Chapter 4
After that circus of a birthday party, I became completely invisible in the house.
Then one day after school, I suddenly found a pink envelope in my backpack.[]
Before I could even open it, Madison burst in with her crew.[]
Pointing at the letter in my hand, Madison’s eyes welled up with crocodile tears:
“Mom, Dad, see? I told you JoJo’s been hooking up with tons of guys at school. So many classmates are making fun of me for having sister like that.”
Before I could even react to the letter, someone kicked me clear across the room.
ǹdidn’t stop flying until the wall caught my back, and then I started coughing like crazy.[]
After just a couple coughs, blood was already trickling from the corner of my mouth.]
“Shameless little slut.“]]
“Get the hell out of here and don’t you ever come back through that door.“]
“Maya gave her life to save this piece of trash, and this is what we get–some trashy little whore!“]
The hatred in Mom and Dad’s eyes was impossible to hide. I knew they weren’t seeing me–they were seeing their daughter’s killer.
They just needed an excuse to let it all out, didn’t even care if what Madison was saying was true or not.]
But I cared.]
My sister’s death really was my fault.
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They could beat me and curse me all they wanted–I wouldn’t fight back. But I damn well wasn’t going to let them trash my reputation.[]
“It wasn’t me. I didn’t do anything.”
My defiance seemed to piss Dad off even more.[]
He grabbed a wooden rod![]
“Maya died to save you, and you’re out there screwing around with random guys? You’re a disgrace to this family!“[]
“I didn’t! If my sister were here, she’d believe me!”
Bringing up my sister made the tears pour down my face.[]
If only she were still here–I’d be the happiest girl in the world.[]
She’d teach me to dance and buy me beautiful dresses.[]
She’d take me to shows and expose me to all kinds of things I’d never seen.]
Chapter 4
But the more beautiful the fantasy, the crueler reality became.]
Sometimes I wished my sister had never saved me.
Just let me die in that accident.[]
“How dare you mention your sister?“]
“If it wasn’t for you, Maya would still be alive!“[]
The rod came down on me like hail. I pressed my lips together and didn’t make a sound.[]
Mom looked at me with pure hatred in her eyes too.
“If only we could trade you to bring Maya back.“[]
“Yeah, if only you could trade me to bring her back.”
Hearing me say that, Dad’s hand froze mid–swing, like something had struck him.[]
Seeing this, Madison’s eyes flashed, and she stepped forward:[]
“Dad, stop hitting her. It’s my fault as her big sister for not teaching her better.“]
“This has nothing to do with you–get out of the way. She’s rotten to the core. She already killed Maya, I can’t let her stick around to hurt you too!”
With that, Dad raised the rod again and beat me like he was trying to kill me.
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I curled up in the corner with my arms over my head. My arms, legs, my whole body was covered in bruises and cuts.[]
The bloody taste in my mouth got stronger and stronger. I bit down hard, not wanting to let any screams escape.
But the blood kept flowing from the corner of my mouth anyway.
Gradually, I started to feel numb to the pain.
Was I dying?
I couldn’t think straight. All I could hear was Mom and Dad’s shrill insults, Madison’s smug little laugh.
And the dull thud of the rod hitting flesh over and over.
My consciousness started to fade.
Just when I thought I was about to pass out completely, a girl who looked exactly like Madison suddenly pushed through the front door.
“Dad?”
The rod clattered to the floor.
Dad, Mom and I all stared at her wide–eyed.]
“Maya?“]
