4: 4
4, I pressed a hand to my face, staring blankly at my mother.
My palm was still against my burning cheek, my ears ringing.
She lowered her hand as if nothing had happened.
"Get off the bed and help pack the luggage."
"I only hit you just now because you were being too disobedient."
I said nothing, just let my eyes move quietly over the others.
My sister leaned against the door frame.
A faint smile hung at the corner of her mouth, barely there.
My brother stood out in the hallway.
Hands in his pockets, looking at me with plain disgust.
That look, like he was staring at some stranger throwing a tantrum.
As for my father, he stayed on the couch the whole time.
Never once lifting his head, never saying a word.
In this family, I really was the one who didn't belong.
I dropped the hand from my face, my voice very soft.
"Dad, am I even your real daughter?"
His brows knotted together.
"What nonsense are you talking? Of course you are!"
"Then why have I been treated differently from them my whole life?"
At that, he looked a little impatient.
"How is it any different? Whatever they have, you have too. It's not like we ever let you go hungry."
"You're doing perfectly fine right now, aren't you?"
Whatever they had, I had too.
My old clothes were my sister's hand-me-downs, my old school supplies whatever my brother didn't want.
They ate the drumsticks; I ate the scraps.
On their birthdays, there was cake and there were presents.
On mine, there was just, another year older.
And that counted as the same?
I nodded, and smiled.
"Fine. If that's how you see it, then I've got nothing more to say."
I turned, grabbed my suitcase, and started to leave.
My mother stepped in front of the door at once.
"And where do you think you're going?"
"Somewhere else. I'll stay out."
She looked me up and down.
Then she stopped blocking me, just turned to the side and let me pass.
My sister let out a cold laugh. "Wow, sis, you really are scheming."
"Isn't this just running away from home to milk some sympathy? Get Mom and Dad to fuss over you?"
"Don't be so selfish. Everyone's busy."
I didn't respond, just wheeled my suitcase past my mother.
My brother shifted a step toward the door, his arm lifting a little.
"Mom, you're really letting her go?"
My mother caught his sleeve.
"Let her go."
"Away from this family, she's nothing."
Her voice wasn't loud, but it was clear enough.
The light in the entryway was dim.
No one said anything while I bent down to change my shoes.
The door shut behind me.
That night, I checked into a budget motel.
I lay on the bed and put my phone on to charge.
The family group chat showed 99+ again.
Not one of them mentioned me.
As if I'd never been part of this family at all.
It went like that for two straight days.
I didn't say anything in the group, and no one messaged me privately.
It made for some peace and quiet.
The morning they left, my phone buzzed.
Not a call. A message.
From my mother.
【Beverly, we're heading out. Should be gone about a week.】
【While we're away, I'm leaving the house cleaning to you.】
I locked the screen and didn't reply to any of it.
When the boarding time came, I opened the family group chat.
The last message in it was a selfie my sister had posted.
Sunglasses on, flashing a peace sign.
Behind her, the floor-to-ceiling windows of the boarding gate.
Less than three hundred meters stood between them and me right then.
I opened my contacts.
Found each of their profile pictures, one by one, and blocked them all.
Then, before leaving the group, I sent one last message.
"Have a great trip."
