Chapter 1

I stood outside the door for another fifteen minutes or so, until the cold wind had dried the tears on my face. Then I took a deep breath and pushed the door open as if nothing had happened.

"Oh, so you do remember where you live!" Dad was sitting on the couch. He didn't even look up.

"Think you're all grown up now? One birthday and you're throwing attitude at us! Your sister was just playing a little joke on you. Was that really worth a scene?"

Mom came out of the kitchen with a plate of fruit and set it in front of Pearl. "Here, sweetie, have a strawberry," she cooed. "Don't mind your brother. He doesn't know any better."

Pearl grabbed a strawberry, bit into it savagely, and yelled at me with her mouth full. "Bad brother! Stupid dog!"

I lowered my eyes and shoved all my hatred and disgust down deep. Then I walked up to them and forced a smile.

"Mom, Dad, I'm sorry. I was wrong."

They both froze. Clearly, they hadn't expected that.

I lifted my head, my eyes shining with "sincere" tears.

"I've been thinking about it outside for a long time, and you're right. I'm the big brother. I shouldn't pick fights with my little sister. Pearl's still little. She just wanted to play with me. I blew it way out of proportion. I shouldn't have lost my temper and run off and made you worry."

That seemed to please them.

Dad's face relaxed, and he grunted. "Well, at least you know you were wrong."

Mom actually smiled, looking satisfied. She patted my shoulder, her voice full of a warmth I'd never once been given.

"I'm so glad you're finally growing up, Eli. Pearl means everything to this family. You're her big brother, so from now on, you need to help her out and look after her."

I nodded hard and blinked the tears back at just the right moment. "I know, Mom. The college entrance exam's coming up soon. I'm going to study really hard, get into a good college, land a good job, and make lots and lots of money so you, Dad, and Pearl can all have a good life!"

That hit them exactly where it counted.

My parents exchanged a look. They couldn't hide how pleased and smug they were.

"Good, good. Now that's more like it!" Dad clapped me on the shoulder hard. "Then you'd better put your back into it!"

I struck while the iron was hot and laid out my plan. "Mom, Dad, our school runs late study hall and has a residential program for seniors. I want to apply to live on campus. That way nobody will bother me, and I can put everything into studying. My grades will go up way faster!"

They agreed almost without hesitation.

As far as they were concerned, me living at school would boost the return on their investment and cut down on fights between me and Pearl. Two birds with one stone.

That night, I lay on a cold, hard single bed in the dorm, and for the first time, I breathed air that tasted like freedom.

It was temporary. It was fake. But it was like a beam of light cutting through the pitch-black of my future.

For most of the next year, I turned into a tireless studying machine.

I did practice problems like a maniac and memorized everything, squeezing every last second out of every day.

Whenever I got so tired I wanted to quit, I thought of the puppy lying dead in my bed. I thought of Mom saying they needed Pearl to "keep Eli under her thumb."

I had to run. As far as I possibly could.

The college entrance exam was my only chance.