“Pamela, you actually raised a hand against Fern. No dinner for you today. You'll stay right here and think hard about what you did. The moment you admit you were wrong is the moment you eat again.”
With that, he pulled Fern up and turned to leave. The attic door swung shut, and everything went black.
I'd been afraid of the dark my whole life. The fear raised goosebumps across my skin. I crawled to the door and pounded on it over and over, begging them to let me out.
But no one answered. I don't know how long it went on before the strength drained out of me and my head started to swim.
I stared down at myself, unwilling to accept it. Was I really going to repeat the tragedy of my past life?
I lost track of how long it lasted. Then the door flew open, harsh light flooding in, and I saw my parents standing there. Just as I thought it was a hallucination and tried to speak, my vision went dark and I passed out.
When I woke again, I was in the hospital.
My mom held me close, her face full of pain.
“Pam, I'm so sorry. We let you suffer. Your dad and I pulled the security footage from the house. I never imagined Benjamin and your brother would dare treat you like that. And Fern, I've already thrown her out.”
Tears slid down my face before I could stop them.
“Mom, Dad, I almost thought I'd never see you again.”
My mom held me and murmured comfort. Lionel walked in and glanced at me.
“Pamela's fine, isn't she? So I'll go bring Fern back home.”
My dad kicked him hard, his foot landing square on Lionel's body.
“You ungrateful dog. You'd side with an outsider and treat your own sister like that?”
Lionel scrambled up and stumbled out of my hospital room.
Only then did I remember the college applications. I checked the time. Three hours left before the deadline.
I quickly had my parents bring me the laptop. First I changed my password, and when I opened the file, I saw that the top choice on my application was a lowly trade school.
My heart clenched. I immediately changed it back to the Ivy League university, then saved and resubmitted.
I couldn't help letting out a breath. This time Fern would have no chance to tamper with my application.
Soon there were only ten minutes left before the deadline.
Benjamin suddenly walked in.
“Pamela, what happened earlier was me acting on impulse. I misunderstood you. I hope you won't stay angry with me.”
I looked at Benjamin's strange behavior and felt something was very wrong.
Then Benjamin abruptly took hold of me.
“Pamela, I prepared a gift to make it up to you. It's downstairs. Come get it with me.”
I let out a cold laugh.
“I don't want it, and I don't want to forgive you. Now please leave. I don't want to see you.”
Benjamin frowned slightly.
“Pamela, this gift is from my parents. I know you're angry with me, but if you refuse even their gift, they'll be hurt.”
My eyes narrowed a fraction. Benjamin's parents were old friends of my family. I could refuse to give Benjamin any face, but I couldn't do the same to his parents.
Reluctantly, I nodded and followed Benjamin out.
At the entrance, a delivery courier handed me a box. Inside was nothing but a bottle of cheap perfume.
It was obvious. There was no way this came from Benjamin's parents. Benjamin had simply wanted to lure me away.
I thought of the laptop in the room and hurried back, Benjamin close on my heels.
The moment I stepped inside, I saw Fern with my laptop, working on it. When I saw that the top line of my application had been changed to the trade school, I shouted in fury.
“Fern, who told you to change my application? Give it back right now.”
But Fern only smiled.
“Pam, I only wanted to help you. I've spent the last couple of days studying so much about how to fill out applications.”
I lunged for the laptop, but Benjamin yanked me back.
"Pamela, Fern's trying to help you out of the goodness of her heart. Don't be so ungrateful."
I spoke fast, frantic.
"She entered a trade school for me. That's helping?"
Benjamin answered like it was nothing.
"If Fern filled it out this way for you, then a trade school is the best choice you've got."
The last minute ticked away, and the application window closed.
Fern's eyes were bright with laughter.
"Pamela, you can only go to one Ivy League school, but with a trade school you can get into several. You're coming out way ahead, aren't you?"
Benjamin chimed in, smiling too.
"You're lucky to have a friend as helpful as Fern."
I gave a small smile. "Why don't you take a good look at exactly who got that luck?"
