Sydney
At school I only felt like her sister when people compared her sharp jawline to my chubby cheeks.
And I never really saw her around because most of our classes weren’t the same.
Her gaze didn’t falter as she walked.
She just walked past Micheal’s car and straight to me.
Maeve quietly stepped away.
“I’ll wait in the car,” she said.
I stayed where I was.
“Sydney,” Brooklyn said softly.
“Can you do me a favor?”
Her voice sounded calm—sweet as usual when she talked to me.
That it made me feel like the girl who defended me all through my first month in this hellhole was still in there somewhere.
I tried not to think about her conversation with Tracy yesterday.
I gave a small smile.
“Sure.”
She stepped closer.
“If Mom comes home early and realizes I’m gone, please tell her I’m at Tracy’s for our Spanish assignment.”
My gaze flickered to Micheal, and he gave me a small wave.
This was clearly an appeal for me to cover—lie to our mom for her.
I looked back at Brooklyn.
How can I say no to that face?
I smiled.
“No problem.”
She grabbed my hand and smiled warmly.
“Thank you.” Then she walked back to Micheal and climbed inside the car.
Sometimes I wondered what it felt like to be in that position.
To have someone look at you the way Michael looked at her.
I’ve never gotten to truly experience that.
And considering my size, that position was far too small for me to fit in.
The next morning was a little too uneventful for a weekend—a day without school.
The house was even quiet.
No chatter from the kitchen, no Micheal, no Tyler, no Brooklyn…
Wait, no Brooklyn?
I slipped out of bed slowly, grabbing my phone as I walked out of the room, threading carefully towards her room.
I turned the handle, but it wouldn’t budge. Follow the newest chapters on g.com.
Every door in the house could only be locked from the outside, so that meant Brooklyn hadn’t come back home.
Great.
Hopefully, Mom wasn’t going to be around so I didn’t have to lie to anybody.
I smoothed the long, baggy shirt I wore and walked slowly towards the step, just in case there was a jump scare and Tyler Sinclair was silently sitting in our kitchen.
Instead, the smell of pancakes hit me as I reached the top of the staircase.
Not Brooklyn’s underdone ones or the ones the chef hurriedly put together when we had to go to school.
This one was familiar—the kind I’d gotten used to during the first three weeks after I moved to Lakeview.
My heart slowed with a small flicker of hope as I carefully walked down the stairs.
The aroma was strong, leading to the dining room, and I walked towards it, listening for voices, but I could only hear the faint sound of ceramic hitting against each other.
“Go get your sister already.
She should be awake by now.”
Mom.
I stepped into the doorway.
“You didn’t go to work today?”
Mom looked up immediately, a bright smile spreading across her face.
She tilted her head.
“Now there’s my chubby baby.”
Normally, I hated that nickname.
But hearing it from Mom was different.
It felt warm and better than fatty or fat ass people at school called me.
My eyes drifted around the dining room, catching Brooklyn in her pyjamas finishing the setup.
She raised her head slightly and gave me a knowing smile.
I almost smiled back.
Because honestly, she had to be some kind of ninja to sneak back into the house without anyone noticing.
“Are you going to stand there or are you going to join us?” Mom said.
“I made breakfast.”
”I know.” I smiled, pushing into the room and pulling out a chair across the table from her, while Brooklyn sat beside her.
I hadn’t even taken my second bite when Mom broke the silence.
“So, how has school been?”
I lifted my eyes and opened my mouth to speak.
“It’s been great, Mom,” Brooklyn said smoothly.
“I’m finally getting the hang of my foreign languages.
And research’s been pretty interesting too.”
My eyes dropped back to my plate.
Oh.
Mom smiled, “I’m sure it is. This story is hosted at g.com.
I got the results of your test in the mail.
Brooklyn gasped, and I could feel her eyes widen.
“Really?”
”Don’t worry, they were fine.” Mom said.
I just focused on stuffing my face with the pancakes again.
Which, by the way, tasted heavenly.
“What about you, Sydney?”
For some reason, I paused with the fork in my mouth, my eyes lifting to Mom’s hazel eyes.
But her smile didn’t falter.
“Any excitement at school?
Your grades were wonderful, by the way.”
I swallowed hard, tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear.
“Some people call Sydney a straight A student,” Brooklyn half whispered, and I knew she wanted me to hear.
Heat rose to my cheeks.
“Well,” Mom said proudly, “I saw all A’s and a B in physics.” Then her eyes softened.
“I’m proud of you, Sydney.”
Warmth spread across my chest instantly.
It’d been so long I heard someone say that to me.
And I’d just realized how much I’ve been craving to be told that.
My smile grew wider.
“Thanks, Mom.”
She reached across the table and squeezed my hand gently, her smile warming me even more.
Then she went back to her plate.
“So tell me, how’s school been for you?”
”Isn’t it a little late to be asking?” I teased.
“It’s never late, baby.” She said firmly.
“Are kids still being mean to you?”
My breath hitched for a second, but I didn’t dare look at her or I might blurt everything that had been going on.
From Tyler saying taking the slightest chance to say something about me to Brooklyn turning into someone I didn’t understand anymore.
To Lakeview High, feeling like a battlefield every single day.
So instead, I swallowed.”Not really,” I said quietly.
“Just a few whispers now and then.
But I’m getting used to it.”
The lie tasted bitter in my mouth.
I could never get used to it.