You Ignored My Birthday So I Erased Myself From The Family HD Movie Dailymotion [Watch Now]| Choosing Myself Over My Family 🌿─影片 Dailymotion

M-Dramas

👇Download the app to watch full HD episode for free: https://reelslink.com/marketing/1pzrTU 👇Click to Find More HD EPs https://g.shrinkrl.com/ZmTP8b 🍁Notice: All videos by M-Dramas are officially authorized. She spent eighteen years trying to fit into a family that constantly overlooked her. From Six Flags trips for her sister to steakhouse dinners for her brother, the contrast was always clear. But on the day she officially became an adult, silence was the final straw. She is choosing her own future now—even if it means erasing her past.

Transcript

00:00:04On my birthday, this house always treats it like any other day.

00:00:09I thought turning 18 would be different.

00:00:11That morning, I got up early on purpose, put on light makeup, and sat on the living room

00:00:17couch to wait.

00:00:18Mom walked past me on her way out, carrying Chloe's dance bag.

00:00:22Heat up your own lunch.

00:00:23I'm taking Chloe to her intensive class.

00:00:26Dad was watering tomatoes in the backyard.

00:00:30Ethan called him to go play basketball at the park, and the two of them left soon after.

00:00:35At noon, I was the only one left in the house.

00:00:38I sent a message in the family group chat.

00:00:41I'm 18 today.

00:00:43No one replied.

00:00:44This family celebrates everyone's birthday.

00:00:48Everyone's but mine.

00:00:49Because my parents only love my twin siblings, Ethan and Chloe.

00:00:53They don't love me.

00:00:54When Ethan wants a birthday party, my parents book a private room at his favorite steakhouse

00:00:59a month in advance.

00:01:01When it's Chloe's turn and she wants to go to Six Flags, the whole family goes.

00:01:05Mom even posts nine photos on Instagram.

00:01:08But on my birthday, this house always treats it like any other day.

00:01:12I thought turning 18 would be different.

00:01:15That morning, I got up early on purpose, put on light makeup, and sat on the living room couch to

00:01:21wait.

00:01:21Mom walked past me on her way out, carrying Chloe's dance bag.

00:01:26Heat up your own lunch.

00:01:27I'm taking Chloe to her intensive class.

00:01:30Dad was watering tomatoes in the backyard.

00:01:33Ethan called him to go play basketball at the park, and the two of them left soon after.

00:01:38At noon, I was the only one left in the house.

00:01:42I sent a message in the family group chat.

00:01:44I'm 18 today.

00:01:46No one replied.

00:01:48At 7 that night, everybody came home.

00:01:50No one sang.

00:01:51No one felt like anything was missing.

00:01:54I was 18 now.

00:01:56At last, I could decide for myself where I wanted to go.

00:02:00Mallory, delete that message from the group chat.

00:02:03I almost missed Grandpa's voice message.

00:02:06Ethan didn't even look up.

00:02:08He tapped the edge of his plate, lightly with his dinner knife, signaling Mom to give him more ribs.

00:02:16I looked down at my phone.

00:02:18The message in the family chat, I'm 18 today, was still sitting there.

00:02:22No one had replied.

00:02:25Mom came over with a plate of garlic bread and set it in the middle of the table.

00:02:31All right.

00:02:33No phones at dinner.

00:02:35I looked at the food on the table.

00:02:38Ethan liked ribs.

00:02:39Chloe liked mac and cheese.

00:02:41Mom had made the salad for herself.

00:02:43Not a single dish was for me.

00:02:45I liked seafood.

00:02:48Grilled salmon was my favorite.

00:02:50I had said it so many times.

00:02:52No one in this family remembered.

00:02:56Dad, today...

00:02:58Dad set down his iced tea and glanced at me.

00:03:01The next second, he turned back to Ethan.

00:03:04How's your wrist from basketball this afternoon?

00:03:06Does the sprain still hurt?

00:03:08It's okay.

00:03:09Shoot.

00:03:10It aches a little when I shoot.

00:03:11I'll take you to a sports therapist tomorrow.

00:03:13My words died in midair.

