Chapter 4

"How about we let Paige come along on Sofia's grad trip in a couple of days? Think of it as making it up to her."

I held my breath and waited for Mom's response.

Her voice, dripping with indifference and self-righteousness, shattered every last illusion I had.

"What do you mean, 'wasn't right'? I'm her mother. Everything I do is for this family."

Her voice carried a note of contempt.

"Paige has never been affectionate. She's always been closed off and never says a word. It's like pulling teeth trying to get a word out of her. She's antisocial and doesn't fit in with this family at all.

"Sofia's nothing like that. She's cheerful every single day, our little ray of sunshine. She's the one who keeps us happy. You know how nervous Sofia was during the exam. She could barely sleep. Her nerves were a wreck.

"You know how Sofia is. If Paige had ended up scoring higher, she would've been devastated. She might have never bounced back. What I did, I did for Sofia's sake… For this family's sake."

Dad was quiet for a moment, then let out a sigh. "Still, it's not fair to Paige. She studied just as hard all year."

"What's unfair about it? She can still retake the exams, can't she?" Mom's voice climbed a notch.

"And think about it. If Sofia bombed the exam, imagine how miserable she'd be. Paige is tough. She can handle it. Sofia can't. She's sensitive, she overthinks everything, and she needs to be looked after.

"As for the trip, why would we bring her? She has to focus on test prep. She can use the time working and toughening up. There's no reason for her to tag along. She can go on a trip next year after she finishes the exam. Same thing."

I did not listen to the rest. I crept back to my room, shut the door, and slid down against it until I was sitting on the floor.

I had known the answer for a long time. Even so, hearing those words with my own ears felt like a fist closing around my heart, squeezing so hard I could barely breathe.

That was her reason. She was afraid I would outscore my sister. She was afraid my sister would be hurt.

Hence, she went ahead and hid my exam pass. She was willing to let me miss the exam and throw away my future without a second thought.

In her eyes, Sofia's happiness mattered more than my future. Sofia's feelings were more precious than my prospects. She called me the strong one, so she believed I deserved to be the one who was sacrificed.

I sat on the floor. Tears slid down my face without a sound, but I wiped them away just as quickly.

What good would crying do? In this house, my tears had never earned me sympathy.

I moved to the edge of my bed, pulled out my phone, and tapped open a ticket booking app with trembling fingers. Without a moment of hesitation, I bought a train ticket to Glenmore for the day after tomorrow.

Soon, this house and everything in it would have nothing to do with me.

The next day, I called in to both the snack shop and the tutoring gig to let them know of my departure, then stayed home to pack.

I had barely finished stuffing a few essentials into my suitcase when Mom's voice exploded from the living room, shrill with excitement. She was practically screaming loud enough to blow the roof off.

"She got in! She got in! Sofia actually got in! And it's a top-tier school!"

Within seconds, Mom was on the phone. She called relatives, friends, Sofia's teachers… every single one of them. Her voice dripped with pride and triumph.

"Hi, Mrs. Langley! I've got great news. My daughter Sofia's SAT scores just came out, and she did amazing. She's getting into a top-tier university!"

"I booked a private room at a restaurant tonight. You have to come. My treat!"

"Mr. Brooks, we owe it all to your teaching. Our Sofia got into a top-tier school! Please, you have to join us for dinner tonight!"

Half an hour later, Mom pushed open my bedroom door, still riding the high. Her smile was so wide that she could not contain it.