I Took The Same Exam, They Only Celebrated Her Chapter 03

I Took The Same Exam, They Only Celebrated Her Chapter 03

But I was too much of a coward.

Since I had no money, I grabbed the five hundred dollars on the entryway table—Rory’s weekly allowance.

Mine was a twenty, just enough for the bus.

I’ll explain when I get back, I told myself. It’s just a loan.

By the time the IV drip finished, it was past midnight.

I carefully slid my key into the lock, but it wouldn’t turn.

“Mom! Dad!”

I was banging on the door when the neighbor’s door swung open. Asher leaned against the frame in his pajamas, a smirk twisting his lips.

“Vivi Hayes, when your brother said you’d do anything for attention, I didn’t believe him.”

“Now I do.”

I shook my head frantically, desperate to explain that it was a genuine accident—I hadn’t meant to eat the peanuts—but just then, our front door opened.

The living room lights were blazing. Rory sat on the couch, sobbing dramatically. My parents glared at me, and Liam grabbed my arm, yanking me inside.

“Vivi Hayes, so now you’re a thief too?”

“No, I had no money for the hospital, so I—” I quickly explained.

“I don’t care why! Taking something without asking is stealing!” Dad slammed the table, passing his verdict.

Hot, desperate tears spilled down my cheeks. “I tried to tell you! But you all blocked me!”

I shoved up my sleeves, showing them the still-unfaded rash, the hospital medicine, and the medical records.

They scanned the evidence, their doubtful eyes flickering over every item. Their tone finally softened a fraction. “But… that was your sister’s money. How could you…”

I hung my head, remorse in my voice. “I owe her. I’ll pay back every cent.”

My vision blurred again. “Mom, Dad… when I was lying alone in that ER, hooked up to an IV… I just wanted you there. Even for a minute.”

A flicker of pain crossed Mom’s face. She took a hesitant step toward me, as if she wanted to comfort me.

Rory snatched her hand, voice trembling. “Little sister, for seven whole years they took you to the hospital almost every single day and left me alone at home! Isn’t that enough?”

“I’m clearly the extra one in this family! Maybe I should’ve just let that trafficker take me—then you’d all be happy!”

She lunged for the door, but Liam caught her in his arms.

“Rory, that’s not what Mom and Dad meant. Don’t do this to yourself.”

Asher stepped inside from the hallway, his voice cold and cutting. “Vivi Hayes, you know exactly how this allergic reaction happened.”

At those words, everyone in the room looked up at me, their gazes falling on me as if on cue.

“Asher, are you saying she did this to herself?”

Without a word, he walked to the now-cold noodles. He stirred them, and bits of crushed peanuts floated to the surface.

“Vivi Hayes, I’ll say it one more time. How could my noodles magically have peanuts in them?”

“Looks to me like you planted them yourself, triggered your own reaction, just to drag your parents back home to take care of you.”

No one questioned him.

I shook my head in panic, saying over and over it wasn’t me.

Nobody believed me. They’d already stamped me with their favorite label: attention-seeker.

Asher stood there, looking at me with nothing but pure disappointment. “Vivi, you weren’t like this when we were kids.”

Liam snorted. “Yeah, she was. Remember when Rory had that competition? She conveniently ‘passed out’ then too.”

“I didn’t mean to—there were too many people, I couldn’t breathe—”

“You always have an excuse.”

The fight drained out of me. I had nothing left. Every word I spoke was just another excuse in their ears.

Mom let out a long sigh, her gaze drifting toward my bedroom. “Well, this is good timing anyway. Rory’s been wanting a walk-in closet. Your rooms share a wall.”

“We’ll knock it down and give her the space.”