The Many Crossroads In Life

An hour before the registration deadline, I woke up with a start in my hotel bed in Escal. I realized that my boyfriend, Brannon Zimmer, and my adopted sister, Luna Hearn, were both gone. I quickly called them both to urge them to register right away. Instead, I was met with a burst of laughter on the other end. “We’ve flown back home already. We finished applying last night. Haven’t you applied yet?” In the background, I could hear my parents grumbling. “That’s just how she is. She’s so carefree and thoughtless that she doesn’t even pay attention to her own affairs. “Couldn’t she be more sensible like Luna?” It was a lively scene on the other end of the line, but I was shaking with panic. I had almost missed the deadline. After our test scores came out, the three of us had agreed to apply to the same university. Luna had been agonizing over her choice, while Brannon had looked at her with nothing but affection. “No rush. We’ll help you take your time choosing.” Then, he casually told me, “Just go with whatever we pick. Have a blast in Escal these next few days.” Just then, my phone vibrated. Brannon had sent me Southshire University’s application code. “Stop dawdling. The deadline’s almost up.” I stared at the application screen. My eyes stung with tears. My score had been about 120 points higher than theirs. It turned out that no one cared about the “sacrifice” I thought I was giving them. One second before the deadline, I clicked the “Apply” button and chose the one farthest from home, Attarport University. With three of us, it would have been too crowded. So, I stepped aside on my own. Chapter 1 When I rushed home from Escal, my family was sitting on the couch chatting. A large plate of cherries sat on the coffee table. Brannon picked out a few of the biggest ones and pressed them into Luna’s hand. “These are sure to be sweet. Try them.” Whenever I was home, such expensive fruit never once appeared on the fruit platter. At the sound of my arrival, all four of them turned their gazes toward me at once. Brannon sighed. His first words were a reproach. “You’re the only one who loves to sleep in. You didn’t even know we’d left. “But then again, you were the one who insisted on a graduation trip, back then.” I clutched my luggage. My fingertips went numb. It was true that I was the one who had insisted on a graduation trip. But the destination I chose was Colewa. When we arrived at the airport, I finally realized Brannon had bought three tickets to Escal. His reason was that Luna wanted to go to Escal to see the Northern Lights. To make sure she got to see the Northern Lights, I stood in line for eight hours in the biting cold. But the moment Luna said, “I’m tired,” they turned around and headed back. Luna stood up and walked toward me. “Meglena, it’s all my fault for sleeping in. We were in such a rush to leave that we forgot about you. I’m sorry.” Then, she shot Brannon a scathing look. “Hurry up. You should apologize too.” Brannon, who had never been one to back down to anyone, spoke sweetly and affectionately. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I was wrong, my little queen.” But his gaze never left Luna. Mom and Dad also chimed in with a laugh. “Brannon was with you every step of the way through the college application process. Don’t you dare bully him once you get to college.” “I’m used to it, Mrs. Hearn.” It seemed like Brannon had only just remembered that I was applying to college. “As for Meglena Hearn, her score is definitely a bit lower than Luna’s, but if she chooses Southshire University, she’ll be in the same ballpark. At most, her major might be a little less prestigious.” They all assumed I was not as good as Luna. But I had performed way above expectations on the SATs, scoring much higher than either of them. Back then, I had sent him a screenshot of my score and asked him to help me figure out which major at Attarport University I could apply for. He still had not replied to me. Yet, he had put together a 36-page presentation for Luna, listing every university she stood a chance of getting into. Luna sweetly hooked her arm through mine. She looked completely innocent. “The three of us should go to Southshire University together so we can look out for each other. Plus, the climate there is warm year-round. We’d be able to wear little sundresses every day.” Brannon’s face was full of doting affection for her. But I was allergic to UV rays. In hot, humid weather, my skin would break out in eczema. I simply could not stay in places that were too hot. No one remembered any of this. They only remembered how pretty Luna looked in dresses. I sat on the couch and reached out to a senior at Attarport University forum. Brannon and Luna were huddled together as they scrolled through Southshire University’s forum while discussing their upcoming university life with my parents. After a while, their laughter gradually died down. Brannon looked up and casually asked me, “You applied to Southshire University, right? Did you score high enough?” “Of course.” I set my phone face-down on the coffee table. “I did.” Chapter 2 After dinner, Mom and Dad brought out two sets of formal dresses they had prepared for Luna and me. “Your dad and I spent ages picking these out. You can wear them to prom, too. “Go try them on.” Luna