Lose The Game, Lose Your Heart

Synopsis

Because I played one wrong note on the piano, my brother decided I should give up my heart. At my birthday party, my adopted sister insisted we play a dice game. Highest roll wins. She rolled a one. I rolled a six. Daniel Bennett, my second brother, didn't hesitate for even a second. "You lose," he said. Later, she mixed crushed glass into my cake. Daniel held me down in my chair and shoved the fork toward my mouth. "You lost," he said flatly. "So take it." Blood smeared my lips. Shards sliced down my throat. I swallowed the pain and tried to stand. Daniel slammed me back into the seat. "Charlotte's in a good mood tonight. Win just one round, and I'll let you apply to Curtis for piano." The next roll came. I got a one. She got a six. She laughed, then glanced at Daniel, playful and smug. "Looks like I win again. How about we make her play something for us?" Daniel kicked the back of my knee. "Get to the piano. Now." By then, my lips were completely numb. My fingers trembled as they touched the keys. I hit one wrong note. My eldest brother didn't yell. He didn't argue. He simply decided. "You played it wrong," he said. "So here's the punishment. We'll give your heart to Charlotte." Only then did I understand. Winning or losing had never been about the dice. It was never about the music. It had always been up to them.