Chapter 3

3

It didn't surprise me she was here.

Last time, Amy and my fake brother Joe had been inseparable, like they were born to be together.

Now, my real brother Chris and my fake brother Joe had traded places, so of course, Chris was Amy's childhood sweetheart now.

Amy was looking at Joe with tears in her eyes, begging for his mercy. "Please, let Chris go, he's gone through so much."

Joe had never listened to anybody, but the second Amy started crying, he melted, "Okay, okay, don't cry. I'm not some kind of monster."

It felt like I was back in my last life, when Amy cried to Chris after I got the early admission, and Chris went out and found a bunch of thugs to humiliate me.

"Time for you to remember your place, you little monster. We have to teach you a lesson and show you not to take what isn't yours!"

I fought back, but it didn't matter. Those dirty hands grabbed at me.

Then the mask came off, and they saw my face, all cut up.

"Ugh, what is that?"

"This is ugly, she has so many cuts, I can't see it anymore!"

"Man, that face makes me want to throw up."

My face saved me, for once.

I got home and scrubbed myself for four hours, until my skin was red and raw. I finally collapsed in the bathtub, sobbing like my world was ending.

I thought it was over, but then the nightmares started, every time I closed my eyes, I was right back there, surrounded by the dirt, the smell, the feeling of those hands on me.

Every time I saw a man, my body would shake, I'd wanna throw up.

That was when I realized that things were never gonna be the same.

It was disgusting.

A cold breeze made me shiver.

Joe must have seen my face, because he asked, "Sis, you okay?"

I looked at him, pushed away the feeling, and just opened my mouth to say I was fine.

Amy grabbed my sleeve and knelt down, "Please, don't hurt Chris! He's gone through so much!"

I stared right at her. She was still playing the damsel, still using the same guilt trip.

Joe was begging, "Sis, let it go."

I kept my voice calm. "I don't have any problems with kids. I just want to meet his mom. Tell her that he needs to learn some manners, otherwise, who knows what he might do later."

When my brother heard that I wanted to talk to his mom, even his eyes flickered with something that looked like fear.