naturally took the paper bag with the designer logo and kissed Mom on the cheek. “Thanks, Mom!” I took the remaining cheap plastic bag and said calmly, “Thanks, Mom.” Five minutes later, Luna and I walked out wearing our dresses. Everyone’s eyes were drawn to Luna. Brannon’s eyes lit up. His ears instantly turned bright red. “Luna, you look so beautiful in that.” Luna could not suppress the smile on her lips, but she softly downplayed it. “Mom and Dad, you’ve spent way too much. Actually, I could just wear something from a street stall like Meglena. It’s just as good, right?” The atmosphere in the living room suddenly grew silent. I was wearing that ill-fitting dress. The poor-quality fabric felt prickly against my skin. It made me feel uncomfortable all over. Mom uneasily cleared her throat. “Even street-stall clothes are pretty expensive. It’s 80 dollars! Since you’ll only be wearing it for a little while, there’s no need to waste money.” But I could see clearly that the price tag on Luna’s gown read over 3,000 dollars. As always, Brannon stepped in to smooth things over. “Luna is the younger sister. You should let her have it. You look pretty good in this outfit, too.” Mom and Dad chimed in. “Yeah, wait until Luna’s done wearing it before you put it on. That way, it won’t go to waste.” Ever since I was little, all the clothes I have worn have been Luna’s hand-me-downs. They would brush it off by saying things like, “You look good in anything.” But in reality, those ill-fitting, secondhand clothes were so tight they made it hard to breathe. Seeing Luna in that princess dress, Mom and Dad could not help but gush over her. “Luna has such fair skin and a lively, cheerful personality. This dress suits her perfectly.” At that moment, the dress I was wearing felt like nothing more than a rag. Luna chuckled. “Mom and Dad, hurry up and compliment Meglena. Otherwise, she’ll get jealous.” Dad was silent for a long time. Then, he said with a hint of awkwardness flashing in his eyes. “Meglena is quite responsible.” Being responsible was my only virtue. That evening, just before bedtime, Brannon got ready to go home. He did not forget to turn back to me with a reminder. “Tomorrow’s the graduation ceremony. Go make us some packed lunches to take with us. Luna can’t handle eating outside food.” After saying that, he turned and walked away without looking back. He habitually treated me like Luna’s nanny. I was clearly just as much a young girl in the bloom of youth as Luna was. Her fingers were so slender and soft. Yet there I was, stuck in the kitchen cooking and washing dishes. My fingers were rough as sandpaper. Even so, all they ever offered were half-hearted compliments. “You’re so responsible.” I went straight back to my room and started packing. The winters at Attarport University were colder than ones at Southshire University. I tossed the thin, secondhand clothes out of my suitcase and packed a few extra thicker layers instead. I did not want to come back to this home ever again. Chapter 3 At the graduation ceremony the next day, I took to the stage to give a speech as valedictorian. My homeroom teacher, Ms. Sutton, looked very pleased. Her face was full of tender kindness. “You performed exceptionally well on the SATs. It’s a testament to all your hard work. “Go on, share your experience with the younger students.” I nodded to her. Then, I stepped up to the podium in the auditorium. It was not until I mentioned my parents’ support that I realized their eyes were not even on me. Instead, they were listening to Luna’s awkward spoken foreign language practice and showering her with praise. “That’s great! When we travel abroad in the future, we can count on Luna.” But my foreign language grades had always been at the top of the class. Yet, they had never once praised me. Just as I was about to continue, my phone on the podium vibrated. Brannon sent me a message. [The homeroom teacher let you give this speech just because you were class president for three years. You don’t need to drone on for this long.] [Hurry up and wrap it up. Luna’s getting a little tired.] Instantly, all my words got stuck in my throat. My vision blurred with tears. The tip of my nose stung with a tingling sensation. I set down the microphone, gave a hasty bow, and fled the scene. When it came time to take the graduation photos, I made sure to save the spots next to me for my parents and Brannon. The next second, a figure shoved me to the edge of the crowd. Brannon pulled Luna over to the center spot. “Luna absolutely loves taking photos. She looks best in the middle.” When the photo came back, half of my body was cut out of the frame. Our homeroom teacher looked at me with a touch of sympathy. “Would you like me to ask your family to take another one?” I clutched the fabric on my pants and shook my head with a wry smile. “Thanks, teacher, but there’s no need for that.” The next day, everyone got ready to attend the graduation banquet. Just before we left, Mom pulled me and Luna aside. “This card is for your living expenses. There’s some money preloaded on it.” Then, she made a point of telling me. “Spend it sparingly.” As I watched Mom’s hunched back as she walked away, a warm feeling welled up inside me. Just as I was about to get into the car, Luna opened her mobile bank app. “Wow, a grand total of 