Chapter 3

3: 3

In that moment my heart dropped all the way to the bottom.

I looked at the resolute line of Mom's profile, and every word of explanation I'd been about to say went back down my throat.

Seeing this, the officers had no choice but to follow the law.

They cuffed me and led me from the scene.

On the way to the station, I could faintly hear the two of them talking in the front.

"You really do get all sorts these days. A mother reporting her own daughter for trying to kill the other one."

"The neighbors told me this Melody Fox just graduated high school. She's mute, but wild as they come... beat her sister out of pure jealousy, because the girl got into Ivycrest University..."

So that was the reputation I had out in the world.

I still remembered being little, when someone called me a mute and Mom would chase them down to set things right for me.

Back then she always comforted me so gently. "Melody, sweetheart, not being able to speak is no big deal."

"Your sister can read minds. You don't even have to open your mouth, and people will know what you're thinking."

"With Mom and your sister looking out for you, no one will ever get to bully you."

But when did it change.

Maybe the first time Kitty made things up, said I was faking an illness, and cost Mom a precious promotion she gave up for me.

Or all the times after that, when Kitty said my grades were copied.

Until the mother who'd once raised me like a prodigy went cold clean through.

I don't remember.

I only know that Mom's eyes stopped landing on me a long time ago.

Looking at the calendar hanging outside the door, I dropped my gaze and hid eyes that had gone wet.

Four more days, and the gentle mother from eighteen years ago would come for me.

....

On the third day in custody, out of nowhere I was bailed out.

I saw Kitty signing the papers, and I still couldn't help craning my neck to look past her, hoping.

Behind her there was no one.

Catching the disappointment on my face, Kitty smiled. "Don't bother looking. It's just me."

"What are you here for?"

"If I ended up in jail, shouldn't you be happy? After all, my whole life, you've never once wanted things to go well for me."

Kitty nodded, calm as anything.

"That's right. I don't want things to go well for you."

"I want Mom to hate you. Who told us to be twins? You're a mute, and still you show me up at every turn."

She drew a deep breath. "Sis, all you want is for Mom to know I'm the liar, right?"

"So let's make a bet."

"You go tell Mom the truth. I won't interfere. Let's see what she decides."

I stared at her, suspicious. My gut told me there was something rotten in this.

But I wanted, so badly, to be free of the years of misunderstanding chained to me.

"What are the stakes?"

Kitty snapped her fingers, her smile all innocence. "Simple."

"You lose, and you leave this family for good. Then when I'm at Ivycrest University, no one will ever know I have a shameful mute for a sister."

Seeing me stay silent, she tossed out one more thing I couldn't refuse. "Of course, if you win."

"I'll apologize to you in public, and give back every honor I ever stole from you."