- 2.
When I finally opened my eyes again, the clock
on the wall had gone around twice.
Sierra was gone, but someone was sitting by
The familiar scent of gardenias. That was
Mom’s scent.
It was Mom.
Ever since Sierra showed up, I hadn’t seen Mom
in ages.
I forced my eyes open, trying to read her
expression.
Apathy, mixed with disappointment, and a tiny
bit of concern she was trying to hide.
She looked at my face and asked, “Sierra hit
you, didn’t she?”
I didn’t say anything.
She sighed. “Can’t really blame her. You went too far, trying to find those two losers. You
know that’s just stirring up trouble.”
<
I said, “Sierra was rescued from the earthquake
rubble when she was five, after she was sent to
the orphanage. She wasn’t abandoned.”
“That’s just what you think. Sierra said she saw
them leaving her behind, getting on a rescue
vehicle and driving off. She chased them, but
they didn’t stop. Before that, they were always
hitting her, yelling at her, because she wasn’t a
boy. That earthquake? It was the perfect
excuse for them to ditch their kid! Why would
you even want to find people like that?”
I clutched the jade pendant in my hand, my
eyes stubborn.
“If you’re here visiting me, she’ll be upset.”
Mom’s expression flickered. She frowned. “Not
this time. I’m taking you to her movie launch
party.”
Wind rushed past my ears and I closed my
Wind rushed past my ears, and I closed my
eyes. “Can’t I skip it?”
Mom blurted out, “No way! You have so many
fans. They all know how hard you worked on
this movie. If you don’t show up, they’ll say
Sierra bought her way in and stole your role.”
I didn’t have the energy to resist. Mom shoved
me into a wheelchair and wheeled me out.
The place was packed. Ninety percent were my
fans.
They were holding up signs with my name, wishing me a speedy recovery. Everyone was
crying.
I wanted to cry, too. I didn’t want to die. I didn’t want to lose them. I wanted to act in so many
more movies for them.
Mom leaned down and whispered in my ear,
“Cough up some blood. Make them believe
you’re really sick.”
“Go on, I gave you that blood capsule candy
earlier. Bite into it.”
A wave of suppressed pain rushed over me. My
vision filled with red.
Everyone gasped. Mom took the opportunity to
whisk me away.
This way, she could shut down rumors about
me faking my illness, and not steal Sierra’s
thunder.
Just before I passed out, I heard Mom’s
confused voice:
“This blood capsule is pretty realistic. Smells
just like the real thing.”
