3: 3
That afternoon, Mervyn Pruitt, my childhood sweetheart, came by the house carrying a fancy paper gift bag.
He'd promised to give me a gown as my coming-of-age present.
Warmth spread through me, and I reached out to take it.
"You're here."
Mervyn turned his body aside, out of reach.
"Eve, this isn't for you."
He stepped past me and handed the bag to Lesley.
"Fifi, I tracked down the designer from the photo you sent and bought that couture gown you wanted. Go try it on."
"Mervyn, you're amazing. I'll go try it right now."
Lesley's eyes lit up. She took the bag and hurried into her room.
Only after the door shut did Mervyn's gaze move off Lesley and settle on me.
"The gown Fifi wanted was pretty expensive. I spent everything I had on it. If you want one, wait until my paycheck next month."
But my birthday is tomorrow, same as Lesley's.
Next month wouldn't be a coming-of-age gift anymore.
Zachary, sprawled on the couch playing a game, curled his lip and rolled his eyes at me.
"Ignore her. Day in, day out, all she does is fight Fifi for attention."
Mervyn's face cooled a few degrees too.
"Eve, you took fifteen years of Uncle and Aunt's love that should've been Fifi's. You can never pay back what you owe her. Grow up a little."
But when Lesley first came back, he'd said I was the one he'd grown up with, that I was the only one he'd ever want in this life.
Looking at the coldness in Mervyn's eyes, I swallowed the "What did I do wrong this time?" that had risen in my throat.
There was no point asking. He couldn't give me the answer I wanted.
In the eyes of every one of them, I had a share in all the suffering Lesley had endured over the past fifteen years.
So for Lesley's sake, they could hurt me however they pleased.
Never mind. Tomorrow night I'd be gone anyway.
Lesley pushed her door open and came out, gathering her skirt to twirl in the living room.
"The fit is perfect. Mervyn, I love it so much."
Mervyn watched her, his smile soft and doting.
"As long as you like it."
I pressed my lips together and turned back into my room.
The moment I shut the door, I heard Lesley lower her voice.
"Mervyn, I think Evelyn's upset. Go smooth things over with her…"
Mervyn gave a light scoff.
"Don't bother with her. She's just greedy. She wants to grab everything you have."
I hadn't done a single thing.
Yet they'd slapped the labels on me anyway: fighting for attention, greedy, grabby.
I dragged out my suitcase and started packing.
I was only halfway done when a knock came at my door.
I opened it. Mervyn and Lesley.
Mervyn walked in with paper and pen, his eyes sweeping over my room, barely a hundred square feet.
"The room's a little small, but if I design the closet right, it should fit all your clothes."
Lesley tipped her head up, gazing at him with admiration.
"Mervyn, you're incredible. You can do everything."
I backed against the wall and said nothing.
After Lesley came back, the three-hundred-square-foot room with its own bathroom went to her, and I moved into the storage room.
Now they wanted to take even the storage room.
Mervyn glanced at the luggage I was packing.
"Looks like Uncle and Aunt already told you. Once you leave for college, this room becomes Fifi's closet."
"You won't have time to come back anyway. You'll be working through every break to pay off your debt."
I gave a soft "mm."
I couldn't be bothered to argue anymore.
That night I got an email from the school.
I clicked the link and signed the confidentiality agreement.
Five minutes later, a text popped up.
【Ms. Chilton, welcome to the Kingsport Research Institute Classified Training Program. Your buyout payment will be deposited to the bank card you provided within twenty-four hours.】
【Your enrollment flight will be booked by the institute. Watch for the text and report on time.】
