The Past Buried in the Snow

Synopsis

The night SAT results came out, I was sitting in the living room with Phillip Rowe, my childhood friend. My parents were there too, all set to celebrate. When my twin sister, Lilith Riley, found out she didn't make the cut, she smashed her glass. Phillip immediately crouched down by her feet. And I was the one left out in the cold. Phillip told me, "Jade, Lilith's feeling down. Stay quiet tonight. "No matter how well you did, don't bring it up. Don't rub it in." For the next half hour, Phillip had been serving Lilith water with care, while I got left behind by them. This was supposed to be the night Phillip swore he'd celebrate with me after my scores came out. At ten o'clock, my page refreshed on time. Lilith was bawling her eyes out across from me. "I'm done for. With a score like this, I can't get into any decent school," she wailed. Phillip was wiping her tears, murmuring, "It's okay. Your parents will figure something out." I stood behind them, listening to my parents talking. "If all else fails, we'll use the family savings to send Lilith abroad for a break," my mom said. Phillip kept echoing their words, nodding along and agreeing over and over. I lowered my head and turned off my phone screen, my score report showing 99th. Then, I swept up the glass shards at my feet. No one bothered to ask about me. So that was how it was. They'd made their choice about who to stand by. It was time for me to pack my bags and start living for myself.