The Family That Favored My Sister No Longer Needs Me

The roses ended up in Marcella's hands. I turned back, dazed. My sister bent her head and breathed them in. Then she let out a delighted little cry. "Oh my God! How did Norman know I love pale lavender?" She finished, and shot me a small arch of her brow. A curl of triumph at the corner of her mouth. "After all, we're about to be classmates. He'd have to learn what I like, wouldn't he?" My mother beamed. "Exactly. It's not every day the two of you get into the same college, and both mid-tier at that. From here on, you'll have to look out for each other." "Norman." I couldn't stop myself from stepping forward. "Didn't you see the messages I sent you?" Norman blinked. "Oh. Winters up north are cold, sure, but you're not the one studying there. Why worry about it?" My shoulders sagged. I knew. He hadn't read them. The day I got my acceptance to the top university, I'd fired off more than twenty messages to him, thrilled. The very last line was the one about winters up north being cold. That I might not adjust well. He'd only seen that last line. No. He hadn't even opened the chat. He'd just glimpsed the last line where it auto-previewed in the message list. "Norman, we may be at the same college now, but don't you dare forget my sister!" Marcella came forward, laughing, and hooked her arm around his. "You two were in the same class, walking to and from school together all those years. "So what if she didn't make it into a place like ours. You can't look down on her for that! I'll be watching you!" Norman laughed. That I had feelings for him. There was no way Norman didn't know. No one sits in front of a fire and fails to feel its heat. "What does she have to do with me?" Norman gave me a careless glance. Then turned and walked off. Marcella froze for a second. Her smile slowly turned smug. She glanced at me too. And she turned and left as well. Marcella and Norman drifted off together, murmuring about something. My brother was busy telling his buddies how impressive his little sister was. Only I stayed in the corner. Staring blankly at the orange juice in front of me. I went to the restroom and came back out. My parents were saying something to a guest, their faces all deference. "Professor Dickerson. "This is our younger daughter. Her name is Marcella. "We've focused on developing her mind for science and engineering since she was little. "She won a silver medal in the physics competition back in high school. She's very passionate about physics. "Professor Dickerson, you said you're looking for one final protégé. We promise, Marcy won't let you down!" My father nodded gravely. "That's right, Professor Dickerson. I'd stake my twenty years of business reputation on it." I stood not far off, gripping my cup. Watching my parents' faces turn devout. The two of them, who out in the world always kept their chins lifted. Right now, facing this Professor Dickerson, their smiles were close to fawning. All to push my sister forward. The head of a publicly traded company. A well-known designer in her field. Both of them willing to bend at the waist in front of Professor Dickerson. Professor Dickerson smiled. "Of course I trust the two of you. And I trust the girl's ability even more. "But if I hadn't met that physics prodigy, I'd have taken her on."

"A physics genius?" Mom and Dad froze. Professor Dickerson nodded. "That's right. This kid competed in the physics olympiad too, and took the gold medal. "I've spoken with her online. When it comes to raw talent in physics, she's beyond me." I went still. That voice... Why did it sound exactly like the day I sat the physics olympiad finals? Exactly like the instructor who'd coordinated with me online? "More talented than you, Professor? You mean... a high schooler?" Professor Dickerson nodded. Dad shifted, awkward. "This... a genius like that usually has a mind of their own. What if they don't want to take on a mentor?" "Exactly, exactly." Mom jumped in at once. "Geniuses always love their solitude, don't they?" "You're right about that." Professor Dickerson sighed. "I did message her. When she heard the work with me would be closed-off research, she couldn't bear to leave her family." Mom and Dad's eyes lit up. "Yes, this child is devoted to family. Of course she couldn't agree to it!" As they said it, they nudged Marcy forward. "But I've already made up my mind. My last protégé of this life will either be her. "Or I won't take one at all." The smile froze on Marcy's face. Mom and Dad couldn't help exchanging a glance. Mom wasn't ready to give up. "Could you tell us what makes this child so special? We could have Marcy learn it." "Yes, yes, our Marcy is a very quick learner." Professor Dickerson smiled and shook his head. "Some gifts really can't be learned through hard work. "Look, this is a turbine engine blueprint she submitted at that final." Professor Dickerson held up his phone. From a distance. I saw the markings on the diagram. And I was certain. The one who'd coordinated with me was Professor Dickerson. Mom and Dad both had some background in design. Looking at the blueprint. The two of them drew a sharp breath. Professor Dickerson put the phone away. "This kid got into a top university this year." "As she should." Dad nodded despite himself. Mom nodded too. "For a high schooler to be at this level, even that school might be beneath him." "Such a shame..." Dad sighed. "How is it we never raised a child that brilliant..." "What are you doing here?" Ethan knocked into me. The orange juice in my hand nearly spilled. I couldn't help letting out a small cry. Mom and Dad turned around. Their brows knit together in an instant. "What did you come over here for?" "We're discussing something professional with Professor Dickerson. Would you even understand it? You just came to gawk!" Ethan grabbed my hand. "Come on, come on, you can't follow this anyway. Stop getting in Marcy's way!" "Wait!" Professor Dickerson adjusted his glasses. "This young lady... I think I've seen her at the finals..." "Professor Dickerson, you must be mistaken." Mom's red lips curved. "This is our eldest daughter, a child who never amounted to anything. "This year she didn't even get into a decent college." "No... no, she isn't." Professor Dickerson narrowed his eyes. "I definitely saw this girl at the finals, even if it was only a glance. "But the two of you..." Professor Dickerson pointed at me. "She's exactly the girl I've been looking for!"

