They Left Me Twice, I Stopped Following Chapter 09

They Left Me Twice, I Stopped Following Chapter 09

When spring arrived, I won first place in the Regional Math Olympiad.

The school’s official page posted my photo.

The day the news reached our old town, Dad and Mom took time off work to come to the prep campus for the very first time.

Mom held a bouquet of flowers.

Dad carried a cake box.

When I walked out of the academic building and saw them standing by the gate, my steps paused slightly.

Mom rushed forward immediately.

“Sienna.”

“We came to celebrate with you.”

Dad held the cake up.

“Didn’t you always like strawberry?”

I looked at the strawberry illustration on the box, remaining silent.

I didn’t like strawberry.

Chloe liked strawberry.

I used to like chocolate.

They had forgotten.

Mom shoved the flowers into my arms.

“We’ve neglected you lately.”

“We’ll try our best to visit you on weekends from now on.”

I looked down at the bouquet.

The wrapping paper rustled against my school jacket sleeve.

I didn’t say yes.

Nor did I say no.

Dad frowned.

“Why are you so distant with your family now?”

“Didn’t you use to cling to us all the time?”

Those words felt like a draft blowing through a long-closed door.

In my past life, I really had clung to them.

Every time my parents left, I chased them to the edge of town.

When they moved away, I spent two years chasing them down.

Until I lost my life.

I lifted my eyes.

“That was in the past.”

Mom’s eyes turned red instantly.

“Sienna, we know you feel wronged.”

“But Chloe just transferred to a new school, and she’s timid.”

“You’re the older sister, you can’t compare yourself to her in everything.”

I stared at her.

I originally thought they had genuinely come to see me this time.

Even if they misremembered my favorite cake flavor, it didn’t matter.

Yet the moment Mom opened her mouth, I realized they hadn’t finally seen me.

They had simply realized that I was no longer standing in place waiting for them like I used to.

That was all.

A wave of deep exhaustion washed over me.

So even now, they still believed I was just trying to outdo Chloe.

What I wanted was never that medal, nor a pair of shoes.

It was simply for someone who promised to come see me to actually show up once.

Just as I was about to speak, Mom’s phone rang sharply.

She answered, and her face went pale instantly.

“What?”

“Chloe fell down the stairs?”

Dad snatched the phone right away.

Both of them turned around at the same time.

After taking a few steps, Mom seemed to suddenly remember me and looked back.

“Sienna, we’ll make it up to you another day.”

“Take the cake back to your dorm.”

I stood anchored to the spot.

Holding that bouquet of flowers.

This time, I didn’t see their figures disappear as they ran into the distance.

Nor did I ask if Chloe was badly hurt.

A classmate on hall duty walked past.

I handed the flowers to her.

“Here, for you.”

She blinked in surprise.

“Your parents gave you these.”

“Yeah.”

“You don’t want them?”

I looked down.

“No room in the dorm.”

I didn’t take the cake either.

When I returned to the classroom that night, a small cake box sat on my desk, bought by my advisor.

Chocolate flavor.

A sticky note was pressed beside it:

[ First place. Worth celebrating. ]

I sat down, staring at those words for a long time.

Then I unpacked the plastic fork.

The first bite was rich and sweet.

So sweet my nose suddenly burned.

My desk mate asked, “Is it bad?”

I shook my head.

And took another bite.

“It’s really good.”

This time, someone actually remembered what I liked.

Mom sent a text that night.

[ Chloe is fine, just a sprain. ]

[ We’ll celebrate with you next time. ]

I didn’t reply.

Because I had classes the next day.

And I wasn’t saving my next time for them anymore.