Chapter 4

4

I stood off to the side like I was invisible, watching them play happy family.

Ashley glared at me, then flung herself into their arms, sobbing her heart out.

"Why are you doing this to me? I've got depression! You're gonna make me kill myself?"

"It's just money. You're so mean!"

Mom and Dad were oozing with guilt, cooing at her with a kindness they never showed me.

"It's okay, honey. Whatever you want, you got it."

"You just need to be happy, honey!"

They looked at me, and their voices froze over.

"Go to your room! You wanna make it worse?"

"Why don't you die with that old woman!"

I just stood there, watching the happy trio. I felt hollow.

Ashley had "given" me to that old man, and they could've saved me.

But when Ashley had her "depression," they didn't care about looking for me. Instead, they took her to heal and relax.

While the pervert was torturing me, they were using the money Granny left me for college to take Ashley to see flowers in the countryside.

While he was starving and beating me, they were flying her to New Zealand, making her a pearl necklace from seashells.

And when I died, they were throwing a huge birthday party for her.

When someone asked about me, they scoffed.

"Ran off with some loser. She was never any good. We wasted twenty years on that ungrateful brat."

I slammed the door shut, turned my back on their happy family, and dove headfirst into my studies.

I'd missed my chance to go to college last time. This time, I had to make it happen.

The broken home, the sleeping parents, I didn't want them anymore.

Ashley got her trip.

Kyle posted a new photo of her on social media, sitting in his lap, beaming.

He captioned it:

"Out of all the fish in the sea, I just want you, A.W."

So lazy, he just copied someone else's caption. He forgot to change the initials.

I chuckled and shook my head. What kind of love is it if he's treating her like a toy?

A few sweet words, a few cheap roses, and Ashley was calling it true love. How sad.

My teacher was talking about teen romance.

"Early bloomers wither early.

"This is the time to grow roots and soak up the warmth, not to show off your looks.

"Wait until your branches are full, and your trunk is reaching for the sky. Then you can bloom, and set the world on fire."

She was right. I put my phone down.

The screen went dark, showing a text from a guy asking me to see a movie.

I hadn't made it yet. What was I going to do with love?

I turned back to my homework.

I was still slow, but I was getting better. I looked up, and it was late.

The city was lit up, but not one light was for me.

I'd have to light my own flame, and burn bright enough to say, "I have no regrets!"

Last time, my life froze. I wanted to see the sky.

I'll fight through everything, break all my chains, and reach for the stars!

But Mom's slap came out of nowhere.