I Was Trapped In An Elevator On My Birthday, But No One Cared Chapter 04

I Was Trapped In An Elevator On My Birthday, But No One Cared Chapter 04

My mom walked in and dropped the cake on the coffee table. Her eyes landed on my suitcase, and her face fell instantly.

“So you’re really leaving?”

My dad planted himself by the door, his expression ice-cold. “Oh, so you think you’re all grown up now? Is that it?”

“You ran your mouth in front of the whole family, humiliated us, and now you’re just gonna walk out?”

Serena tugged at my mom’s sleeve and whispered, “Mrs. Miller, please don’t yell at Mira.”

“It’s her birthday too. Maybe she was just feeling upset. It’s all my fault.”

“I shouldn’t have let everyone take pictures of me. Or let Julian take them either.”

The more she spoke, the harder she cried.

My mom immediately wrapped her arms around her. “What did you do wrong?”

“All these years, you’ve been too good, so she just walks all over you.”

“Her own personality is twisted and unlikable, and she blames you for being amazing.”

I stood where I was and suddenly laughed. “Mom, today’s my birthday too.”

She blinked.

I pointed at the cake. “So why is there only one cake?”

She frowned. “You never cared about that—”

“I cared!”

I cut her off.

“I’ve always cared.”

“I care that every year, the birthday song is only for Serena.”

“I care that you buy her favorite cake and never even remember I’m allergic to mango.”

“I care that I was trapped in an elevator and not one of you looked for me.”

“I care even more that when I say I’m scared and hurt, when I say I don’t want to share a birthday with her, you just think I’m being difficult.”

My mom’s face went tight. “Why do you always have to dig up the past like this?”

My dad erupted. “What kid acts like you do?”

“Serena grew up with you. Her parents did plenty for you, and now you’re making her out to be some monster?”

I looked at Serena.

She was snuggled against my mom, tears clinging perfectly to her lashes, the picture of wounded innocence.

“Mira, I never wanted to take anything from you.”

“If it bothers you that much, I’ll just stay away from your parents from now on.” As she spoke, fresh tears spilled over like she was enduring some grand tragedy.

My dad roared, “Look what you’ve done to her! You apologize to her right now!”

I gritted my teeth. “No!”

“I didn’t do anything wrong! I just don’t like her. I don’t like any of you.”

“I don’t like sharing a birthday with her. I never want to again—”

Before I could finish, my mom charged at me and slapped me hard across the face.

My head snapped sideways, and my ear erupted in a high-pitched ring.

Everyone froze.

I slowly lifted my hand and touched my numb cheek.

It hurt like hell.

But the weirdest thing was, I wasn’t crying.

My mom’s hand was trembling too.

But she set her jaw and spat, “That slap is to wake you up.”

“Mira, you can’t be this vicious.”

“Serena was trying to have a happy birthday, and you had to destroy it!”

Julian came over to coax me. “Mira, your mom was just upset.”

“Just say you’re sorry so we can all move on.”

There it was again.

They hurt me, and I had to apologize.

They picked Serena, and I had to be the mature one.

For over twenty years, I’d been a joke.

I closed my eyes. “Fine.”

They thought I was giving in and let out a breath.

Then I spoke, cold and clear. “Julian, I mean it. We are over.”

I turned to my parents. “And from today on, I’m never coming home again.”

My dad sneered. “You wouldn’t dare!”

“Mira, if you walk out that door, don’t expect us to come looking for you.”

I grabbed my suitcase and headed straight out.

Behind me, my mom’s unhinged scream chased after me.

“GO!”

“Leave and don’t come back!”

“And when you’re out there falling on your face, don’t come crawling back begging for our help!”

The door slammed shut, cutting off every trace of light and sound from inside the house.

I stood in the hallway, my cheek still burning.

But this tight, trapped thing that had lived in my chest for so many years—it suddenly broke loose.

The elevator doors opened. The inside was bright.

I stepped in and pressed the button for the ground floor.

Before the doors slid shut, I took one last look at that familiar door.

Then I said to myself in my heart: Mira, from today on, the person who loves you most in this world is yourself.