Chapter 2

Four calls ended in ringing until they went to voicemail.

The woman holding my phone lapsed into an awkward silence.

A notification popped up at the top of the screen. Lily had just posted an update.

[Happy 18th Birthday to me! So blessed to have the people I love most by my side!]

In the photo, Mom and Dad were inserting candles into a cake.

Julian held a lighter, and Seth was tying balloons to a chair.

My mouth twitched, but I couldn't smile.

No one remembered that today was my birthday, too.

On the screen, Lily looked like a princess. It made my eighteenth birthday feel like a disaster.

At that moment, I felt relieved those four calls had gone unanswered. It saved me from another round of public humiliation.

At the next stop, paramedics rushed me to a local hospital.

The nurse checked my pale face and adjusted my IV drip, frowning. "Your condition is severe. Your parents know this. Why didn't they keep your medication on hand?"

My eyes burned again. I shook my head, staring at the bedsheets. "I had my medicine with me."

Back at the ticket gate, Lily threw a fit for fresh pretzels.

Seth grabbed my backpack and pushed me out of line without a second thought. "Nora, go buy them. You're at the back anyway, so it's easier for you to move. We'll wait."

By the time I returned with the food, the gate was deserted.

I ran through the station, breathless and panicking, until I caught up with them.

My chest felt tight. I tugged at Seth's sleeve. "Seth, give me my bag. Quick..."

He rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"Lily carried it through the gate for a second, but it was that old beat-up backpack she threw away last month. She thought it was garbage and tossed it.

"I'll buy you a new one when we arrive," Seth added. "Don't make a scene and ruin this for everyone."

I stared at him in disbelief. "My heart medication was in that bag. You watched me pack it this morning!

"It's already in the trash!" Seth barked, his voice turning cold. "Are you seriously going to make Lily apologize to you over a useless bag?!"

I turned to Julian, desperate.

He looked away. "Nora Hayes, don't let a tiny thing ruin everyone's mood."

I looked at Mom and Dad. Their eyes held a sharp warning.

Understanding hit me like a physical blow.

They knew my life-saving medicine was in that bag. They just didn't want Lily to feel guilty, so they chose to ignore it.

I clutched my chest. The dull ache slowly turned to numbness.

I tossed and turned in a haze of feverish nightmares.

When I finally woke up, it was noon the next day.

I grabbed my phone. The family group chat showed over ninety-nine unread messages.

My breath hitched. A tiny ember of hope flickered in my chest. With trembling hands, I opened the chat.

[Dad: Lily wants pizza, sushi, and tacos today…]

[Mom: Taking Lily to the craft shop and makeup stores…]

Julian had posted a dozen links for local attractions and sight-seeing spots.

Seth had uploaded dozens of photos of Lily from every angle.

I scrolled up numbly.

Five hundred messages, and not a single mention of my name.

Sixteen hours had passed since last night.

Not one of them realized I was gone.

The light in my eyes faded completely. Just as I went to lock the screen, the phone buzzed.

A location pin popped up in the chat.

[Mom: @Everyone, we just arrived at the front entrance.]

I stared at the hospital location on the screen, my eyes widening.

Tears burst through, spilling down my cheeks.

They came for me after all.

They hadn't completely forgotten me.

I ripped the IV needle out of my arm and sprinted down the hallway.

I tripped on the stairs, skinning my knees raw, but I didn't care.

I burst through the main doors into the sunlight.

And froze.