Chapter 20
“It’s a good thing you came in right away,” the nurse said as she gently cleaned the raw skin of my arm. “This is a second–degree burn, and you needed stitches too.”
I didn’t respond. Just nodded. The white ceiling above me blurred. I stayed at the hospital for two more days.
Not a call. Not a single message. No “Are you okay?” No “Sorry for what happened.”}]
Nothing. They didn’t even care enough to pretend.”
On the second evening, I found myself aimlessly scrolling through my phone. Maybe some part of me still hoped they’d reached out. But all I found were photos.
Bright, glowing snapshots of Audrey in her brand–new red dress, smiling between Jared and Jackson. Champagne glasses raised. That same smirk on her lips that she always wore when she knew she had won.”
“Thank you Jared and Jackson for the best birthday ever! I’ll treasure this forever! Look at our new friendship bracelets!!!“}
I zoomed in. Three matching bracelets. And then Jared and Jackson no longer wore our friendship bracelets like before.
I turned off the screen and placed the phone face down on the side table. Just silence again. My heart pounded in that silence. But it didn’t hurt anymore. It was just… empty.”
Two days later, I was back at the apartment. The same place we’d all moved into after college. It was supposed to be a home for a family, only that they had betrayed me.”
I stepped inside the quiet living room and headed straight to my bedroom. I opened the closet and began to pack.”
I reached for my shoes and then paused. There it was–the memory box. That dumb, stupid box I had once called my “treasure chest.”
I sat on the floor, dragging it out, letting the dust coat my fingers. Inside were letters. Crumpled, faded ones written by Jared and Jackson from when we were kids. Stick drawings, silly poems, “get well soon” cards when I had the flu.”
And a photo. The three of us–me, Jared, and Jackson–kneeling by a treehouse, dirt on our clothes, wide grins across, our faces.
I remembered that day. It was the summer I got bit by a dog. Or almost did. I was always terrified of dogs, and the neighbor’s dog had gotten loose. I froze, too scared to move. Jared and Jackson had jumped in front of me like it was instinct. Jared even got a bite on his arm just to protect me.”
After that, everything changed. They became my shadows. My protectors. And somewhere along the way, I had fallen in love with Jared, while Jackson treated me like a sister.
Until Audrey ruined everything.
I sat on the floor, gripping a friendship bracelet with my name on it. I was such a fool.
want
My parents had warned me when I begged them to adopt Audrey. “Are you sure about this, Maureen? Not everyone wants a sister the way you do. And what if she hurts you? You can’t just trust anyone that easy.”}
I hadn’t listened. I believed love would be enough.
But now??
Now I knew.
She didn’t want to be my sister. She wanted to be me.
I packed up the rest of my things. Then, I carried the memory box outside, I set the box down and lit the match in the backyard.
The flames caught quickly. The letters curled, blackening. The bracelets twisted in the heat, their gold sheen turning dull and dead. The photos dissolved into ash.>
“Maureen!“}
I turned at the sound of Jared’s voice. He came running from inside, panic written all over his face.
“What are you doing?!” he shouted. “Are those… are those our albums?! The bracelets?!”
“Yes,” I said simply. “I’m burning all our memories.“>
He tried to move closer, but I stepped in front of the fire, blocking him. “It’s over. All of it.”
Jackson arrived seconds later, looking just as stunned.
“Is this some kind of tantrum?” he asked, arms crossed. “You’re upset, we get it. But this is dramatic, even for you.”
“This isn’t a tantrum,” I said, my voice calm, steady. “This is the end.”
“You’re really going to let one bad night ruin years of friendship?” Jared asked. “Maureen, don’t do this. We can talk-”
I met their gaze before turning to Jared. “I don’t want to ever be with the both of you again.“%
Ltumed away and walked back inside the apartment, the smoke still curling behind me.
2:09 PM
