Chapter 2

Lauren's POV

Three months had passed since the semester began, and not a single person from my family had reached out.

I'd been so busy putting together the application materials that I barely had time to dwell on it.

One morning, I skipped breakfast again and ended up with a severe stomach flare-up.

I'd gotten used to handling it alone. I checked myself in, got an IV, picked up my medication, and spent the rest of the afternoon recovering before I was finally well enough to leave.

The doctor told me there was a shadow on my stomach. It could be something serious. He said I should prepare myself and let my family know they should prepare too.

I stared at the scan results in my hand, a dull ache settling in my chest. If Mom, Dad, and Jake found out I might have cancer, would they finally feel guilty? Or would they just see me as one more burden?

I was still lost in my thoughts when a text from Jake popped up. "Today is yours and Emily's birthday. We booked a private room at Seaview Hotel."

The invitation caught me completely off guard. For a brief moment, I didn't know what to think. Maybe they'd finally realized how badly they'd neglected me.

Before I could even reply, another message came through. "A fortune teller said this is Emily's milestone birthday. It would bring bad luck if anyone were missing, so don't be late."

My heart sank. So that was the only reason they'd bothered to invite me. Even this tiny act of kindness was because of Emily.

I let out a bitter laugh.

Even so, I stopped by a bakery and ordered a birthday cake.

My application had been approved, and I'd be leaving for Amysta in three days. I'd treat this birthday dinner as my final goodbye.

I booked the earliest train I could. Of course, that was the day a torrential downpour hit, and traffic came to a standstill.

The rain only grew heavier. Afraid I'd be late, I gritted my teeth, threw open the car door, and ran straight into the storm.

The moment I pushed open the door to the private dining room, the lively chatter died. They all turned toward me.

Dad was the first to frown. "Couldn't you have left earlier? You've kept everyone waiting."

Mom set down her fork, her voice edged with annoyance. "Emily's birthday only comes once a year. You're her sister. The least you could've done was be here on time."

Jake looked at me coldly. "You soaked yourself on purpose just to play the victim, didn't you? Or are you just trying to ruin everyone's night?"

Only Patrick stood up and held out a towel. "Here. Dry off before you catch a cold."

I took the towel but didn't use it. My throat tightened.

It wasn't a towel at all. It was a cleaning rag, and it reeked.

I set the birthday cake on the table, wished Emily a happy birthday, and turned to leave. Then, at the worst possible moment, my stomach growled.

Only then did I remember. The only thing I'd eaten all day was a bowl of oatmeal, and my stomach was still cramping.

An awkward silence fell over the room.

Mom shot me a glance before pressing me down into the extra chair they'd dragged over. "Alright. At least you've learned your lesson. Sit down and eat."

I sat down without a word. It wasn't until then that I actually looked at the table.

The shrimp shells were piled into little mountains, and the soup bowls had already been scraped clean. They'd already finished eating. They hadn't even bothered to leave me a clean set of utensils.

No one suggested ordering something else, and no one asked what I wanted to eat. They all assumed I'd do what I'd done my entire childhood—finish whatever everyone else had left behind.

My fingers tightened around the test results inside my bag. For reasons I couldn't explain, I suddenly found the courage I'd never had before.

I pushed Emily's half-eaten pasta away from me. "Mom, Dad, Jake… I'm not eating leftovers anymore. The doctor said I might have—"

Before I could finish my sentence, the lights in the private room went out with a sharp click.

A server wheeled in a birthday cake nearly as tall as they were. Patched on top was a plastic figurine made to look just like Emily.

The next second, my family began to sing "Happy Birthday" in perfect unison, drowning out the rest of my words.

Patrick placed the birthday crown on Emily's head as she closed her eyes, clasped her hands together, and made a wish.

Mom and Dad wrapped an arm around her from either side. They looked at her like she was the most precious thing in the world.

Jake handed me the camera. "Take the picture."

As I pressed the shutter, my vision blurred.

It was my birthday too, but they'd only ordered one cake. None of them had wished me a happy birthday.

When I finished taking the photos, I quietly folded up my test results and slipped them back into my pocket.

Their world was already too full to make room for me. Maybe it was finally time for me to leave.