Love, Lies, and a Fatal Countdown

e became a long,

s, expensive toys, private tutors, and parties for every small achievement. They spok

was only silen

ate and left on the kitchen counter, often cold. More often than not, I learned to endure the gnawing ache of hunger. The household sta

he sounds of my family below. Laughter, music, the h

fate? The thought was so absurd it was almost funny. I was the one who saw it

shed cold water on my face. The mirror was ol

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nce. I watched them tick down for a moment, then sighed and picked up

s going to die. It was how

hat I was strange, unstable. After Mom died, they pulled me out of school entirely, citing a need for "home stability."

I going to s

lmost laughed, but my lips only

e thick carpet. I was hoping to get to the ki

m of the stairs, I heard v

ggling Lily how to fly a kite. Ethan, the charming one, was setting up a small picnic on a blanket,

g!" Liam called out, his usually

quealed with delight, her laughter

Ethan said, handing her a jui

mother, used to praise Lily, was a pain tha

t a week secretly knitting a scarf for Liam. It was lumpy and the col

hool, holding the scarf behind my back, my hea

presented it to him.

g and sneered. "What is this piece of tras

loor and walked away w

e, staring at the rejected g

that little girl, holding a gift no one wanted. The only difference was that

that settled deep in my bones