Chapter 3

The next morning, Emily dragged me out of bed for school.

I had a stomachache and had to rush to the bathroom alone.

This time, it looked different.

It was sort of black, but also kind of red.

Emily urged from outside. "Angela, if you keep dawdling, your brothers are leaving without you," she called.

I put the toilet lid down, climbed onto the seat, and flushed it on my own.

Then, I went to school with my brothers.

While I was playing at kindergarten, my tummy suddenly started to hurt again, and I had to go to the bathroom.

Hubert and his crew blocked my way.

I started crying because I was scared, and they just laughed like it was the funniest thing ever.

My stomach hurt so bad, and I just couldn't hold it in anymore.

A really gross smell filled the air.

All the kids at kindergarten pinched their noses and ran away from me.

I saw yellow stuff running down my pants.

My head felt like it was about to explode. It was like my whole world just blew apart right in front of me.

"Seriously, how did I end up with a sister like you? That's just gross," Hubert sneered.

"Angela wet herself!" one of the kids shouted.

"Aren't you embarrassed? You're five, and you still pee your pants?" another kid mocked.

All the kids were laughing at me.

I just stood there, bawling my eyes out.

And then the teacher came over.

She helped me clean up and gave me a fresh set of clothes.

She said it was normal for a kid my age to have accidents sometimes.

Everyone had to go to the bathroom, after all.

She said maybe I just ate something bad.

I could tell this time was different.

I saw the hatred in their eyes, and I knew from now on, nobody would ever want to be friends with me.

*****

After school, the driver came to pick up my brothers.

I wanted to get in the car with them, too. But Hubert blocked the door with his body.

"Don't even think about getting in. You're filthy and you stink. How can someone your age still pee and poop your pants?" Hubert mocked, his voice full of disgust.

The driver heard him and shot me a look—his eyes were filled with discomfort, not at all like the teacher's.

It was nothing like the way the teacher looked at me.

My cheeks burned with embarrassment. I hung my head and quietly backed away.

Hubert shut the door in my face. "It's not even that far. Walk home on your own," he said.

I'd gotten used to being left out like this.

I walked all day, from dawn till dusk. Finally, I made it back home.

I pushed the door open.

Ruth from next door was sitting on our couch. She'd been crying non-stop.

My three brothers were all crowded around her, fussing over her and trying to cheer her up.

Don't ask me why, but the second my brothers saw me, their faces just turned stormy.

"Did you swipe something from Ruth?" Hubert demanded, glaring at me.

I was starving and parched, my vision blurry. "I didn't steal anything."

Chase yanked the necklace right off my neck.

"Ruth says this is hers. If you didn't steal it, then what do you call it?" he snapped.

I grabbed Chase's hand, trying to yank the necklace back.

I'd never been this angry before.

"This necklace was left to me by Mom. I didn't steal it," I shouted.

I'd always tucked it under my shirt, terrified they'd take it from me.

Chase paused, looking surprised for a moment.

Lionel rolled his eyes and sneered, "Mom hated you. Why would she ever leave you anything? Ruth says it's hers, so it's hers. End of story."

Just then, Dad came in from outside and fixed his gaze on me.

"What's going on here?" he asked.

I wiped my tears away and pleaded with all I had, "I didn't steal it. I really didn't!"

Ruth kept sobbing as she clung to Hubert's sleeve. "But I have one exactly like that. My dad left it to me, just like yours."

Dad's look changed too.