Sarah told me that the cake had no
structure. I also checked the purchase
records from that day. Do I really need to
explain whether she was behind your eye
injury?”
His tone was sarcastic and disappointed.
I looked at the purchase records that my
brother sent.
The alterations in the picture were clever, but
not impossible to see.
If you paid attention.
In the past, I would have immediately pointed
out the alterations in the photo.
<
But now, I didn’t care. I was even able to
laugh back at him.
“Is that so? Since Sarah’s always right, why
are you even calling me? What kind of answer
are you expecting? If you don’t believe me
anyway, why waste your phone bill?”
My brother was stunned.
I never talked back like that.
“Claire Bennett, don’t ever call me brother
again!”
And then he hung up.
It was his harshest punishment.
Growing up, I had to deal with being
<
grounded, writing apology letters, and saying
sorry.
I would cry and beg him not to leave me.
But this time, I didn’t want him anymore.
My brother never called me again.
On the day of the college entrance exam, he
was walking through the streets of Paris with
Sarah.
Sarah was very happy, she posted:
“Who’s taking the college entrance exam? Oh,
it’s not me!”
I wasn’t so childish to post something like
that.
<
I was at home with Dean’s parents, anxiously
waiting for Dean to get out of the testing
center.
When I saw him walk out and tell the
reporters, “I nailed it!“, I almost fainted.
Don’t celebrate before the game is over!
But Dean’s parents were happy.
This was the first time their son had ever
been this cooperative.
But I never thought that Dean was telling the
truth about nailing it!
They didn’t announce the test results that
day. But Dean’s mom hugged me so tight I
couldn’t breathe.
<
After I had been attacked, Dean told his
parents what was going on, and they told me
to stay with them until I went to college.
It was perfect, I didn’t want to go back to
that place anyway.
But then, my acceptance letter from MIT got
sent to my house, forcing me to go back.
I thought maybe my brother would be proud if
my letter got sent home, and that’s why I
gave the address.
But now I only wished I had changed the
shipping address.
When I opened the door, my brother was
petting Sarah’s hair while holding her
acceptance letter from Stanford, smiling
My letter was thrown in the trash.
“You finally decided to come home?”
My brother scowled.
I didn’t say anything. I just picked up my
acceptance letter from the trash.
My brother put his hand on top of mine.
“Don’t bother, just go back to community.
college.
“You haven’t been going to school or coming
home for months. You’ll never make it to a
four year college.”
I moved his hand aside.
<
“Why should it matter to you where I go to
school?”
My brother was shocked.
“You” was such a formal way of speaking, I’d
never used it with him before.
“Claire Bennett! I’m your brother!”
I paused, turned around, and took out my
phone. I played the recording.
His familiar voice rang out,
“Claire Bennett, don’t ever call me brother
again!”
My brother’s hand froze.
<
He had used that threat on me so many
times, but I had never been so calm.
He paused and asked in a dry voice,
“Where…where are you going?”
“A school get–together.”
“When will it end? I can come pick you up.
I raised my eyebrows, and smiled,
“I don’t think so, Mr. Bennett. The last time
you picked me up, I almost got murdered.”
His eyes widened.
I picked up the local newspaper from Mrs.
Davis and showed him the headline about the
<
Seeing my figure in the pictures, his breathing
started to tremble.
“Claire…I…”
Seeing my brother like this, Sarah, who had
been smiling, put down her acceptance letter,
a hint of panic in her eyes.
“Claire…” My brother’s voice was shaking.
I laughed as if I didn’t care, “It’s okay, Mr.
Bennett. It’s been ten years, this isn’t the first
time you’ve abandoned me.”
“Claire…” My brother’s eyes were red.
“Brother! I…I’m in so much pain!”
<
The familiar sound of someone in pain rang
out again.
My brother turned around. Sarah was spitting
out blood again, looking pitiful while leaning
against the wall.
I smirked, waiting for my brother to run to
her.
You’ll never see this show again once I’m
gone.
“Can’t you ask Mrs. Davis? Why are you
always bothering me?!”
When my brother said that, I thought I must
have heard something wrong.
For ten years, he had always been there for
<
He ignored her. He just held my arm.
“Claire, I didn’t know this was going on…….”
“Oh, my second young miss has collapsed
again!” Mrs. Davis cried out.
Instantly, he stopped talking and let go of my
arm.
My brother ran to her as fast as he could,
picking her up in his arms with a worried
tone,
“Sarah! Sarah! Look at me!”
