bChapter /bb489 /b

    September 13th – Clear skies

    Mood: Awful

    The chubby kid next door tried to bribe me with a “snack mega–pack” if I’d hand over my little sister. I told him to get lost.

    Max snapped his journal shut and nced over at little Alessia, already fast asleep.

    How could she sleep so soundly when he was this upset?

    A strange itch prickled at his fingers. Unable to resist, he walked over to Alessia’s bed and gave her cheek a gentle pinch.

    Her face was still full of baby fat–plump and soft, perfect for squishing.

    Max couldn’t help himself, pinching again and again until, inevitably, he

    disturbed her.

    Their eyes met. Max quickly wiped the smile off his face and pulled his hand away.

    At first, Alessia looked startled. But as soon as she recognized him, she rxed, her eyes fluttering as if she might drift right back to sleep.

    Seeing her dazed and drowsy, Max found himself slipping into old habits–patting her back, just like he used to when she was little and couldn’t fall asleep alone. Before long, she was snoozing again.

    Max let out a silent breath of relief.

    “You ungrateful little monster–call me ‘big brother‘ only when there’s candy in it for you,” he muttered, giving her cheek onest squeeze. He dug out a piece of candy from his pocket and ced it on her pillow.

    iSoon/i, the day came for Max to start elementary school. Yvonne and Scott’s business seemed to be thriving–they were already house–hunting for something bigger.

    Yet before they even moved in, they sent their son off to boarding school. Rumor had it he was bound for Aristocrat Academy, where the annual tuition was through the roof.

    Compared to their daughter, Yvonne and Scott seemed far more invested in their son’s future.

    Max didn’t want to go to some fancy boarding school. He had only one little sister–if he wasn’t around, who would protect her from bullies?

    But he was just a kid. He didn’t get a say.

    Just as he’d feared, his sister started growing up while he was gone. When kids picked on her, she didn’t need her big brother to fight her battles anymore–she could take care of herself.

    Even thunderstorms didn’t scare her like they used to; she ino /ilonger curled up at his side, clutching his shirt.

    She was smart–picked things up after being shown only once. She could read picture books all by herself now.

    He couldn’t help but feel proud. She really was his little sister.

    But there was an ache in his chest, too.

    Did she even need him anymore?

    Eventually, they moved into a muchrger house, and Max’s visits home became less frequent. As if desperate for attention, he found himself provoking her on purpose, just to get a reaction before heading back to school,

    Then Cole showed up.

    Now, when Max came home, there was no little kid running out to greet him, hands on hips, yelling, “Max, you’re in trouble!”

    For the first time, he realized how cold a big house could feel.

    He wondered, when he was away, did Alessia spend all her time alone in that enormous ce? Eating alone, watching TV alone, reading alone…

    sometimes, she didn’t even have anyone to talk to.

    Even though he knew this, the knowledge didn’t make him feel any better. If anything, it just made him want to pester her more.

    One day, after he’d gotten her all riled up again, she shoved a crumpled note into his hand.

    It was a ticket to her kindergarten sports day.

    Max scoffed, rolling his eyes as he smoothed out the ticket and folded it into his pocket.

    “See, you do still know who your brother is,” he grumbled.

    On the day of the sports meet, Max dressed with extra care and snuck out of school with a well–rehearsed lie.

    He’d only told his desk mate where he was going–that he was skipping ss to watch his sister’s sports day. He never imagined that would

    backfire.

    But his desk mate used that information to set him up–to have him kidnapped.

    All because Max was ranked first. Because his parents alwayspared their achievements.

    “You’re just nouveau riche–trash from the projects. How dare you outshine me.” The words came from his usually polite, mild–mannered desk mate. Now, his face twisted with hatred,

    Max was left speechless.

    It was the first time he truly grasped how terrifying jealousy could be, and the first time he realized just how many faces a person could wear.

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