Chapter 2

When I got home, I closed my bedroom door and started packing a few select items.

As I sat alone in the quiet room, I realized that every item I picked up held memories from the past several years.

I had to let go of all those memories with my own hands.

I picked up the stuffed rabbit beside my bed and stared at it for a long time. Then, I walked to my parents' bedroom.

When Mom opened the door, I saw colorful wrapping paper scattered across the floor. Dad was trying to hide something behind his back.

When he saw me, he visibly relaxed.

"Perfect timing. Go get the scissors from the living room. We're preparing a graduation gift for Vera to celebrate her acceptance to Silverton State University."

Vera and I were both graduating that year. I had even gotten into a more prestigious university with tougher admission requirements, yet they had only prepared a graduation gift for her.

Mom looked a little embarrassed. She said to me in a softer voice, "You know Vera lost her parents because of that accident. Of course, we want to make it up to her and give her all the love we can. We want her to feel the warmth of having a family."

"Have we ever denied you anything since you were born? It's just a graduation gift. You're all grown up now. Stop making a fuss over such a little thing."

I said nothing. I could only laugh bitterly.

My parents and Vera's parents had been in the same car accident. When the rescue workers arrived, Vera's parents were still barely conscious. They insisted that the rescuers save my parents first.

By the time the rescuers got back to them, it was too late. They had missed their best chance of survival.

In the five years since Vera came to live with us, my parents had devoted all their attention to her out of guilt.

To them, Vera's problems were serious, while mine were trivial. I was always expected to give way to her, and any negative feelings I expressed were treated as an attempt to make things difficult for her.

Dad's expression darkened when I did not give him the obedient response he expected.

"Why bother explaining all this to her? She still hasn't learned how to get along with Vera after all these years. Do you really think she'll suddenly change?"

"Liam told me you found out about the college application. Good. Go away for a few years and clear your head. Come back once Vera has settled into college."

Even though I already knew the truth, hearing those words from him still hurt.

I took a deep breath and held the stuffed rabbit out to Mom.

"I don't want this anymore. Give it to Vera."

Mom stared at the rabbit and froze.

She had made it herself as my tenth birthday present. She had told me that as long as I kept it by my pillow, it would protect me and keep me safe for the rest of my life.

But on Vera's second day in our home, she took a liking to my stuffed rabbit. When I refused to give it to her, Dad had slapped me.

I would never forget the disappointment in his eyes.

"How did I end up with such a selfish daughter?"

That night, my parents bought Vera enough presents to fill an entire room. Meanwhile, Vera sneaked into my room and cut off one of the rabbit's ears.

When I told my parents about her actions, they had accused me of making up lies to frame her. I could only wipe away my tears and sew the ear back on myself. My stitches were crooked and uneven.

The rabbit had been with me through countless lonely nights. But I no longer wanted it, just as I no longer wanted the family love I had once treasured above everything else.

Mom frowned. The crude stitches kept her from recognizing the rabbit she had made.

"How could you have the nerve to give Vera such an ugly thing as a present? Are you trying to humiliate her on purpose? We're throwing her a party in three days. You'd better prepare a proper gift for her."

"Throw that ugly thing away."

I did not answer. I turned and walked away.

The stuffed rabbit was left in the corner of my room. Once I left that house, what they did with my leftovers no longer mattered to me.

Then, I went to Ethan's room.

Ethan looked surprised. Liam had already told him what happened.

When he saw that I was not upset, he relaxed.

"I knew you'd come around."

I placed the trophy in front of him. It was the trophy he had won at his first baseball game seven years ago.

He had told me it was one of his most precious achievements. Since I was his beloved sister, he wanted me to keep it safe for him.

Even so, he was one of the people who wanted me gone.

"Here. Take it back."

Ethan stared at me in confusion. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I'll be leaving soon. You should keep your own things from now on."

He shrugged and casually placed the trophy on the windowsill.

"You'll come home during the holidays anyway, won't you? What difference does it make?"

"Oh, one more thing." He took a hard drive from his bag and shoved it into my hand.

I recognized it immediately. It contained videos of every birthday party I had from the time I was one until I turned thirteen. But ever since Vera came into our lives, there were no more videos of me.

"This has birthday messages from me, Mom, Dad, and Liam for Vera. The final video isn't ready yet. You're good at editing videos, so you can take care of it."

"I'm not doing it," I quickly said.

Ethan frowned. "I know you have a problem with Vera, but we're not even asking you to record a birthday message for her. What more do you want?"

I tried to refuse again, but he shoved me out of his room.

"That's enough. Stop arguing. The video has to be ready before Vera's party."

He shut the door in my face. He did not care that I had refused.

The next day, Liam messaged me and asked me to meet him by the lake.

The moment he saw me, he seemed relieved.

"Audrey, I know we made this decision behind your back, but going to Williams College isn't a bad thing for you, is it?"

"Look, I'll make it up to you. When you come home for the next break, I'll take you on a date."

He looked so confident, as if he were certain I would be overjoyed by his offer.

But I calmly placed a small box in his palm.

Inside was the necklace Liam had given me on my eighteenth birthday. Back then, he had promised he would always stay by my side.

At the time, I had believed we would end up together.

But that had all happened just six months ago.

His expression darkened, and he gave me a disapproving look.

"Audrey, it's such a little thing. Why are you making such a big deal out of it?"

"I'll be leaving soon."

"Exactly. You're going to Williams College. It's not like you'll never come back. We can still keep in touch, just like we always have."

When I refused to take the necklace back, he said dismissively, "Fine. I'll give it back to you when you come home next time."

I did not explain anything about the research program. I had no intention of telling them that I would never return.

When I got home, my parents and Ethan were gathered around Vera. They were asking her all sorts of questions about the party and making sure everything was to her liking.

No one even noticed I was home.

I went back to my room and copied all the birthday videos from the hard drive onto my computer.

I was leaving the next night.

Those videos held the memories of my past, and I would take them with me.

I would never regret my decision.