ice was like honey laced with poison. She reac
still staring. "She' s your twi
She turned back to me, her eyes flashing with anger.
me as disobedient and reckless. Murmurs ripp
pale," someo
king care of her son while
o her, hiding behind her legs. He peeked
Mom? You're going t
physical blow. Ruin everything.
ce thing to say," I sa
him, Ava. He's been through enough. He told me how you yell at
t Mark for support, but he was star
e time or place," he said
ted, pointing at me. "She was mad that I spil
ugging Liam tightly. "Oh, you poor
ears. "I'm so sorry you all have to see this. My sister... s
n. They had always favored Scarlett, the successful actress, over me, the q
rong?" she asked, glaring at
Liam," Scarlett sobbe
ould be ashamed of yourself. Coming here and making a scene. Look at
ers digging into my flesh.
around me were a blur of judgment and pity. I was the crazy one.
g through the crowd of gawking parents. I didn't sto
, wa
e caught up to
hing heavily. "Liam is just confused. And
ke, so insulting, it
," I said, my voi
is. We're a family. We
I got in and slammed it shut, locking it before he coul
raight to the shower and scrubbed my skin, trying to w
n hour before the front door
She marched up to me and slapped me hard across the face. The st
led, his voice booming in the quiet house. "She has a reputat
, holding my cheek. "She and Mark are
er do that. You're just jealous. You've always been j
the bigger gift. Every school play where they only had eyes for her. Every achiev
ointing a finger in my face, "we will tell everyone the truth. That you're a mentally unstable,
ast bit of love I had for th
e buzzed. It was a video from Scarlett. I opened it. She was in a luxu
rred. "Just remember your place. You're
re in the silent house, a cold, hard resolve settling in my bo
. This was just