The Lies He Told Me (Grace and Antonio)

Part 5:

I was done with life when I decided to jump off the roof with tears in my eves.

And where was my family?

My parents were happy at their adoptive daughter's first day of high school celebration.

My brother was there too, clicking away with the camera and welcoming his new sister to middle school.

As kids. they always had a soft spot for Ashley Schmitt. Being an orphan. she'd always get a bit more of their sympathy and support.

I was the one who got told to back off if I ever wanted to take back a toy of mine. Any fight was just me being a brat.

Ashley, with no parents of her own, was living up the life that should've been mine.

I had family, but they were always around Ashley.

When I finally wised up, I understood that what they called fairness was really just being partial.

Never in a million years did I think I'd get a second chance in life from the universe. So when I was reborn, I decided this time to just not give a damn about anything.

When I saw my folks holding Ashley's hand, leading her up to my brother and me, it hit me. I was back in the past, a five-

but with the memories of

living the same nightmare.

crash a few days before she was brought. They were my mom's best friends, so my

your little sister now," my mom had said, smoothing Ashley's hair. "You

were wide and eager, checking out our home. She looked pretty anxious to get

I could complain, she'd play the poor little orphan card to snag whatever she fancied from

first, I was surprised; I did not expect her to

clothes, and I'm into your

would say this to me when it was just the two

not want me as a big sister, she wanted to take away everything from

furious, and I'd just get into fights with her, but as soon as we fought, she'd play the victim, bawling her eyes out to get my parents' attention.

Every

would make me apologize to her and then I'd be

sometimes make me skip my meals, and other times, make me

wanted something, she should get it. If she wanted something of mine. I should not be

that, my new clothes,

that wasn't enough for her. She also took my

like Ashley said, she'd take it

such an unfair past,

it? I couldn't help but feel down, sad, and

Don't worry. We are fair, and we'll love you both the same." That was what mom used to say at the

now." That was what dad