Chapter 3 Ignorant Brother

A week before the trip, Aocity University called me to confirm if I would be enrolling. I had just picked up my phone when my mother came in.

"Nellie's trying out a dress. Help her zip it up."

I covered the speaker. "It's a call from the university."

She frowned. "Zipping a dress won't take long."

"We've confirmed your placement, Ms. Wood. Please be there on time."

My mother heard that, and her frown deepened. Once I hung up, she questioned sharply, "You're going to Aocity? That's far."

"Yes."

"The local college isn't a bad place to enroll. You should stay close to home, especially since you're a girl. You can get a job in the local government. It's stable."

"I want to go."

She sighed. "You've been opinionated ever since you were a child. Have you ever wondered what would happen to the family if you left?"

I looked at her. "What?"

She continued matter-of-factly, "Who's going to pick Queenie up from training? Who's going to record Zachary's competitions? Your father and I are busy. We need someone to help out."

She wasn't reluctant to see me leave because she didn't want to say goodbye. She was reluctant to see me go because she didn't want to lose her handy maid. That was the moment I realized that whatever trial I'd placed for them was redundant, but I didn't leave right away.

I wanted to wait until the day before the trip. I wanted to see if they would remember I was part of the family when the tickets arrived.

Zachary's surfboard came three days before the trip. It cost 3,800 dollars. He tried out the moves in the living room and crashed into the coffee table multiple times.

My mother smiled dotingly. "Don't trip. We're buying some sun-protective clothing for you tomorrow."

My freshman stuff came as well, and it was a thin file bag. Zachary cut it open when he tore his packaging up. I hastily picked it up, causing Zachary to side eye me.

"Eh, it's not like there's money inside. Who cares if it got torn up?"

I said nothing and dusted off the file bag. My mother was ironing Queenie's dress. "Where's your big suitcase, Nellie?"

"In my room."

"Your sister needs to use it."

I looked up. "So do I."

My mother finally spared me a glance. "I thought you weren't going to the beach."

"I'm going to Aocity though."

The room fell silent before Zachary burst into laughter. "You're actually going?"

My father came in from the balcony. "What about the tuition fee?"

"I'll figure it out," I answered.

My father's face fell. "You think university's a joy ride? Food, dorm, and transport all cost money!"

Zachary leaned on his surfboard and drawled, "You'd better not ask our folks for money."

I looked at him as I replied bluntly, "Sure."

They froze.

My mother frowned. "Don't throw a tantrum."

I wasn't. I just knew that I had enough money in my pocket so I didn't need to rely on them.

I dragged the crate back to my room. Zachary was still outside, saying disparagingly, "She's throwing a tantrum because we're not taking her on the trip."

My father said, "Ignore her. She'll be fine in a couple of days."

My mother sighed. "She used to be such a good girl, but now she's stubborn."

I sat on the ground and started packing up. I had to bring along my ID, debit card, acceptance letter, freshman stuff, the lottery ticket, and the old train station model I'd spent a month making.

The model was something required for the freshman event. It was an abandoned train station that was turned into a community library, and I named it Where I Belong.

I tucked the model into a transparent box and placed it on the table. Just then, a sickening crack came from the living room.

I charged right out of my room only to see Zachary stepping on my box to get the duffel bag on the cabinet. The box was shattered, half the roof had collapsed, and the railway platform was broken in two.

I froze at my room's doorstep, but all the blood in my body rushed to my head as I yelled, "Zachary Wood!"