Chapter 2
That night, Simone showed up in my room.
Her eyes were brimming with tears.
And she looked like she might drop where she stood at any second.
Her slender, pale fingers fluttered in broken signs.
She was so pitiful, yet somehow enchanting.
She signed, "Helena, I'm sorry, but can I have the ticket? I already promised my friend to go to the concert together. I don't want to go back on my word."
I looked at her coldly. "This was a gift from Dad. If you want it, have him ask me for it."
Simone gently bit her lower lip.
Her eyes welled up, and tears slid fast.
She added, "I don't want to make things hard for Dad. Could you please—"
"Oh, so you don't want to trouble Dad, but it's totally fine to snatch my stuff, huh?" I cut her off.
She shook her head desperately.
Her frail body trembled like a leaf.
She looked like she'd just suffered the greatest injustice.
She sobbed, and her hands shook with each sign. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gone that far."
With that, she turned and left my room.
But soon, a loud bang echoed from the stairs.
Simone had fallen down the stairs.
Her head got hurt, and there was blood everywhere.
Dad rushed over at the sound and immediately called an ambulance.
When Mom saw what had happened, she dragged me out of my room, yanking my hair and snarling, "It's just a ticket! What's the big deal? You actually drove your own sister to spacing out while walking downstairs."
My scalp burned as every single strand of hair was yanked tight.
The pain was so intense that my whole body went numb.
Dad's brows knitted as he tried to calm Mom down. "Let go of her. She's our daughter, too."
Mom was breathing hard, her chest rising and falling in anger.
Simone's eyes slowly opened, and she tried to soothe Mom.
She signed weakly, "Mom, I fell down the stairs by accident. It's not Helena's fault. Please don't be mad at her."
Her weakness only made Mom's eyes grow even redder with emotion.
Finally, Mom let go of me.
She hurried over to Simone's side.
Her words were nothing like before.
When she spoke to Simone, her voice turned soft and gentle. "Even after all this, you're still speaking up for Helena. But what about her? She couldn't care less if you lived or died."
I watched everything indifferently.
I felt nothing but a hollow pit inside, though.
I said, "So this ticket was never really meant for me, was it?
"Sorry, Dad. When you gave it to me, I didn't realize you were just joking.
"I took it from Simone. I'm sorry."
I pulled the ticket from my pocket and handed it over.
I looked up and met my parents' eyes.
I said flatly, "Mom, Dad, and Simone, don't worry. This will never happen again."
My parents froze. They opened their mouths to say something, but not a single word came out.
I turned and walked back to my room, my steps steady and resolute.
Deep down, I warned myself.
I wouldn't touch what didn't belong to me.
But I wouldn't give up on what was mine.
Not even on a single thing.