The Price of Unrequited Love

o cut off her waist-length hair and called her father, announc

s insisted on staying with Brendan. Jayde forced a laugh, revealing the painful trut

tender words to Chloie twisted a knife in Jayde' s heart. She remembered how his tenderness used to be hers alone, how he had protected her, and

pieces back together. Her love, however, didn't die, not even whe

ut that fire out herself. She had

pte

cut off her waist-length hair. She stood in front of the mirror and smoked he

alled her father

t into UC

ice wa

alifornia. I want to

om and I divorced, I settled down here. I always asked you to come over as an exchange st

h were red and swollen. She

o walk to the end to k

er voice shak

t right for me, his sister with no bl

Mr. Maynard have been traveling the world, leaving you with Brendan all these years. You're

de said, th

he went to the bathroom and splashed cold water on her face. She had t

n the study. She hesitated for a moment, then pulled up he

knock,

gewear, and his high nose supported a pair of gold-rimmed glasses. H

n who was her step-brother. He was also the s

een, his brow furrowed in a sl

sitating. "The college ad

bbly ringtone cut through the quiet

his phone, and a gentle smile spread across his f

g planner. Just tell them to arrange whatever

e' s chest. Brendan' s tendern

ardly in the grand mansion, lost and alone. Young Brendan, dressed in his British-style schoo

d his allowance to buy her a Totoro nightlight. "Don't be scared,"

She didn't know how to tell him about the love she kept hidd

om college, she gave him everything. She gave him the diary filled

ped the gift box over, sending its

ou sick? I'm your bro

y real brother. You've pampered me and protected me and cared for me

cruelty. He mercilessly tore

thered with you all these years! You can't even tell th

ed up the shredded pieces from the floor. She took them to her room and painstakingly

She studied harder, determined to get into the sam

igh school, Brendan brought a

r 'sister-in-la

t the ninety-nine steps she had taken through thorns to reach him meant nothin

n her heart for years now felt lik

ut that fire out herself. She had