The Lies He Told Me (Grace and Antonio)

"I'm off to my room," I said, and then I did, locking the door behind me for some peace

My personality has changed, I wasn't always this shy. I fought back once.

There was this one time when I pulled Ashley aside, and even though I barely tugged, she hit the desk and started crying

Just for that, my mom slapped me and made me apologize. She didn't even give me a chance to explain what happened.

That time, I tried to stand my ground with a hunger strike, and

even left home, hoping they'd miss me.

I waited for them at our usual park all day, but they never came.

When I finally returned, hungry and shivering, they were all snug in the living room, chuckling at the TV. The coffee table was a feast of snacks.

It was enough to make anyone snap.

I lost it, crushed the snacks under my feet, and got a beating for my outburst. After that, they punished me by taking away my lunch money, and forbid me to go out and play with my friends. Who got out to play with them? Ashley did, and they all loved her.

They said they weren't playing favorites, but all they cared about was that Ashley lost

her parents. Did they ever think about how her arrival affected the?

It was really sad. In my previous life, I tried to fight and please them, but even when I jumped off the rooftop, they didn't care.

My folks had all their love reserved for their adopted girl, Ashley.

She was a golden child.

They wouldn't miss me even if I wasn't around.

the invisible one at home, only existing

dinner, all the attention was

table, once filled with my favorite dishes, now only had what

old story. Ashley got all the new toys and the best snacks, and I was left

eyes, Ashley seemed like someone who was always

fancy notebook for Ashley, but when I asked for a doll, they'd tell me to take one that Ashley didn't want from her

up with a doll Ashley

an eye.

I would be the black sheep In my previous life, it ruined my childhood, but I wasn't going to let it affect me anymore. Once Christmas was over, I would throw myself into studying, aiming for a top university. People might pick their favorites, but the future I

hard for That

and Dad surprised us with

As I

waved the dresses at me. "Grace. which

in my previous life and in this one, we never got along,

to punish me,

bought new clothes

the most used and worn down clothes, becoming a joke throughout the school year. But this time, I_O nonchalantly chose one of the

sad look and said, "If you like it, I'll

stifle my

parents knew Ashley had her eye on

took the dress away from me and held it up to Ashley "Grace you're the elder

on

Ashley

see

happier she got. My dad and brother joined in, all pushing Ashley

mom, her voice barely a whisper. "Mom, Grace isn't too fond of me. Maybe I should return the

protective instincts kicked in, questioning Ashley

bullied her