She got up and headed to her room.
She was so damn predictable.
The last few weeks, she’d been trying
everything to push my buttons, to make me
mad, to make me look bad.
But I didn’t fight back.
I was a non–participant.
And it drove Brittany nuts.
く
Now she finally had her chance to play the
victim and she jumped at it.
You didn’t have to be a genius to see what
Brittany was up to.
Mom and Dad, of course, saw it too. But they
didn’t care. They were too busy babying
Brittany.
Mark put down his fork. “Brittany, where do you
think you’re going? Sit down!”
Brittany sniffled and sat down.
Dad jumped in and agreed with me. “If Sarah
wants to live near the school, she can live near the school. It’s not a big deal.”
It wasn’t a big deal because the first time around, I’d lived near the school too.
In a dumpy little apartment.
<
Back then, after one of Brittany’s regular digs
and insults, I’d lost it and gone at her.
We fell down the stairs. I wasn’t hurt, but
Brittany got a concussion.
I’d thought I’d won, but then my family showed
up, and I realized I’d lost big time.
Mom rushed over to Brittany, crying her eyes
out.
Dad grabbed me and screamed, “What the hell
is wrong with you? Are you crazy?”
Mark was home too, and he kicked me. “What
do you think this is, a barnyard? What are you doing? Apologize to Brittany!”
9
Everyone was screaming at me.
I stammorod out an analogy but Drittony u
く
I stammered out an apology, but Brittany was
already packing her bags.
She said she knew I hated her, and that she
should leave and let me have the family all to
myself.
My folks wouldn’t hear of it and begged her to
stay.
I just stood there, stunned.
Then Mark yelled at me. “You just going to
stand there? Why don’t you move out instead,
because the only one Brittany wants here is
me!”
It hit me like a ton of bricks. So that’s what
Mom and Dad had been trying to tell me.
They wanted me to leave.
Like I was a stranger who didn’t belong here.
<
I packed up my stuff and left.
I lived in that crummy apartment for two years.
I shook the memories away and went upstairs
to pack.
I should get out of here.
Just like you guys want me to.
10
I rented a small apartment near Northwood.
The housekeeper was confused. “Ms. Sarah, are
you sure your parents want you to live here by
yourself? They never visit.”
She didn’t know how much that hurt to hear.
“I’m sure they are busy, but they will probably
visit soon. It’s only been a few weeks.”
They didn’t visit.
Mom eventually called, “Sweetheart, are you
settling in okay? Oh, I hate you being out there
by yourself!”
I said I was settling in okay.
Mom sighed a few times but couldn’t think of
anything else to say.
See?
