Four Against One

My family believed in democracy. Every decision was settled by a family vote.

Dad, Mom, my brother Dylan Conley, and my sister Tessa Conley each got one vote.

So did I.

The problem was, four against one meant I never won.

During my junior year of high school, my brother wanted a new computer.

The vote was four to one. The money I'd saved for three years of tutoring was gone.

In senior year, when it was time to submit college applications, I earned early admission to Northbridge University, but Tessa cried and said she couldn't stand the thought of me moving so far away.