"Oh." Mom smiled. "The honor's ours." Dad chimed in with a smile of his own. "That's right, Professor Dickerson. People always say our older girl has one of those common faces." "We honestly wish she were the girl you're looking for." Mom clicked her tongue, all regret. "Too bad this one just happens to resemble that genius. "This year, she didn't even make it into a decent school." Professor Dickerson looked a little surprised. "Is that... really true?" Dad nodded. "There's nothing we can do about it." So they hadn't ignored just my acceptance letter. They'd never once paid attention to a single award I'd won. And yet. I'd set the gold medal from the physics competition in the most visible spot on my desk. Three years of high school. They'd come in and out of my room countless times. And never once noticed there was a medal sitting on my desk. "Come on! Stop getting in the way!" My brother yanked me off without another word. I saw Professor Dickerson wipe his glasses. He let out a sigh full of regret. "Such a shame..." My brother pulled me over to the table and sat me down. Not long after. My sister came rushing over, glowing. "Professor Dickerson took me on as an outer-circle student! He agreed to tutor me online once a week from now on!" She shrieked it out. Then threw herself into my brother's arms. I looked past her. Mom and Dad were fawning all over Professor Dickerson as they walked him to his car. At the table. Mom stroked my sister's hair. "Mom always knew Marcy would make it." "Of course!" My brother set down his glass. "With scores like Marcy's, how many girls in the whole country are as brilliant as her?" "Ugh, too bad I can't measure up to that genius who got into the top school." My sister propped her chin in her hand. "She's really amazing. I feel like no matter how hard I try, I'll never catch up to her." I sat there without reacting at all. "What's wrong with you, don't you know how to read a room." Dad gave me a shove. "Your sister just became Professor Dickerson's student. Do you have any idea what kind of standing he has in academia? "Raise a glass to your sister." My sister looked over at me. Tucking away the smugness at the corner of her mouth. "It's fine, Rae. We're sisters. Even if you don't toast me, I'll still look out for you later on." "Rachel Mason!" Mom shot me a displeased look. "Look at your sister, then look at yourself." My brother was out of patience. "No talent, no social sense either. I really don't know what's going to become of you." Dad watched me coldly. "I asked you to toast your sister. What, is that too much to ask of you?" I stood up. Raised my glass. "To you." My sister rose quickly. Picked up her glass and clinked it against mine. But the moment her glass touched mine. Her hand tipped. The drink spilled all over her own arm. "Marcy!" Mom cried out and shoved me aside. I went down hard onto the floor. The soup that had just been served spilled all over me. My sister's eyes reddened. "It's okay, I'm sure Rae didn't mean to." Dad wiped every drop off her arm. Then turned. Saw me sprawled on the floor. He frowned. "Bad grades, fine, at least she could have decent character. "Bad character too, and there's nothing left for her in this life." "Come on, Marcy, let's go get you cleaned up." They gathered around my sister and turned to leave. As if they hadn't noticed I was soaked in sticky soup. I lowered my head. Found a bathroom on my own and wiped down my clothes. When I came out. The hall was already empty. "Oh, your sister thought it was too noisy here, so they left ahead of you. What, no one told you?" I froze where I stood. Said nothing. My clothes dried out. On the walk home. My family didn't seem to register that I'd come back late. They brought it up like it was nothing. "We need to get your graduation trip on the calendar. Think about where you want to go, talk it over with your sister." "I want to go to Aspen!!" My sister shrieked and threw herself forward. Clinging to Mom's arm. "Mom! Let's go to Aspen!" Mom broke into a delighted smile. "Sure, we'll go to Aspen. Rae wants to go too, perfect timing." I blinked. I hadn't said a word about where I wanted to go. But I kept my mouth shut. I think I already understood. At a time like this. It didn't matter where I said I wanted to go. That night, to catch the early morning flight, I went to bed early. I could hear my family downstairs helping my sister pack. Mom: "Bring this sunscreen. Marcy's skin is delicate, she can't get burned." My brother: "Then I'll bring the umbrella. If the sun's too strong there, I can hold it over Marcy." Dad: "Get a bigger bag then. Marcy's a girl, she'll have a lot of stuff, and Dad can carry the big one for her." "Thanks, Mom and Dad! Thanks, big brother! You're the best! Mwah!" I closed my eyes. Forced myself to sleep. The next day. I went through security with my family. My ticket scanned. But it wouldn't let me through. My family, already inside with their suitcases, turned around. Mom spoke up. "Oh, I forgot. When I bought your ticket yesterday I clicked the wrong one. Yours goes to the capital." My brother shrugged. "There's no time to change it now. Next time, maybe." Wrong ticket? Only mine bought wrong? I looked at them. They looked at me. Not a hint that anyone meant to explain further. I took the ticket. "Fine." "Yay! Off to Aspen with Mom and Dad and big brother!" My sister shrieked and dashed off. My family laughed one after another. I turned around. Not a word. Opened my phone. Sent Professor Dickerson a message. 【Professor, I've made up my mind. My flight today is to the capital. I'll come do the closed research project with you.】