Chapter 3
After the stream ended, they were still in shock, except for
Nicole.
“No way, I need to go out and look for Amelia again. She’s been gone too long. What if something really happened to her?” Alexis said, worry etched on her face.
“I’ll head to the police station and ask around,” Caleb offered, showing rare concern for me.
Even Isaac was tight–lipped, a sure sign he was nervous.
Noticing the tension in Caleb, Alexis, and Isaac, Nicole spoke softly, “Remember when Amelia was ten? She got jealous when I won second place in that district art contest. She wrote a goodbye letter and disappeared for a whole night. We found her at the convenience store near our house. Maybe she’s pulling the same stunt again?”
My soul screamed, “That’s not how it happened!”
When we were len, I was the one who won second place.
Nicole swapped our entries the day before submission. After she won, she forged a letter in my name and locked me out of the house all night.
It was winter, and I stood outside, pounding on the door,
Chapter 3
2/4
begging Nicole to let me in, fearing I’d freeze to death.
But Nicole didn’t budge. Through the door, she sneered, “Amelia, why should you, the unwanted one, be better than met at everything? Just die already!”
Caleb and Alexis were busy with work and didn’t come home until the next morning.
They believed Nicole’s story and slapped me the moment they found me at the convenience store.
“Amelia, if it weren’t for you, our family wouldn’t be in this mess! Your mom and I work so hard, and you repay us by being jealous of Nicole and trying to kill yourself? Why didn’t you just die out there?”
Holding my cheek, I cried, “It’s not like that. Mom, Dad, it was Nicole…”
Nicole ran over, throwing her arms around me, sobbing hysterically, “Amelia, how could you think like that? If you wanted the prize, I would’ve given it to you. How could you run away and threaten us with suicide? Don’t you know how much that hurts our parents?”
I knew no matter what I said, no one would believe me.
Their anger only grew as Nicole’s tears flowed.
From that day on, Caleb and Alexis saw me as a jealous, selfish, and spiteful person.
Chapter 3
Hearing Nicole bring up the past, they hesitated.
“Amelia’s always been cunning. Could she have planted fake photos and rumors to throw us off?” Caleb hesitated.
3/4
“Maybe we should
go
look for her?” Alexis suggested, feeling a
pang of sympathy.
Isaac grabbed his jacket from the chair, ready to head out and find me.
‘Mom, Dad, my chest hurts…” Nicole suddenly clutched her chest and collapsed.
The three of them scrambled to get her to the hospital, running a bunch of tests. Everyone forgot about finding me.
See, anytime Nicole felt even a little unwell, my life didn’t matter
at all.
I floated above the hospital room, watching the loving family, suddenly thankful I died early.
Otherwise, seeing this would have been unbearable!
No, I probably wouldn’t feel pain. I’d been numb for a long time.
Just like the year I graduated high school.
Nicole knew Caleb and Alexis were supposed to take me to my SATS, but she faked being sick so they’d stay with her, not caring.
Chapter 3
if I made it to the exam on time.
To them, my life and future were less important than Nicole’s little cold.
4/4
In the hospital room, the doctor announced they needed to find. a kidney donor for her transplant, fast.
The family fell silent again.
Isaac messaged me on WhatsApp: [Amelia, are you still there? Nicole’s in bad shape. Can you come back and save her?]
[If you come back, I’ll be with you again.]
His tone was full of condescending charity.
Too bad, I didn’t want it anymore.
Write your comment
