They Gave Her Eight Thousand And Me Eight Hundred And Called It Fair Chapter 04

They Gave Her Eight Thousand And Me Eight Hundred And Called It Fair Chapter 04

The day before the graduation celebration, the living room was piled high with gift boxes, large and small.

Grace was wearing a magnificent lace gown, spinning in circles in front of the full-length mirror. Mom was carefully adjusting her hem from behind. Evan was holding a glittering rhinestone tiara, placing it into Grace’s hands.

“Mom, where’s my gown?”

I walked over to the sofa and looked at the garment bags strewn all over it.

Mom didn’t even turn her head. While pinning a brooch onto Grace, she answered offhandedly.

“You’re not much of a talker anyway. Just sit in the audience tomorrow and eat your fill. Whatever you wear is fine.”

Sean came out of his room and let out a cold snort.

“The star of tomorrow is Grace. Just throw on whatever—wear it however you’re comfortable. That white shirt you’ve got on right now is perfectly fine.”

I watched the three of them buzzing around Grace, like I was watching a play that had nothing whatsoever to do with me.

“Okay,” I said with a smile, playing along. “It really does look beautiful.”

Grace laughed sweetly. “Thanks, Megan!”

I didn’t respond. I turned around and went back to my room.

Late into the night, the sound of laughter and chatter in the living room finally died down completely.

I locked my door and pulled out the old suitcase from under my desk.

Aside from three changes of old clothes and my acceptance letter, I took nothing.

At six in the morning, the sky was just beginning to lighten.

The whole family was still fast asleep, saving their energy for the daytime graduation celebration.

I dragged my suitcase without making a single sound and gently pushed open the front door.

In the entryway, I placed my house key softly on top of the shoe cabinet.

In the center of the marble coffee table still sat the pack of mints I’d left there before walking out.

The wrapper had faded. The candy inside had long since expired and hardened.

That was from freshman year—the first time Evan won a basketball game. He’d pressed it into my hand.

He’d said, “Megan, from now on, the first sweet thing I get will always go to you.”

I’d kept it for three years.

Now, I was leaving it behind on that grimy coffee table.

I dragged my suitcase downstairs and got into a taxi heading to the airport.

Inside the terminal, crowds of people came and went. Boarding announcements played over the loudspeakers.

I checked in, got my boarding pass, passed through security, and stood before the enormous floor-to-ceiling windows.

Outside, the sun was slowly rising, its golden light spreading across the tarmac.

My phone buzzed. A message from Mom.

“Your dad and I stayed up all night thinking. The graduation celebration really should have been partly for you too. When you wake up, let Mom take you to pick out a gown, okay?”

I didn’t reply. Instead, I blocked my dad’s, my mom’s, my brother’s, and Evan’s profile pictures, one after another.

Then I exited the family group chat, the one named “Loving Family, One Heart.”

The world instantly went silent.

I turned off my screen, turned around, and walked toward the boarding gate.