Each Goes Their Own Way
Chapter One
The day before the dance finals, they locked
me in the basement all day.
By the time they dragged me out, my legs
were a mess of broken bones and torn skin.
Mom rushed back from her conference,
scrubbed in herself to operate, promising it
wouldn’t be the end of my career.
My brother, Jake, went ballistic, vowing
revenge on my roommate and her whole
family, promising to make them pay for what
they’d done.
But as I lay in that hospital bed, I heard Mom
hesitating.
“Jake, was it right to let Stacy and her friends
bully Cassie like that, just to make sure
Tiffany could win?”
Jake’s voice was impatient.
<
“Cassie had it coming, Mom. She was always
trying to one–up Tiffany. This will teach her
what it feels like to be on the other side,
maybe she’ll think twice about trying to
outshine Tiffany again.”
“And after this, I’ll set her up with some
hotshot lawyer, good enough to make up for
everything.”
But Jake, I can’t even stand, let alone dance.
Is that what you really want?
Well, then, I don’t want this family.
- 1.
“Dr. Reynolds, the patient has multiple
fractures in her legs. It’s a severe case. Are
you sure you want to stop the surgery now?”
Mom’s voice was firm.
“Stop it.”
The nurse was insistent.
“I heard she was a promising dancer. If we
く
stop now, she might never walk again, much
less dance.”
Jake sounded like he didn’t have a care in the
world.
“That’s the point, isn’t it? If she can’t dance,
she can’t steal Tiffany’s thunder. She won’t
dare to compete with her again.”
“Besides, who cares if she ends up disabled?
My family has money. We can afford to take
care of a leech.”
Mom sounded unsure.
“Jake, aren’t we being too hard on Cassie?
Maybe…”
Jake cut her off, annoyed.
“Come on, Mom. It’s done. Don’t get cold feet
now. I need to make sure Tiffany always
comes out on top, that she never has to live
in Cassie’s shadow.”
“Tiffany’s gonna be my wife, not my sister.
You know who to choose!”
<
Mom sighed.
“Okay, okay. Whatever you say, Jake.”
I was shaking in that bed, my nails digging
into my palms.
All for Tiffany.
Mom could throw away her own daughter.
Jake could betray his own sister.
My chest was tight, every breath a stab of
pain.
When I opened my eyes, they were blurred
with tears.
Mom rushed over, panicked, but she couldn’t
find a place to touch me without hurting me.
She covered her mouth, choking back a sob.
“Cassie, does it hurt a lot, sweetie?”
“Seeing you like this breaks my heart.”
I managed a weak smile, my throat burning.
“Mom, will I ever dance again?”
She didn’t even hesitate.
“Honey, I’m one of the best doctors in the
く
country. I’m doing the surgery myself. You’ll
be fine.”
“It’ll just take some time. You trust me,
right?”
The worry in her eyes seemed real, but her
words were a lie.
Every one of them cut me deep.
The door slammed open, and Jake burst in,
holding up a trophy.
“Mom, look! Tiffany won first place!”
Mom’s face lit up.
“That’s my girl! You’re gonna go far Tiffany.”
My eyes locked on that trophy.
Tiffany and I were the finalists.
The winner got to compete in the
International Dance Competition as a national
dancer.
That could have been me.
The thought of never dancing again sent
tears streaming down my face.
The thought of never dancing again sent
tears streaming down my face.
Jake saw me crying and his eyes went red.
He was furious.
“Cassie, don’t worry. I’m not going to let them
get away with it.”
