Part 3When I Finally Chose Myself

Dad sprang up from the couch, his face flushed with anger.

"What kind of sister are you? Look what you've done to Carolyn! She's depressed because of you! He's just a guy. Why can't you let her have him? Why do you always have to compete with her over everything?"

I took a step forward, about to tell him that Jared had made his own choice.

But Carolyn cut me off before I could speak, her voice soft. "Jared, don't listen to Mom and Dad. I don't blame you. I really don't."

She lowered her head, tears falling onto the back of her hand. "What happened between us last week was something I wanted too."

The room went dead silent.

I turned sharply to Jared. His face had gone pale. His lips moved, but he couldn't get a single word out.

My mind snapped back to the week before.

I'd been stranded at the subway station in a downpour and called Jared dozens of times, but he never picked up. In the end, rescue workers had to get me home.

I ran a high fever for three straight days. When I finally woke up, Jared looked completely out of it, with dark circles under his eyes.

I'd thought he was worried about me. I'd even been stupid enough to reassure him that I was fine.

But now I knew. He'd been with Carolyn that day.

Mom shrieked and rushed at me, shoving me by the shoulders. "Jared, you need to do right by Carolyn! Scarlett, just let him go! Carolyn always lets you have your way. Can't you let her have this one thing?"

In the struggle, my suitcase tipped over and slammed into my shin. The sharp edge of one wheel sliced my ankle.

Blood welled up instantly, and I sucked in a sharp breath. Mom shoved me so hard that I stumbled and fell to the floor.

Jared instinctively took a step toward me, but then he caught sight of the razor blade in Carolyn's hand. He flinched and immediately turned toward her.

"Carolyn!"

But there was only a faint red mark on her arm.

Dad rushed over and slapped me across the face. "Are you trying to get Carolyn killed?"

A burning pain shot through my cheek and made my eyes sting.

Still on the floor, I watched everyone scramble to help Carolyn up and hurry her out. Blood had already run down my ankle and into my shoe.

I sat there in a daze, still trying to process what had happened when someone knocked on the front door.

Melissa poked her head inside. The moment she saw my ankle, she sucked in a sharp breath.

"How did you get hurt this badly?"

She crouched beside me and treated the wound with practiced ease, leaning down every so often to blow gently on it.

She used to do the same thing whenever Mom and Dad thought I wasn't letting Carolyn have her way. They never held back when they took a belt to me.

Afterward, Melissa would crouch in front of me just like this and carefully tend to my injuries.

The next time she saw Carolyn, her eyes were cold as ice. "Stay away from Scarlett! If I catch you playing the victim again, you'll have me to deal with."

Back then, she'd held my hand tightly, her palm warm against mine. Now, as she looked down, I found myself staring at her lashes, and my nose started to sting.

Melissa got to her feet, poured me a glass of water, and held it out. I reached for it, but she spoke before I could take it.

"Scarlett, you should let him go."