Chapter 4

"Apologize for what?" I asked, my voice flat. The numbness was returning, a welcome shield. "For existing in the same house?"

My mother' s face tightened with frustration. "Don' t be dramatic, Avery. You know you' ve been difficult. You made everyone uncomfortable at the party. Just go down, say you' re sorry for being moody, and wish Chloe a happy birthday properly. It' s about keeping the peace."

Her words hit me with the force of a physical blow. Keeping the peace. My entire existence in this house had been reduced to that. I was no longer a daughter, a person with feelings or dreams. I was a problem to be managed. The love I thought was unconditional from my mother was, I now realized, entirely conditional on me being easy, on me not making waves, on me not upstaging her new husband' s perfect daughter. The warmth I once felt for her was cooling into something hard and cold.

"No," I said. It was a small word, but it felt monumental.

She stared at me, shocked. "What did you say?"

"I said no. I' m not apologizing."

Before she could respond, Chloe waltzed into the room, a piece of cake in her hand. She had a smear of frosting on her cheek. "Mom, what' s taking so long? Everyone' s asking where you are." She saw the look on my face and her eyes narrowed. Then, her gaze fell to the silver locket clutched in my hand. A greedy light flickered in her eyes.

"Oh, what a pretty necklace," she said, her voice syrupy sweet. She took a step closer. "I' ve never seen that one before."

"It was my father' s," I said, my hand closing protectively around it.

"Well, since it' s my birthday," she said, turning to my mother with a pout. "And since Avery didn' t get me anything... I think it' s only fair that she give it to me. As a sign that she' s really sorry for trying to ruin my party."

I couldn' t believe what I was hearing. It was a new level of cruelty, a calculated strike at the one thing I had left that was sacred.

"You can' t be serious," I whispered, looking at my mother, pleading with her to see the insanity of the request.

My mother looked from me to Chloe, her expression torn. But Chloe was her new husband' s daughter, the winner, the star. I was just the source of the conflict.

"Avery," my mother said, her voice strained. "It' s just a piece of jewelry. Don' t be so childish. It would be a nice gesture."

"No!" This time my voice was loud. "Never."

Chloe' s sweet facade dropped. "Give it to me," she hissed, lunging for it.

I scrambled back on the bed, but she was fast. Her fingers clawed at my hand, trying to pry my fingers open. "Let go, Avery! It' s mine!"

"Get off of me!" I shouted, trying to push her away.

The door flew open and Ethan and Noah stood there, drawn by the noise. They took in the scene in an instant-Chloe on top of me, my mother standing by looking helpless.

"What' s going on?" Ethan asked, but his eyes were already siding with Chloe.

"She won' t give me my birthday present!" Chloe cried, her voice filled with fake tears. "I just asked for the necklace and she went crazy!"

"Ethan, help me!" Chloe demanded.

Ethan hesitated for only a second. Then he moved. He grabbed my arms, pinning me against the headboard. His grip was strong, unyielding. The charm was gone, replaced by something ugly and hard. "Avery, just give it to her and stop this. You' re making everything worse."

"No! You don' t understand!" I struggled against him, but he was too strong.

Noah moved to help Chloe. He grabbed my hand, the one clutching the locket, and began to systemically pry my fingers open, one by one. His face was a blank mask, his actions efficient and detached. This was the boy who used to share his lunch with me when I forgot mine, the one who would walk me home after late practices. And he was helping her steal my father' s last gift to me. The betrayal was so absolute, so complete, that it broke the last thread of hope I had for them.

My fingers were forced open. Chloe snatched the locket from my palm, a triumphant grin spreading across her face. The chain caught on my sweater, and with an impatient yank, she ripped it free. The delicate silver chain snapped. The locket flew through the air, hit the corner of my wooden bed frame with a sickening crack, and fell to the floor.

A piece of the engraved silver had chipped off. A deep scratch marred the letter 'A' . It was broken.

Something inside me broke with it.

A wild, desperate strength flooded through me. I shoved Ethan with all my might, catching him off guard. He stumbled back. I lunged for the locket on the floor, ignoring the pain in my arm where Chloe' s nails had dug in. As my fingers closed around the broken silver, Chloe, in a fit of rage that I was still fighting back, kicked out. Her heel caught me square in the ribs. A sharp, searing pain exploded in my side, and all the air left my lungs. I collapsed onto the floor, gasping, the broken locket still clutched in my hand.