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.

home, only existing to go to school

all the attention was on

dinner table, once filled with my favorite dishes, now only

same old story. Ashley got all the new toys and the best snacks, and

their eyes, Ashley seemed like someone who was always willing to

but when I asked for a doll, they'd tell me to

ended up with a doll Ashley didn't want, but my folks never

an eye.

a princess, 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

hard for That was

Christmas Eve. Mom and Dad surprised

As I

downstairs. Ashley waved the dresses at me. "Grace. which one do

another act from her, because in my previous life and in this one, we never

the past, to

bought new clothes

clothes, becoming a joke

flashed a sad look and said, "If you like it, I'll gladly give it

my annoyance

Ashley had her eye on the dress I'd

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

on her, shall

let Ashley have

see

happier she got. My dad and brother joined in, all pushing Ashley to change into the

voice barely a whisper. "Mom, Grace isn't too

brother's protective instincts kicked in,

bullied her