Chapter 2

Zach was the last one home.

My mom, Linda Shaw, had made a whole table of food, every dish one of Mia's favorites.

My dad, Robert Shaw, set two homemade boxes on the table. "All right. Tomorrow's the weekend, so it's time to draw again."

"Nora, you're the older sister. You go first."

I put down my fork. I didn't want to eat food I didn't even like, and I didn't want to play a game I'd never agreed to.

"I'm not drawing. Zach is my boyfriend. There's nothing strange about me going on dates with him, so why do I have to draw from a box for the privilege?"

Mia lowered her eyes, ran into the kitchen, and when she emerged, she once again held a kitchen knife to her neck.

"So you're blaming me, Nora? Fine. I'll just die, then. I won't get in your way anymore!"

The blade was still a couple of inches from her neck, but everyone immediately panicked, crying and begging her to put it down.

Zach shot me an accusing look too. "You know what condition your sister's in. We're just humoring her to keep her calm. Why do you have to make such a big deal out of it? Just pick one."

"You've had bad luck every other time. Maybe you'll get lucky today."

Linda wiped at her tears. "It's fifty-fifty. Can't you just give Mia a little consideration? You can't seriously stand there and watch your own sister kill herself."

I sat there in silence for a moment.

"Fine. Then let her draw first."

Mia's expression immediately soured.

Linda frowned at me.

Robert slapped the table. "Mia was kind enough to let you go first, and now you're starting trouble again? What's with that miserable face all day? Who exactly are you trying to punish?"

"I don't need her to let me." I grabbed one of the boxes. "This one's mine, so the other one is yours, Mia. If you don't want to open it yourself, I'll do it for you. That's what big sisters are for."

Mia went deathly pale, and tears instantly streamed down her face.

"Nora, is this because Mom and Dad had me, and I took away all the attention that used to belong to you? Is that why you always treat me like this?

"Fine. It's all my fault. I never should've been born. I shouldn't even be alive. I'll just die right now."

She dropped the knife with a clatter, spun around, and started fumbling with the window.

Linda and Robert rushed over, making a show of grabbing her and talking her down.

None of it surprised me anymore.

I'd seen it too many times.

"That's enough, Nora. She's your own sister. If you won't open yours, I will."

Zach snatched the box from my hand and tore it open himself. Then he held up the slip inside.

"[Sit This One Out].

"Nora, I'm sorry. Looks like I'll have to take Mia out to dinner again.

"But don't worry. I swear I'll never betray you."

He certainly made it sound good.

Too bad he'd already betrayed me.

The second my slip turned out to be [Sit This One Out], Mia miraculously recovered. She stopped trying to kill herself and hurried over to me with a triumphant smile.

"Looks like luck's on my side again, Nora. Guess some people just have it better.

"So Zach and I get another date this weekend!"

Zach didn't correct her. He only lowered his head, avoiding my eyes.

I picked up the other box.

"All right. Let me open yours too and see what kind of good luck you got. Maybe some of it will rub off on me."

The moment I moved to open it, all four of them looked alarmed.

Robert snatched the box from my hand and shoved it into his pocket.

Linda jabbed a finger at me. "You already got your result. Why are you touching Mia's?"

"You're being completely unreasonable. You bullied Mia when you were little, and now you're still bullying her as an adult. Do you have to keep stirring up trouble until this family falls apart?"

Robert stood there with his hands behind his back, seething.

"If I'd known you'd grow up to be this rotten, I would've strangled you the day you were born!"

As soon as the argument broke out, Zach stepped in to play peacemaker again.

"Mr. and Mrs. Shaw, please. I know you love Nora too. You're angry right now, so please don't say things you'll regret."

After soothing them in that gentle voice of his, he lowered his eyes to me.

"Nora, how can you talk to your parents like that? Mine died when I was young. Do you have any idea how much I envy you for still having parents who care about you? And yet you don't appreciate them at all. You just keep causing trouble."

He looked at me with disappointment.

"I'm really disappointed in you."