I Took The Same Exam, They Only Celebrated Her Chapter 01

I Took The Same Exam, They Only Celebrated Her Chapter 01

After my last SAT section, I spotted my mom in the distance, wearing a sundress.

I was about to run over when my twin sister, Rory, beat me to it, throwing herself into Mom’s arms.

“Sweetie, you must be tired.”

Mom stroked her head while my brother, Liam, handed her a chilled juice and took her backpack.

I stood there, watching them flank her on both sides as they all climbed into the family car.

Just as it was about to pull away, Rory called out, “Wait—we’re missing someone.”

I thought she meant me. I quickened my pace toward them.

But she was waving at someone behind me. “Asher, over here!”

Only after my childhood friend, Asher Collins, got in did anyone notice me standing by the door.

“Vivi? What are you doing here?”

“Aren’t you a grade behind your sister?”

I’d started school a year late because of health issues. Later, when I recovered, they shifted all their attention to Rory. None of them knew I’d skipped a grade.

Looking at their confused faces, I smiled. “I came to wish her well.”

“That’s sweet. Do you have enough bus fare? Here, Mom will give you some.”

I looked at the couple of dollars in her hand, lowered my head, and said quietly, “That’s enough.”

The door slammed shut without mercy.

When I looked up again, even the exhaust fumes were gone.

I sniffed and pulled out my phone, typing into the search bar: Can I get early admission to Harvard?

***

I got on the bus like always.

The driver looked at me, surprised. “Kid, no one came to pick you up after your exams?”

I smiled, shook my head, and found a seat by the window.

A message from Mom popped up. She said Rory did well, and the whole family was going to a five-star hotel for dinner.

I stared at the words “whole family” and replied: [Bus gets me home in fifteen minutes.]

She kept typing and deleting, typing and deleting. Finally, she sent: [Don’t bother coming. When it’s your turn, Mom will take you out too.]

I looked at my admission ticket, hesitating whether to tell her I was also taking the exams this year.

Then Liam messaged:

[Vivi, you’re grown up now. Be reasonable.]

[You were sick for your first seven years. We all focused on you that whole time. Today is Rory’s college entrance exam—it’s a huge day for her. Don’t fight her on this.]

[You owe her that much.]

A wave of helplessness washed over me. I knew he was about to bring up the time Rory almost got kidnapped—when I was seven.

That day, I fainted during her performance. Mom picked me up without hesitation and carried me out of the audience.

When I woke up, her eyes were swollen from crying.

“Your sister is gone. You did this on purpose, didn’t you? We’ve been giving you all our attention, and you couldn’t even sit still and watch her performance!”

Three days later, they found her. She sobbed in Mom’s arms.

I timidly stepped forward, offering my favorite stuffed toy.

Liam shoved me hard. “Are you trying to fake being sick again? Get the hell out of here!”

From that day on, I was labeled the attention-seeker.

Rory, lost and found, got all the love and attention.

At home, I was invisible. Even when I was actually sick, they thought I was faking it.

“Your body’s been fine for years. Trying to pull that stunt to scare us again?”

“We spent seven years revolving around you. Now it’s time to make it up to her.”

“That’s only fair.”

I pulled myself back to the present. Sniffling, I replied with one word: [Okay.]

As I got off the bus, our family car passed right by me.

The window rolled down. I saw Rory Hayes in a princess dress, leaning into Mom’s arms, laughing brightly.