"Lenora, what's wrong?" Noah asked.

"Leave me alone," I said, wiping my tears and walking faster.

He followed. "Are you crying?"

I stopped and turned. "Stay away from me!"

"What?"

"We're not from the same world. Don't bother me anymore."

I pushed past him and ran to the dumpster downstairs.

The gold medal in my backpack dug into my back. I pulled it out, holding it up to the streetlight.

My name was engraved on it.

I raised it over the dumpster, but my hand froze.

I couldn't do it.

I clutched the medal that was still shining, but it didn't blind me anymore.

What blinded me was my stupidity in believing their lies. I thought effort would matter. I thought I could earn their approval.

My phone buzzed with a text from Noah.

[Lenora, we're friends forever.]

I deleted his number, knowing I didn't deserve his warmth and kindness.

I was just David's substitute, Neville's foil, and the Gordon family's shame.

...

The cancer pain gnawed like ants burrowing through my bones.

I needed painkillers but had no money.

Every cent at home was in my parents' hands. Even my high school savings were held for "safekeeping".

Their excuse? "Girls shouldn't spend recklessly."

I stared at the 52 cents in my bag, earned from collecting bottles that day.

At dinner, I steeled myself. "Dad, I need money for tutoring fees."

Otis didn't look up. "How much?"

"$100," I lied. Three months of painkillers cost just over $50.

His fork froze. "$100?"

He finally looked at me, but his eyes were cold. "You think money grows on trees?"

Neville snorted. "Lenora, are you nuts? You know how tight things are."

My grip tightened on the knife. "I just thought..."

"Thought what?" Otis slammed his fist down on the table. "You wanna drag Neville down? Ruin this family?"

That night, the pain kept me awake.

My parents' snores came through the wall. They slept soundly.

I knew where they kept the money.

The bottom drawer of their nightstand had a small metal box with the family's cash.

Two bills were all I needed.

The pain was unbearable. I needed those pills.

A shout shattered the quiet night. "Thief!"

I nearly fell, spinning to see Neville in the doorway, grinning triumphantly.

"What are you doing, Lenora?" he said loudly.

Noises came from the bed as our parents stirred.

"What's going on?" Colette murmured sleepily.

"I caught Lenora stealing money!" Neville pointed at me, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "You're sneaking cash to get an abortion, aren't you?"

His words exploded like a bomb.

Otis glared at me, like I was filth.

"No, I didn't." I shook my head frantically.

"Still lying?" Neville taunted. "Caught red-handed!"

"What are you stealing money for?" Otis loomed, his shadow terrifying in the dark. "Speak!"

He grabbed a baseball bat from the corner.

That bat was David's.

For years, Otis treasured it like a relic. Now he'd use it on me.

"Today, I'll teach you a lesson on behalf of David!"

"Dad, I didn't," I pleaded.

Before I could finish, the bat slammed into my stomach.

Pain erupted. I collapsed, vomiting blood onto the floor, bright under the light.

"This is what you get for stealing!" Otis swung again.

"Lenora!" Colette gasped but didn't stop him.

Neville stood in the doorway, smirking like he was watching a show.

I lay on the floor, blood pouring from my mouth. In my fading vision, Neville's grin mocked me.

...

The storage room door slammed shut. The lock clicked.

Darkness swallowed me.

"When you figure out what you did, you can come out," Otis said, his voice dripping with disgust.

I leaned against the cold wall. My stomach felt like it was being eaten alive.

Outside, laughter rang.

"Neville, I made your favorite beef stew," Colette said.

"Neville, 730 on the practice test? Second in the city! Amazing!" Otis cheered.

"Next time, I'll get first," Neville promised.

"Good! I know you will," Otis laughed.

Their happy chatter stabbed through the door, each word piercing my heart.

I curled up in the corner, my tears falling freely.

There was just no place for me in this house.

Footsteps echoed outside. Neville hissed through the door, gleeful. "Lenora, just die already. You're a stain on my life. My classmates now all know I've got a thieving sister. So embarrassing. Why don't you just die? It'd free us all."

Each word cut deeper, tearing down my last defenses.

The stomach pain raged, but it felt trivial compared to the ache in my heart.

I remembered finding an old bottle of weed killer in this room as a kid.

It was a green bottle, covered in dust.

I'd wondered why it was here. Now I knew that it was waiting for this moment.

I fumbled in the dark, my fingers finding the bottle in the same corner.

Outside, the laughter grew louder.

"Neville, I'll get you new clothes tomorrow," Colette said.

"Anything you want, I'll get it for you," Otis echoed.

"Thanks, Mom and Dad. I love you guys," Neville said excitedly.

"We love you, too," they laughed.

That word never belonged to me.

I picked up the bottle, staring at it in the dark.

I couldn't see it clearly, but I knew it was there, like I knew my fate.

With my last bit of strength, I dipped my finger in the blood I'd coughed up and wrote on the floor.

[David, I'm coming to find you.]

The blood dried, the words crooked and uneven. It was the most careful thing I'd ever written, and my last.

I leaned against the cold wall and twisted off the cap. The stench stung my nose.

I closed my eyes and finished it off.