Chapter 3

Smack!

Mom slapped me across the face.

"Lena! Do you ever listen to a word I say?

"How many times have I told you? You were born unlucky. You can't eat nice things like this!

"Do you want to end up in the ICU again and worry your dad and me to death?"

I kept wolfing them down, strawberry juice smeared around my mouth.

I didn't stop until my stomach turned. Then I threw up every last strawberry.

"For heaven's sake! What a waste of good fruit!"

Mom covered her nose in disgust, then patted my back gently.

"Sweetheart, why won't you listen to me?

"You're my own daughter. Would I ever lie to you?"

That was exactly what I wanted to ask.

I'm your own daughter. So why would you treat me like this?

My voice came out hoarse. I'd barely gotten out the word "why."

Mom frowned. "Why what?"

"Why did you lie..."

But before I could finish, Sophie cut me off.

"Mom, my birthday portrait came!

"Can Lena hang it on the wall for me?"

Mom nodded and directed me to hang Sophie's photo in the middle of the wall.

I looked across the wall. Every photo on it was a portrait of Sophie.

Every year on her birthday, my parents took her to have princess portraits done: white princess gowns, diamond tiaras, and my parents beside her.

Suddenly, my eyes stopped on the corner.

It was the only photo of me, a family portrait of the four of us.

It was taken a few years ago. I couldn't remember exactly when.

All I remembered was Sophie sitting in the middle with Mom and Dad on either side, arms around her, all of them beaming.

I stood off to the side in Sophie's hand-me-downs, silent.

The photographer asked me to move in a little closer.

I'd barely shifted when Mom glared at me. "Stay right there. Don't block Sophie."

I stood there awkwardly, frozen stiff.

Later, the family portrait gathered dust, hanging all alone in the corner.

Just like me.

I stared at it until my dry eyes ached, but I couldn't squeeze out a single tear.

I'd told myself long ago that tears were the most useless thing in the world.

They couldn't fill my stomach, and they couldn't make my parents love me.

So I made it a habit. No matter how hard things got, I never cried.

"Lena, stop daydreaming.

"Go buy a bottle of soy sauce, and make sure it's the brand Sophie likes."

Mom waved me off.

I left without a word.

The soy sauce cost seven dollars, and I didn't have enough money on me to pay for it.

Luckily, the store owner recognized me and let me put it on a tab.

When I got back, the front door was ajar.

I was about to push it open when I heard Mom and Sophie talking.

"Your sister's acting strange today. You don't think she suspects something, do you?

"Sophie, you didn't let anything slip, did you?"

Sophie shook her head, idly blowing on her fresh manicure.

"Mom, that's easy.

"Just slip something into her food again tonight so she has a reaction.

"You promised you'd spoil me and love me forever! You have to keep your word!"

Sophie pouted, playing the sweet little girl.

Mom stroked her hair helplessly and agreed.

I stood frozen where I was, hollow inside.

So they'd seen my hesitation all along and simply chosen to ignore it.

I silently asked myself one question.

Was there any reason left to stay in a home like this?