Chapter 2
The car pulled up in front of the villa.
Michael and Alex went back and forth, lugging bags inside.
Before long, the living room was overflowing with all sorts of shopping bags.
"Sophie, come try on these new shoes and see if they're comfortable," Mom called out.
She crouched down, holding a pair of limited-edition sneakers, and helped her slip them on.
Sophie took a couple of steps, then spun around happily.
"Thanks, Mom. They fit perfectly!" Sophie exclaimed.
I grabbed my faded backpack and headed for the stairs.
"Emily, stop right there," Mom called out.
I stopped in my tracks.
She stood up and pointed at a few empty boxes on the floor. "Take these out and throw them away.
"And while you're at it, wash Sophie's old clothes. Make sure to hand wash them," she added.
"Okay," I replied.
I nodded calmly and bent down to gather the boxes.
Alex came out of the kitchen with a glass of warm water.
He saw me crouched down on the floor, and his brows knitted slightly.
"Mrs. Lane, Em's had a long day too. Let her do the laundry tomorrow," he said.
Mom snorted. "Tired? She didn't even lift a finger at the mall, just followed us around."
Alex sighed and walked over to me.
He took out a small pink fan from his pocket. "Your room doesn't have air conditioning, right? You can use this in your dorm."
I stared at the fan, its box crushed and battered.
There was a massive tech company logo plastered across the casing.
So this is what he thinks counts as compensation.
Just a throwaway freebie that came with Sophie's 6,700-dollar laptop.
"Thanks," I left it there, not reaching for it. "Heat doesn't bother me."
Alex's hand froze mid-air, a flicker of annoyance flashing in his eyes.
"Emily, it's just a desk lamp. Are you seriously still upset about it?" he asked.
"I'm not giving you attitude," I stacked the flattened boxes and stood up. "I just don't need it,"
"You used to be so considerate. What's gotten into you now?" He dropped his voice, the warning clear in his tone.
Considerate.
For more than ten years, that word had been a chain around me.
When I was seven, Grandma brought me from the countryside to live in the city.
Because my birth was registered two years late, Sophie and I ended up in the same class.
Back then, Alex grabbed my hand and pointed at Sophie. "Em, from now on, you look out for your sister, and I'll look out for you."
But this was what protecting my sister had come to:
I gave up my parents' love, my new clothes, and even my own room.
In the end, I even gave him up.
I looked at Alex's familiar face, and suddenly, he seemed like a stranger.
"Yeah. I'm still the considerate one," I said.
I picked up the boxes and walked past him, heading outside.
Alex stood there, looking pretty upset.
After I finished taking out the trash, I went back to my room.
It was a cramped storage room tucked under the stairs on the first floor.
I pulled out the suitcase from under my bed and folded a few old clothes, tucking them inside.
At the very bottom, there was a train ticket.
Destination: Capital City.
My phone suddenly buzzed.
I took a deep breath and answered.
"Em, have you eaten yet?" Grandma asked.
Grandma's aged voice came through, thick with her country accent.
My eyes stung with emotion.
"Yeah, I've eaten, Grandma," I said.
I tried to keep my voice from shaking.
"I went to town today and put 670 dollars into your account," her voice dropped to a whisper, "That's the money I scraped together selling eggs.
"You're heading off to college now, so buy yourself a few nice outfits, okay? Don't let those city kids look down on you."
Without warning, tears splashed onto the back of my hand.
In this family, 670 dollars wasn't even enough to buy Sophie an desk lamp.
But for Grandma, that was more than half a year's living expenses.
"Grandma, I got a scholarship, and the school waived my tuition. I'm really okay for money," I said.
I covered my mouth, stifling a sob so she wouldn't hear.
Grandma said firmly, "Take it, honey. You should always have a little extra when you're out in the world.
"You did so well on your exams, Em. Your parents might not love you the way they should, but Grandma always will.
I bit down hard on my lip, trying not to cry.
"Okay," I whispered.
"Em, once you're in the big city, don't look back," Grandma let out a long sigh, "Don't waste your whole life in a place like this, like I did."
"I know, Grandma," I said softly.
After hanging up, I took out the train ticket and carefully tucked it into my diary.
Outside my door, I could hear Sophie playing the piano.
Alex was next to her, softly humming along to the melody.
I closed my diary and pushed the suitcase back under the bed.
I had to endure a few more days.