Chapter 2

As we neared the house, she suddenly stopped. "Sarah, can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead," I replied.

"I... I don't have a uniform. Mom told me to just wear one of your old hand-me-downs for now, but I don't feel right about it. Do you think you could ask Mom to buy me a new set?" she asked.

I looked at her.

She lowered her head, her voice trailing off. "I know I'm probably overstepping, but I... I've never had a brand-new school uniform before."

"You can just ask her yourself," I replied. "She won't say no."

"I did," she said, looking up. "But Mom said you should come with me to get it."

I went quiet for a heartbeat or two. "Alright, I'll take you this weekend."

"Thanks, Sarah." She beamed at me.

In that moment, the penny dropped.

Alyssa wasn't slow. She knew she had just arrived and didn't have a leg to stand on in this house yet. Instead of picking a fight and showing her hand, she was testing the waters, bit by bit, to see just how much I'd take.

She was playing the waiting game, hoping I'd lose my cool and lash out first. If I did, she'd be the poor, bullied victim, and I'd be the "wicked" fake daughter who couldn't stand the sight of the real one.

On the weekend, I took Alyssa to get her school uniform.

We headed to the official outfitter the school used. The place was packed, so I told her to go ahead and take her pick while I grabbed a seat at the coffee shop next door to wait.

Half an hour later, she walked out clutching a shopping bag and sat down across from me. "Sarah, I'm all set."

"Okay," I replied.

"Sarah," she bit her lip, "could you lend me some money?"

I looked up at her.

Her face was beet red. "Mom gives me 1500 dollar allowance every month, but I've already blown through it. I want to buy some study guides, and I don't want to go running back to Mom for more."

"How much do you need?" I asked.

"Six... six hundred bucks should do it. I'll pay you back next month," she said.

I transferred 1000 dollars to her.

She stared at the notification on her phone, stunned for a second before she managed a smile. "Thanks, Sarah. You're really looking out for me."

I took a sip of my latte. "Don't worry about paying me back. Consider it a gift."

Her smile froze for a second. She had expected me to grill her on how she'd burned through 1500 dollars so fast. She thought I'd turn her down or go tattle to our parents. But I did none of the above.

One thousand dollars was pocket change to me. I'd never had to worry about money; between my allowance, competition prize money, and gifts from relatives over the years, I had enough saved up to last me for years.

But Alyssa was in a different boat.

She felt the need to butter up her classmates, to buy new clothes, shoes, and bags to make up for all those lost years. She needed to use money to prove to herself that she'd finally living the good life.

I didn't need to compete with her over that.

*****

When we got home that evening, Mother asked about the school uniform.

Alyssa beat me to the punch. "Sarah took me, and she even sent me some money for study guides. She's being so sweet to me."

Mother looked at me, her eyes softening. "Our Sarah is really growing up."

I just smiled and didn't say anything.

Back in my room, I pulled out my phone, screenshotted the transfer record, and tucked it away in a private album. It wasn't because I was planning a confrontation; it was just a habit.

I was in the habit of keeping evidence in this house.

*****

Alyssa's little games started to ramp up.

At first, it was just petty stuff. She began using my skincare products, and when they ran out, she'd just put the empty bottles back without saying a word.

When I called her out on it, she just played the innocent card. "Oh, I thought we were sharing."

Then, she moved on to my clothes.

I'd buy a brand-new dress, and before I even got a chance to wear it, I'd see her walking out of her room in it. "Sarah, this dress is so pretty. You don't mind if I borrow it, do you?"

Eventually, it spilled over into schoolwork.

Alyssa finished in the bottom fifty of our grade during midterms. Mother and Father didn't say anything. They just hired a tutor.

But right in front of them, she looked at me with watery eyes and said, "Sarah is so smart. Do you think she could help me out too?"

I agreed. Every night, I set aside an hour to tutor her. Her foundation was shaky, but she wasn't thick. She picked up the concepts I taught her pretty quickly.

That was until I accidentally flipped through her notebook one day. Every single problem I had explained to her was answered perfectly. But in the margin, she had scribbled a tiny note in pencil: [Why does she get to have everything?]

I stared at those words for a long time before closing the notebook and putting it back exactly where I found it.

During our session that night, I went through the lesson as usual, and she played the part of the student. Halfway through, she suddenly asked, "Sarah, do you secretly hate me?"

I put my pen down. "What makes you say that?"

"Because..." she lowered her head, "because as soon as I came back, I took your things. Your room, your clothes, your skincare, even Mom and Dad's attention. You must despise me."

"You're overthinking it," I said.

"Really?" She looked up, her eyes bright. "Then why don't you ever hang out with me? You go straight to your room after school, and you're never home on the weekends. Are you avoiding me?"

Looking at her, I almost wanted to laugh. "Alyssa," I said, "I don't hang out with you, not because I hate you, but because I have to study, I have competitions, and I have to get into a good university."

She was stunned.

"Since you've been back, have I ever once targeted you? Have I ever said a bad word about you?" I paused. "I didn't think so."

Her face slowly drained of color.

I packed my bag and stood up. "So, don't lose sleep over it. Just focus on your studies. That's more important than anything else."