the designated library, the silence a welcome relief. For a few precious moments, there was only me and the comple

tted into the library and made a beeline for my table. Sarah wasn't with the

houlder. "It' s kind of cute, watching you strug

What' s this? Wow, these notes are so detai

arted throwing it back and forth over my head, laughing as I stood up to try a

. The workbook landed on the floor, and another girl immediately steppe

cruelty. Something inside me snapped. The quiet,

it up,"

hrough their laughter like ice

?" Maya asked, a

my eyes fixed on her. "Or I withdra

aughing. "Go ahead! That just m

shed, replaced by a mask of pure panic. The other girls might not have understood, but Sarah knew exactly what my withdrawal meant. No Chloe, no more

. Her voice was sharp with an authority the othe

my scattered papers, her hands trembling slightly.

were just playing. Here." She thrust a brand-new, leather-bound notebook and a set of expensive pens

was the engine, and she was just the pretty chassis

hey scurried away. I finished my preparations and walked into the final exam with a c

etition was over. Contestants flooded out of the hall into the main lobby, where fam

shed to her side, wrapping her in a dramatic hug and handing her a massive bouquet of roses. Then he fastened a new necklace around

smiling at Sarah. Neither of them even glanced in my dir

profound sense of calm washed over me. Their neglect didn't hurt anymore. It was liberating. For my entire life, I had lived in Ethan' s shadow, sought Liam' s approval.

hem have their moment. I had a list. A list of every

o cross their nam