- 2.
Once we got back to LA, Liam suddenly
seemed to notice what a mess I was.
He looked at my leg, flustered. “What
happened to your leg?”
“What, you talking to me?”
I forced a smile. “Earthquake. Something fell
on it.”
Liam’s jaw tightened, his face like a brick
wall. He made a quick call, sent some
assistant to “clean me up.” All of them looked
at me like I was something they scraped off
Г
He turned back to me, eyes unreadable.
“Even though you clearly let yourself go, you
should at least try to look presentable for my
Aunt and Uncle.”
I just nodded, let them do whatever they
wanted.
Just before we got to the house, I saw my
parents standing in the doorway.
Next thing I knew, Brittany had grabbed my
mom’s hand, was leading her inside, all
smiles. My mom didn’t even notice me
standing there.
“Mom and Dad, what are you doing out here?
Come on inside!”
<
My dad just grunted. “What are you waiting
for? Get in here. You’re an embarrassment.”
At the dinner table, I was stuck way on the
other end, watching Brittany heap food on my
parent’s plates, laughing at their jokes.
I remembered when my parents doted on me.
Anything I wanted, I got. Now, they were
fawning over the girl who framed me.
Liam was right there beside her, peeling
shrimp, looking at her like she hung the moon.
I remembered that look. It used to be just for
- me. Now it just made me sick.
And the food on the table? Supposedly for
me, but every dish was something Brittany
Г
I tapped my fingers on the table, then
slammed my chopsticks down.
I needed to know, right now, where my
parents stood.
How they felt about me, versus how they felt
about Brittany.
“just got back,” I started, my voice cracking.
“Aren’t you going to ask me about anything?
Aren’t you going to ask me if I’m okay?”
“Why are you being so nice to Brittany?”
My mom ignored me, kept loading Brittany’s
plate like she was the Queen of England.
Finally, Brittany nudged her. My mom finally
cold. “What kind of question is that? How
could you ever compare to Brittany?”
“Look at you. You don’t look like a member of
this family, or someone respectable, are you
trying to embarrass me?”
Brittany piped up, all sweet and innocent.
“Mom, don’t get angry. Ashley just got back.
Let’s all try to get along.”
I closed my eyes. “Embarrass you?”
And Brittany calling her “Mom?”
I took a breath. “Why didn’t you come looking
for me after the earthquake? Why didn’t you
check to see if I was even alive?”
The earthquake had been pretty big. Even if
they were blocking my calls, they had to have
seen the news.
That was two years ago.
Silence.
A wave of cold washed over me. I knew it. I
knew it.
Then two slaps rang out, hard enough to
knock me off my feet.
One from my dad. The other from…Liam.
My ears were ringing. I couldn’t hear what
they were saying.
“Ashley, are you trying to drive me crazy? It
was just an earthquake, besides you weren’t
hurt. Why are you being so ungrateful?”
“Three years, I thought you would’ve learned
some manners in the country, but I guess
not…”
My dad’s voice, full of disappointment.
I looked up at my mom. She was nodding,
supporting my dad.
Like she didn’t even care about me anymore.
Suddenly, I was freezing. Did they even know
what my life had been like? I asked a simple
question, and suddenly I was “acting out?”
If it hadn’t been for Kevin, I would be in my
grave by now.
く
My mom patted Brittany’s hand, then turned
to me. “I was hoping you would have grown
- up. I was thinking that the things you did to
Brittany in the past were no longer of
importance, but now you still are acting out.
You willingly choose to be with a hillbilly and
are sleeping with men on the farm.”
“A hillbilly?!”
I stared at Brittany, her eyes full of smug
satisfaction. She was the one who had been
poisoning their minds.
They were the ones who sent me to that town
in the first place, under the pretense of
thinking about what I have done, without
letting me bring anything with me.
く
Not even talking about the people on the farm, what would happen to a young girl
without any money or clothes, wouldn’t they
be on the side of the common folk?
Especially for three years!
I started laughing, but the tears were burning
my eyes.
I stumbled upstairs, leaving the others
speechless.
I only heard my mom, dad, and Liam falling
over themselves to comfort Brittany, telling
her not to listen to a word I said.
That’s what happens to me.
They all said, Brittany was their first choice.
I remember a time when I was their only
choice.
