na's

p gaspin

of deep water. For a few seconds I couldn't move. My heart

s al

didn't ma

ough my body while Lily smiled down at me. I remembered the cold marble under my ha

ad

certai

was I b

forced my

g I noticed wa

in the city. This one was painted pale blue, with a faint cr

eath

t couldn'

ht, my hands gripping

me looked pain

udy desk besi

helf filled wit

I had always hated but n

egan beati

w thi

om rec

en yea

't possible,

sounded

ft

mach t

d out of bed, nearly tripping over my own feet

t, I was af

myself to r

't the twenty-eight-year-old wom

oked e

y the stress and exhaustion that had marked my

bling hand and

copied the move

rs felt

l s

a dr

halluc

grabbed the edge of t

back?" I

oded my mind

's s

soned c

ng that everything

anger surged t

truste

ecte

so much

illed me with

dug into

a dream...

mething on the de

te en

art s

owly, my stomach tigh

knew wha

ven need t

did

th the official seal o

ptance

I had received

tter I had

began t

is the

ed it perf

iversity admission so L

t accepted anywhere else. My father had asked

had

ing a good sister mea

cision had cha

n, I had spent years

ing mani

erfect, obedient dau

ded she didn't

the door suddenly

ren

oice came fro

e body s

e, hearing that voic

ke?" he aske

allo

es

wnstairs. We need to disc

art d

fer p

uld give my universi

ment my futu

acceptance let

e, I had happily s

was doing th

his t

nger spread th

efully and placed it ba

y father ca

ing," I

e sound

something

or and stepped

actly the same as i

ig

eg

etely suf

owly, memories flashing thr

dining room, everyo

f the table, his usual ster

mother, Margaret, dres

g across f

Li

tened the mom

actly the way

blond

te fea

t made her look in

d knelt beside my dy

me enter, her

" she sa

r voice made my

ng her call me that ha

t made my

id when I sat down.

er across the

e the tran

our place at Westbridge Univers

er nodded a

this opportunity

ad slightly, preten

re you're okay with t

ng was f

hink she truly felt bad

new bet

the folde

exactly the sam

ded was my

e signa

e would disa

waited

looked i

her looked

looked

ed the

t signi

s came o

the room like

my fathe

aze without

I won't

at followed wa

ace turn

.?" she w

directl

fe, I allowed myself to feel th

your own future

mmed his hand

onsense are you

stoo

remaine

ng to un

expression twi

g this family ha

t all thre

t time, I truly

ad sacrificed

had never onc

sacrificin

d walked out of

e, chaos

dn't sto

e this

to give my li