100,000 dollars! “Meglena, hurry up and check how much you have! Mom specifically told you to spend it sparingly. It’s definitely way more than mine, right?” I hesitated before tapping to check my balance. When I saw the amount, I froze. It was a total of 3,000 dollars. It was not even a tenth of what Luna had. Looking at that pitifully small amount of living expenses, I tapped on another card. It was supposed to contain the 30,000 dollars for my tuition that I had saved from part-time jobs during winter and summer breaks. But no matter how many times I refreshed the screen, the balance remained at 0. Just then, Brannon came back to pick up his things. I grabbed him by the arm, my eyes red and teary. “Where’s the money in my account? You’re the only one besides me who knows the password.” Brannon paused for a moment, looking somewhat uncomfortable. “Luna loves to dress up, and your parents have always spoiled her. So, I used that money to buy her a luxury handbag. “You’re different. You’re frugal and love to pick up hand-me-downs. Since we go to the same school, you can still pick up hand-me-downs in the future. You won’t need any money.” I suddenly burst out laughing. I laughed like a madwoman. He knew full well how much effort I had put into saving that money. He also knew how much I wanted to live independently and move out of this house. But he went and ruthlessly trampled on my last shred of hope afoot. Chapter 4 Just as prom was about to begin, everyone realized I had not gotten in the car. My mom called me. “You’re holding us back again. Hurry up and take a cab over here.” I did not say a word. Instead, I hailed a cab and headed to the celebration. As I pushed open the door to the banquet hall, my head buzzed in shock. My diary entries were playing on a loop on the big screen in the banquet hall. [Today, Brannon gave the last bowl of soup to Luna, even though I’m clearly his girlfriend.] [Ever since Luna came to live with us when she was eight, Mom and Dad don’t seem to love me as much anymore.] … My scalp prickled, and I rushed over to unplug the projector. “That’s my diary!” Luna’s eyes suddenly welled up with tears. She bit her lip. “I thought it was a speech my sister had written specifically for the prom. So, I played it to buy you some time and keep the guests calm.” Before I could say a word, my parents glared at me warily. “It’s just a few pages of a diary. Is it really worth yelling at your little sister over?” Then, they glanced at the big screen. “No wonder your SAT scores were so poor. It turns out you’ve been wasting all your energy on being petty. Since when did you become so spoiled? “If it weren’t for those two going out of their way to accommodate you, you’d be attending college all by yourself in some remote area. I’d love to see if you’d be crying then.” The guests at the event began to whisper among themselves. “Such a young high school girl was writing so much about love and romance. She really wasn’t focusing on her studies.” When Brannon heard that, his face instantly turned red from embarrassment. “Did you skip on your studies just to write such sappy stuff?” I saw it clearly. His face was filled with embarrassment. It was as if he felt embarrassed to be loved by a girl he was not proud of. I swallowed the bitterness in my throat and looked across each of them. “You’re the ones who read my diary without permission. It’s not my fault.” Luna wept as tears streamed down her face. She grabbed my hand and slapped herself with it. “Meglena, I know it’s my fault. “Don’t blame Mom, Dad, or Brannon. They don’t know anything…” The next second, a strong force shoved me aside. Mom and Dad both stepped in front of her to shield her. Brannon’s gaze toward me was filled with disappointment. “Do you have to make a fool of yourself in front of strangers? Get out first.” Mom and Dad chimed in. “That’s right. Go home right away and calm down. Think about how you’re going to apologize to your sister. “How could I have such an irresponsible daughter like you?” I did not argue any longer. I took one last look at them. Then, I grabbed my diary and ran out of the banquet hall. Back home, I listed all the unused items I could not take with me on a secondhand marketplace. As for the things I could bring, a small 12-inch suitcase was enough to hold them all. On my way to the airport, a message from Brannon popped up on my phone. [When your parents have both calmed down, hurry over and grab a bite. No one’s going to cook a special meal for you tonight.] [Luna plans to head to the area near Southshire University a few days early to hang out. Come back soon so we can discuss when to leave. Don’t go off on your own again.] Right up until the very second before the plane took off, I typed out a reply. [I’m not going to Southshire University.] After a moment’s thought, I added, [Brannon, let’s break up.] I hit send, then blocked all four of their contact numbers. … After prom ended, the guests gradually began to leave. Brannon stared at the unanswered message on his phone. He felt inexplicably restless. Ms. Sutton called to congratulate. When Mom answered, her voice rose an octave in shock. “What? Meglena is going to… Attarport University?” Just then, Brannon’s phone vibrated, and two messages popped up. When he read the messages, all the color drained from his face.