Chapter 2

Kendra was the last one to come home.

Mom had prepared a whole spread of dishes, all of them Jude's favorites. Meanwhile, Dad set two small homemade boxes on the table.

"Alright. Tomorrow's the weekend, which means it's time for the box game again," he announced. "Owen, you're the older brother. So, you go first."

I set down my utensils. I didn't feel like eating food I hated, and I certainly didn't feel like playing a game I never wanted to play.

"I'm not doing this," I said. "Kendra is my girlfriend, and it's perfectly normal for me to take her out. Why do I have to draw one of these stupid boxes?"

Jude's expression fell.

He ran into the kitchen and grabbed a knife, pressing the blade against his neck.

"So you're blaming me, huh? Fine. I'll just die. Then I won't get in anyone's way!"

The knife was still several inches away from his neck, but everyone immediately panicked and began crying for him to put the knife down.

Kendra shot me a reproachful look.

"Come on, you know what Jude is like," she chided. "We're just trying to keep him calm. Why do you have to take everything so seriously? Just draw a box.

"You've just had terrible luck before. What if this time you get lucky?"

"It's a 50-50 chance," Mom said, wiping her tears. "Just let Jude have this one. You can't seriously stand there and watch your own brother kill himself!"

I sat silently in my chair.

"Fine." I relented. "Let him draw first."

Jude's face immediately darkened.

Mom shot me an unhappy look, and Dad slammed his hand against the table.

"Jude was being kind enough to let you go first, and you're still making a fuss? You walk around with that miserable look on your face every day. Who are you trying to impress?

"I didn't need him to let me go first," I snapped, grabbing a box. "This one's mine. The other one's yours. If you don't want to open yours, I'll do it for you. That's what an older brother is for."

The color drained from Jude's face, and tears streamed down his cheeks.

"Owen, was this because Mom and Dad had me and took away the love that was supposed to be yours? Is that why you keep picking on me?

"Fine. It's all my fault. I shouldn't have been born. I shouldn't even be alive. I'll go die right now."

He threw the knife to the floor with a clatter and turned toward the window, attempting to climb out of it. Mom and Dad immediately rushed after him, putting on another show of trying to talk him down.

None of this surprised me anymore. I'd seen this scene unfold so many times that I'd practically gotten used to it.

"That's enough, Owen!" Kendra shouted. "He's your own brother. If you won't open your box, I'll do it!"

She snatched my box and opened it herself, holding up the slip inside.

"It's 'Skip'," she said. "I'm sorry, Owen. That means I have to go out with Jude again this time. But don't worry. I swear I'd never betray you."

That was easy for her to say, but she'd already betrayed me.

The moment I drew "Skip", Jude miraculously stopped having an episode. He stopped threatening to kill himself and ran over to me, practically glowing with excitement.

"Owen, looks like I'm lucky after all. I guess I was born lucky," he said airily. "I get to go on another date with Kendra this weekend!"

Kendra didn't correct him. She simply lowered her head, unable to meet my eyes.

I picked up the remaining box and prepared to open it.

"Alright. I'll open yours too. Let's see what kind of luck you got. Maybe some of it would rub off on me."

As I was about to lift the lid, their faces tensed.

Dad suddenly snatched the box from my hand and stuffed it into his pocket.

"You already know what you got. So why are you messing with Jude's box?" Mom shrieked, jabbing a finger at me. "Don't be so ridiculous. You've always bullied Jude ever since you were a kid.

"And now that you're grown, you're still doing it. Are you really that determined to tear this family apart?"

Dad stood there with his hands behind his back, seething.

"If I'd known you would turn out this rotten, I would've strangled you the day you were born."

Seeing the argument escalate, Kendra once again stepped in to play peacemaker.

"That's enough, Mr. and Mrs. Lockhart," she said. "I know you both love Owen. Please don't say things you don't mean just because you're angry."

She gently tried to calm my parents down before turning toward me.

"Owen, how could you talk to your parents like that? My own parents died when I was young. You had no idea how much I envied you for still having parents who loved you, yet you took them for granted and kept causing trouble.

"Honestly, I'm very disappointed in you."