I Was Trapped In An Elevator On My Birthday, But No One Cared Chapter 02

I Was Trapped In An Elevator On My Birthday, But No One Cared Chapter 02

By the time I got home and plugged in my phone, it started ringing.

My mom.

I ignored it.

She called again. And again. And a fourth time.

I took a deep breath and answered.

Her voice exploded out of the speaker. “Mira, are you done with this little meltdown of yours?”

“Everyone’s been standing around waiting to cut the cake, and you just vanish?”

I sat on the edge of my bed, still wearing my shoes. My ankles ached from standing in that elevator so long.

I asked, “You just now realized I was gone?”

The line went quiet for a beat.

Then my dad’s cold, hard voice cut in.

“We were all here trying to have a nice birthday, and you had to go and ruin it with that attitude of yours.”

“So you got what you wanted. You walked out. But what about Serena?”

“She’s been beating herself up over it. Hasn’t stopped crying.”

I couldn’t hold it in. “Serena cries, and you all break your necks feeling sorry for her.”

“So I got trapped in an elevator for an hour—was that just what I deserved? Why don’t you ever feel sorry for me?”

My mom snapped back, impatient. “You’re fine, aren’t you?”

“You were only stuck in the elevator for a while. Stop acting like it was the end of the world.”

“Get back here right now! If you’re gonna be mad, at least save it till after we cut the cake.”

My dad piled on. “You just keep getting more dramatic, you know that? How did we end up with a daughter like you?”

The tears fell before I could stop them. My voice cracked badly.

“Serena’s pretty, so every year she stands in the center at our birthday. She’s sweet, so you like her more. Then what about me?”

My whole body was shaking.

“I was eight when there was only one candle, and Serena blew it out.”

“I was twelve when Serena wanted my new dress, and you said she looked prettier in it and made me take it off for her.”

“This year, I brought Julian home for the first time, and you sat him right next to Serena! You said she’s easier to talk to and you didn’t want him feeling awkward… He’s my boyfriend!”

I swiped at my tears, but they just kept coming faster.

“My whole life, my birthday has been shared with Serena.”

“I said I wanted my own birthday. You refused.”

“I said I wanted a flavor I like. You refused again.”

“Today isn’t just Serena’s birthday. It’s my birthday too!”

“Just because I’m not pretty enough or sweet enough, I have to hand over all the love and all the attention? But why? Why do I have to?”

The other end of the line went completely silent. Eerily silent.

A few seconds later, I heard someone cough awkwardly.

Then my mom’s flustered, lowered voice. “What are you babbling about?”

I froze.

The next second, Serena’s tearful voice came through the phone.

“Mira, I had no idea you hated me this much.”

“If my being here makes you this miserable, then I’ll just never have a birthday again.”

“Please don’t blame your parents. Or Julian.”

It hit me then. They’d had me on speaker.

All my secret humiliations—every ugly, jealous, desperate thing I’d never dared to say out loud—had just been broadcast to a house full of relatives and friends.

My shame and my envy were laid bare right in front of them.

I gripped my phone so hard my knuckles went white.

I used to be terrified of anyone knowing I was jealous of Serena. Jealousy made me look ugly and small.

But things had already reached this point. I was done pretending.

I spoke, every word deliberate.

“Yeah. I hate you.”

“I hate how you take everything from me and then stand there crying, ‘Oh, I didn’t mean to.’”

“And I hate even more how you always flip it so you’re the victim, and the second I’m upset, I’m the monster.”

My mom’s piercing shriek ripped through the speaker. “MIRA!”

I hung up on her.

I sat on the edge of my bed, my face soaked with tears, and my whole body trembling violently.