Lily," I said, "if we have to constantly give way to bad people, then we're pushing good people off a cliff. I will get justice for you. We are not the ones who should be hiding."

"But Brother, they…"

"Do you trust me?"

Lily looked at me, nodded fiercely. She always had.

"Pinky swear," I said. "Pinky swears are unbreakable."

A plan, cold and sharp, formed in my mind. I shivered with excitement.

I'd never broken a pinky swear to Lily. Never would.