Chapter 53
I was done with life when I decided to jump off the roof with tears in my eyes.
And where was my family?
My parents were happy at their adoptive daughter’s first day of high school celebration,
My brother was there too, clicking away with the camera and welcoming his new sister to middle school.
As kids, they always had a soft spot for Ashley Schmitt. Being an orphan, she’d always get a bit more of their sympathy and support.
I was the one who got told to back off if I ever wanted to take back a toy of mine. Any fight was just me being a brat.
Ashley, with no parents of her own, was living up the life that should’ve been mine.
I had family, but they were always around Ashley.
When I finally wised up, I understood that what they called fairness was really just being partial.
Never in a million years did I think I’d get a second chance in life from the universe. So when I was reborn, I decided this time to just not give a damn about anything.
When I saw my folks holding Ashley’s hand, leading her up to
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my brother and me, it hit me. I was back in the past, a five–year- old again, but with the memories of the past. I was re–living the same nightmare.
Ashley’s parents had died in a bad car crash a few days before she was brought. They were my mom’s best friends, so my mom decided to take Ashley under her wing.
“Ashley is your little sister now,” my mom had said, smoothing Ashley’s hair. “You gotta look out for her.”
Ashley’s eyes were wide and eager, checking out our home. She looked pretty anxious to get her hands on everything.
Before I could complain, she’d play the poor little orphan card to snag whatever she fancied from me.
At first, I was surprised; I did not expect her to be so young and so evil.
“Grace, I’m into your clothes, and I’m into your family, too. I’ll grab whatever I like, and you’ll end up with nothing.” Ashley would say this to me when it was just the two of us.
After that, I understood she did not want me as a big sister; she wanted to take away everything from me.
It always made me furious, and I’d just get into fights with her, but as soon as we fought, she’d play the victim, bawling her eyes out to get my parents‘ attention.
Then she denied everything she’d said, accusing me of framing her.
Every time, my parents would make me apologize to her and
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then I’d be the one getting punished.
Mom would sometimes make me skip my meals, and other times, make me kneel for an hour.
If Ashley wanted something, she should get it. If she wanted something of mine, I should not be selfish and I should just give it to her.
After that, my new clothes, my toys, and everything were handed over to Ashley. But that wasn’t enough for her. She also took my friends, my innocence, and everything.
Just like Ashley said, she’d take it all from me.
With such an unfair past, why did the universe want me to relive it? I couldn’t help but feel down, sad, and desperate.
“Grace, from now on, Ashley is your sister. Don’t worry. We are fair, and we’ll love you both the same.” That was what mom used to say at the beginning.
“We are just a bigger, happy family now.” That was what dad said that day.
Even if Ashley took my stuff without asking, I wasn’t allowed to fight back or show any resentment, or else I’d be the selfish one. I was only a month older than Ashley.
And I tried to be nice to her, that first day, I was really trying my best to be supportive and a good big sister..
I offered her some of my toys, I even offered her to sleep with me in case she was afraid. She would just smile at me but wouldn’t say anything.
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Then my parents would ask her how she was feeling and she would cry, surprising my parents, my brother, and me as well.
“What’s wrong Ashley? What happened?” My mom asked her.
Ashley, all scared–like, would always cling to my mom and play the victim. “Margaret, does Grace hate me or something? Maybe I should go home.”
My mother, who once was so nice and attentive towards me, would now look at me with disapproval and disappointment.
I couldn’t understand why they couldn’t see how she was manipulating them.
My dad looked at me with a mix of emotions. “Grace, we’ve taken in Ashley, and she’s staying with us now. I want you, as her elder sister, to be mature and take care of her.”
My brother chimed in, “Ashley, don’t be afraid. With me around, no one in this house will dare to bully you.” My folks looked at him with approval.
Overnight, Ashley had taken my place as the favored daughter in the Parrish family.
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Chapter 54