Brittany' s knee, which had a barely visible scratch. Brittany whimp

ared to the throbbing ache in my head and the deep bruise on my heart. For a second, I was glad she was gett

ir perfect grades, the certificates for academic achievement, all the proof of m

I felt a little bit lighter. I was done. I was done trying to be the daughter they wanted. I was don

me sitting on

se papers. It' s in here." She gently tapped my chest, right over my heart. "You are smart, an

anymore. It was about me. My grades climbed even higher. At the

t card, a flicker of somet

to the teacher, right in front of me. "She

in the same breath. It didn' t hu

The easy success I had in middle school was gone. For the first time, I struggled. My grades slipped. I

a math test. My par

. "I knew it wouldn' t last. Sh

hook his head

e in a new place, Chloe. It' s hard to adjust. Don' t you worr

ut places like New York City, about art schools and dorm rooms and a life that sounded like it was from another planet. A new

rd the story. Her parents had pulled her out to marry a man she' d never met. I saw her once more, in town with

e. That was the future my father had planned f

nts barely noticed. After two days, Grandma finally forced them to call a doctor. My dad made the call, hi

end up like Sarah. I would get out. I would study,