I looked up, eyes full of hate.
The next second, a scream echoed in the
room.
Mom barged in, knocking me to the floor. She
ran to Ryan.
“Ryan, what happened?”
My sister called the doctors to come take
care of Ryan.
They were all focused on Ryan, not even
noticing that I was on the floor, bleeding.
L
Ryan covered his hand, his eyes red.
“It’s my fault. I said the wrong thing and made
Danny angry. I’m sorry, Danny, please don’t
hurt me…”
Mom’s face went dark.
“Ryan came to see you, to cheer you up, and
you stabbed him?!
My sister looked disappointed. “Danny, you’re
evil. You deserve this! If Ryan’s hand is
messed up, I swear…”
They ran out, leaving me.
Good.
After I left, we were strangers.
Г
Mom took Ryan to the doctor, making sure
his little cut wouldn’t have any lasting
damage.
Then, she thought of me.
She told my sister, “Go buy Danny some of
his favorite snacks. I yelled at him earlier. He
must be upset.”
But ten minutes later, Mom got a call from my
sister.
“Mom, Danny left a note and is gone! And all
the major shareholders pulled their
investments!”
I was in the car, watching Mom’s face
through the security cameras.
く
She grabbed a nurse. “Where’s my son?
Where’s Danny?!”
The nurse pushed her away.
“You know your son has serious emotional
trauma. You were awful to him.
“He was crying in the room. Where is he?
How would I know?”
Mom stumbled back to my sister. “Did Danny
leave a letter? Did he say where he was
going?”
My sister’s face was white, her hands
shaking. “Mom, Danny doesn’t want us
anymore……
<
Chapter 2
Mom snatched the letter, mumbling, “No way!
Danny’s always been so good. All he wants is
for me to be there for him. He wouldn’t
leave.”
So, they knew I was a good kid.
Not the bully they pretended I was.
But they still hurt me for Ryan.
I had written that letter through tears.
I wrote down everything I had heard and seen.
I knew what they had done, and I wrote down
everything Ryan had done to me at school.
After reading it, ivioM STUMDieu pack.
She said in a shaky voice, “Find him now. I
don’t care what it takes, bring Danny home!”
My sister teared up. “We’ve already sent out
three groups of people. No sign. Mom, what if
something happened to Danny…”
“No…no… He’s a good kid. He’ll be okay!”
She turned to leave, bumping into Ryan.
“Mom, the puppy’s doing great! It’s wagging
its tail. Can you come home and see?”
Ryan pretended to be an animal lover to get
Mom’s attention.
But this time, it didn’t work.
<
“Later. We have something important to do.”
Ryan frowned. “Is it about Danny?”
Mom and my sister looked at him.
Ryan hesitated. “I… I saw Danny getting in a
car with some thugs.”
“No way!” Mom interrupted. “Danny’s not
interested in anything but basketball. He
wouldn’t hang out with thugs.”
Ryan pressed. “But he was a bully at school.
He knew a lot of shady people. Maybe he
pissed someone off.”
My sister said, “Danny has a lot of friends.
He’s friends with the guys and the girls. Don’t
say things like that, Ryan.”
Г
Ryan teared up, looking hurt.
He wiped his eyes, looking like he was
holding back. “I know I’m out of line. Danny
and I are totally different.”
“He’s Mom’s real son. I’m just some bastard.”
“It’s okay. As long as I have Mom and my
sister, I’m fine. I wouldn’t try to compete with
Danny…”
Ryan kept getting more upset. “If it makes
Danny happy, I can disappear.”
But no one comforted him.
Finally, a nurse said, “They left a while ago.”
<
Ryan looked up, confused.
“What the hell?”
Then, he looked mean. “If you’re still treating
Danny like gold, then I’ll… get even.”
