Chapter 1
The night before our family set out for our trip during autumn break, Alex slipped me a train ticket heading north.
He said, "Thea, there's just no space left in the car. You know Mandy's never spent a night away from us.
"I bought you a train ticket. Head up north first and wait for us in Auremont."
I nodded and took the train ticket.
Alex let out a sigh of relief.
He had no idea that I wasn't going to wait for them up north.
I returned the ticket and swapped it for a southbound one.
Down there was Mistvale, my hometown, where I grew up.
And there were my adoptive parents and their son William, who loved me like their own.
This time, I was never coming back.
*****
The day before autumn break, the whole family was busy getting ready for our trip.
My mom started packing bright and early, then took Mandy shopping to buy her a bunch of pretty clothes.
My dad filled up the car with gas and even set up a cozy dog bed in the back seat for Mandy's poodle.
Once the dog bed was all set up, my dad suddenly froze.
He shot me an awkward look and said, "Thea, I almost forgot. There's one more person in the family this year.
"I'll take the dog bed out right now, and have Mandy take her puppy to the pet hotel."
Mandy's eyes were swollen and red, tears streaming down her cheeks as she clutched her snow-white poodle, Dolly, tight to her chest.
She said, "Dad, Dolly's never spent a single day apart from us since she was born.
"Why don't I just skip the trip and let Thea have my seat?
"I can just stay home with Dolly. All by myself."
My dad shot her down without a second thought.
He said, "No way. You've never been apart from us since you were little. How could your mom and I ever feel at ease if you're home all by yourself?"
Mandy bit her lip, shooting me a nervous look. She asked, "But what about Thea?
"There's no room for her in the car. So what happens to her?"
My dad looked back and forth between Mandy and me, hesitating, clearly struggling to make a choice.
I was their real daughter, the one they had only just gotten back after a mix-up at birth.
While Mandy was the girl they'd raised as their own, even if she wasn't related by blood.
Whatever he decided felt wrong, because palm or back of the hand, it was all his own flesh.
Seeing my dad looking so torn, Mandy hugged Dolly even tighter.
She took a couple of steps back, tears streaming down her face like pearls off a broken string. She choked out, "Dad, I'm sorry. I was wrong.
"I shouldn't have pushed it. Thea is your real daughter.
"I'm just the extra one in the family.
"I won't go. Why don't you and Mom take Thea instead?
"And Alex. You're the ones who really belong together."
Mandy was trembling from crying, clutching Dolly tightly as she turned and hurried upstairs.
But as she was going up, she missed a step and fell down the stairs.
"Mandy!" Alex yelled, his voice full of panic.
He pushed past me and lunged forward, catching Mandy before she could hit the ground.
Mandy didn't have a scratch on her.
Meanwhile, my knee banged into the coffee table, swelling up instantly with a sharp, throbbing pain.
I gritted my teeth and stood up, stubbornly refusing to let anyone see me falter.
Demi always told me, "We're army brats: born to bleed and sweat, but crying? That's for the weak."
Mandy looked like the whole world was against her as she threw herself into Alex's arms, bawling her eyes out.
She cried, "Alex, I'm sorry. I'm the extra in this family.
"I don't want to put you guys in a tough spot. Just take Thea and go have fun. I won't go."
Alex hugged Mandy tightly, gave me a worried look, then lowered his head to gently reassure her. He said, "Don't worry. Mom and Dad would never leave you behind, and I won't either."
Mandy looked up at him, tears streaming down her face as she pleaded, "What about Dolly? Can Dolly come with us too?"
Alex looked at Dolly, then glanced over at me.
He said firmly, "Dolly's coming with us, too."
Mandy managed a heartbreaking little smile, the kind that instantly tugged at one's heart.
But the instant she turned and saw me, all the color drained from her face.
She bit her lip, her eyes flickering with unease as she looked at me. She asked, "What about Thea?"