Chapter 1

My parents finally said I could go to the concert, so I worked hard to save up the money.

On the day the tickets were released, I asked everyone I knew to help me try to get one, and I barely managed to snag a ticket.

But when I went to get my cash to pay for it, I found my piggy bank smashed. All the money I had saved was gone.

I soon discovered that my cousin, Linda Watson, had broken it and taken the money.

I was so upset that I started crying right there.

Linda, however, just hid behind my parents and put on a wounded act, saying, "Does Jennifer hate me?"

My parents immediately got angry at me. "You're so selfish," they said. "You'd rather waste your money on some singer than give it to your own cousin. How could you be so heartless?"

Later, Linda used the rest of my money to buy a gaming account after a friend told her to, but she was scammed and lost it all.

My parents didn't get mad at her. Instead, they comforted her and offered her more money.

"Don't be sad," they told her. "We'll give you double what you lost."

There was a time when I would have cried and yelled about how unfair it was that they were nicer to her than to me.

But this time, I just watched it all happen quietly. I didn't have the energy to care anymore.

*****

I grabbed the broken pieces of my piggy bank and ran back to my room, locking the door behind me. Then I collapsed onto my bed and just bawled my eyes out.

Outside, my furious parents started pounding on my door.

"You ungrateful brat!" they shouted. "You'd rather waste your money on those outsiders than give it to your own cousin? And now you're giving me the silent treatment? Locking yourself in your room? What did we ever do to deserve this?"

Linda started crying. "I just knew it. Jennifer hates me. Why else would she get so mad just because I took her money?"

My parents hurried to comfort Linda, "Don't mind her. The money is ours. We can give it to whoever we want."

Meanwhile, they kept throwing harsh words at me. "What's so great about that stupid concert anyway?

"Linda can spend the money however she wants. We've spoiled you rotten, and now you dare to give us attitude? Fine. Suit yourself. You can rot in that room for all I care."

After a long time, their shouting finally faded into silence.

Numbness settled over me. I just sat there staring at the bloodied shards in my hand, helpless against the tears I couldn't stop.

Back when I was just a kid, my parents used to dote on me.

For my first birthday, they laid out a table full of gifts for me, and I immediately grabbed the teddy bear piggy bank.

Back then, they even gave me a nickname—"Baby Banker."

They told me that the piggy bank belonged to me, and I could save up for whatever I wanted.

I treasured that piggy bank. Every bit of cash I made from my part-time gigs went right in there, and every night, I'd wipe off the dust so it always looked brand new.

At home, I worked hard doing chores. Every time I scrubbed the toilet, I'd get five bucks for it.

The irony was, even though Linda didn't have to lift a finger, she always got more pocket money than I did.

I used to feel bitter about it, but I always told myself that deep down, my parents must love me the most.

But now, I just felt completely lost.

My parents knew how much I wanted to go to that concert. I'd worked so hard for it, for so long.

It shattered me that Linda just wrecked everything I'd worked so hard for without even caring. And it carved something hollow in my chest to know that, in their eyes, I would always be the one at fault.

Just then, my phone dinged with a message. It was from Tina Chapman, my best friend, asking if I was hyped about finally snagging the ticket.

Lying in bed, I cried quietly as I typed the words with trembling fingers. [I'm not going. I don't want to anymore.]

Then I canceled the ticket I'd worked so hard to get, buried myself under the blanket, and just sobbed into my pillow.

In the end, I cried myself to sleep.

Later that night, my mother called out from outside my door, her voice cold and sharp, "Get out here and eat. I cooked your favorite food."

I opened the door and quietly walked over to the table. With my head bowed, I mumbled a greeting to my parents, my voice all scratchy.

When my mother, Maria Lewis, saw my puffy, red eyes, she looked a little guilty.

She surprised me by pushing the platter of shrimp in my direction. "Here. Try it," she said, her voice softer than usual.

I really wasn't in the mood for something so greasy, so I just waved my hand and turned it down.

Linda suddenly piped up, "Jennifer, are you still mad? This shrimp is so good. Come on, have one for Aunt Maria, will you?"

My mother immediately slammed her fork down, her face darkening. "Can you just drop it already, Jennifer?

"It's not a big deal. Why are you still hung up on this? Don't push your luck."

My father, Brady Lewis, chimed in, "You're not a kid anymore. Act your age. Just eat your food and stop making a fuss."

Listening to their constant scolding at dinner, I just suddenly lost all the energy to fight back.

Ever since Linda moved in, my parents would automatically side with her, no matter the situation. They never bothered to hear my side, and they never apologized, no matter how unfair it was.

All they ever did was coldly tell me to come eat, like that was supposed to magically fix everything. If I didn't act super grateful, they'd start calling me out for every little thing I'd ever done wrong, right there at the table.

If I ever complained about them favoring Linda, I'd just get sent back to my room to "reflect on my attitude."

Every time, I was left hungry and in tears, watching Linda's fake sweetness charm my parents. And every time, I was the one apologizing to her.

My parents were my own family, yet they always knew exactly how to hit where it hurt the most.

But now, I didn't bother to fight back anymore. I just kept my head down and ate my food, every bite soaked in tears.

Seeing me keep quiet, Linda clung to my mother's arm, her lips quivering as she whimpered, "Aunt Maria, if Jennifer hates me this much, maybe I should just leave. Nobody wants me here anyway."

My mother exploded, slamming her hand down on the table. "Jennifer, look at what you've done. You made Linda cry. Apologize to her right now. And if you're so grown-up, consider yourself too good for my food."

My father tried to calm me down. "Stop being so stubborn. Just let it go and be the bigger person. Your mom's only saying this because she cares about you."

I calmly swallowed the last bite of my food, stood up, and bowed to Linda. "I'm sorry."

My parents froze, and the words they were about to say just died on their lips.

I glanced around the table, keeping my voice cool. "Are we done here? If there's nothing else, I'll go do the dishes."

Not bothering to wait for a response, I grabbed my plate and went to wash up.

Behind me, I heard my mother's voice, sounding almost surprised. "Since when did she get so sensible?"

It wasn't that I was sensible. I was just disappointed in them.