00:03:16I finished dinner quietly and went to wash the dishes.

00:03:20I turned the faucet on high.

00:03:24From the living room came the sound of Chloe practicing ballet basics.

00:03:27Her toes landing against the floor one by one.

00:03:30Mom counted beats beside her.

00:03:32Ethan was playing Xbox in his room, shouting every few minutes.

00:03:35Dad was on the couch with his iPad.

00:03:38Everyone in this house had something of their own.

00:03:40Everyone had someone answering them.

00:03:44Except me.

00:03:46I stood in the kitchen, washing platelets and cups for five people.

00:03:51The water was loud.

00:03:53Loud enough that even if I cried, no one would hear.

00:03:56After the dishes, I went back to my room and shut the door.

00:03:59My phone lit up.

00:04:00It was a message in the class group chat.

00:04:02It was the only happy birthday I had received all day,

00:04:05from a classmate I had known for less than a year.

00:04:07I replied, thank you.

00:04:09Then I opened my photo album and kept scrolling back.

00:04:12After I turned six, Mom's camera had almost completely turned toward them.

00:04:16Most of the photos were of them.

00:04:17I scrolled for a long time before I finally found one.

00:04:20It was from when I was nine and had entered the school speech contest.

00:04:24Mom had taken it from the audience.

00:04:26The photo was blurry.

00:04:28Only half my body was in it,

00:04:29because the other half of the frame was Chloe in the front row,

00:04:33turning back toward the camera with a bright smile.

00:04:36I stood off stage in front of the microphone,

00:04:39my face barely visible.

00:04:41The phone screen dimmed,

00:04:43and my face appeared in the black reflection.

00:04:46Eighteen-year-old Mallory Hayes had spent the whole morning

00:04:49putting on makeup, waited all day,

00:04:51and still hadn't gotten a single happy birthday.

00:04:54Mom's voice came from outside the door.

00:04:58Mallory, wake your sister at seven tomorrow morning.

00:05:02She has training at 8.30.

00:05:05Okay.

00:05:08Hey, sis. It's seven.

00:05:11Chloe had woken up on her own.

00:05:12She stood in my doorway in a pink leotard, her hair half-tied.

00:05:16I checked my phone.

00:05:186.53.

00:05:19My alarm hadn't even gone off.

00:05:21You got up by yourself?

00:05:23Yeah.

00:05:24I set an alarm.

00:05:26Mom told you to wake me,

00:05:27but I was afraid you didn't sleep well last night.

00:05:30She said it so casually,

00:05:32but the words still stung.

00:05:33She knew I hadn't slept well last night.

00:05:36I'll help you tie your hair.

00:05:38No, it's fine.

00:05:40I can do it.

00:05:43She turned and left.

00:05:46Chloe had always been like that with me.

00:05:48She wasn't cruel.

00:05:50She just wasn't close.

00:05:53She called me sis,

00:05:55but the word carried no weight.

00:05:57The twins had their own rhythm,

00:05:59and I had never been able to enter it.

00:06:01At breakfast, Mom was warming milk for Chloe.

00:06:04Ethan wasn't up yet.

00:06:07Mally, have you eaten?

00:06:09I have.

00:06:10I hadn't.

00:06:11She didn't even check whether there was a bowl I'd used on the table.

00:06:14She just nodded.

00:06:16Chloe, did you pack your water bottle?

00:06:18It's hot today.

00:06:19Drink more water.

00:06:21I did.

00:06:22Mally, drive your sister there.

00:06:24She still doesn't know the stops near the training center.

00:06:27Chloe had been going to that training center for two years.

00:06:31Mom still said she didn't know the way.

00:06:34Okay.

00:06:35As we were leaving,

00:06:36Ethan finally got up and called from his doorway.

00:06:39Mom, what's for breakfast?

00:06:42I left you a bagel and yogurt on the table.

00:06:45A bagel and yogurt?

00:06:47Ethan's regular breakfast.

00:06:49No one had ever asked what I wanted in the morning.

00:06:52On the way to the training center,

00:06:55Chloe sat in the passenger seat scrolling through her phone.

00:06:58She wasn't trying to be cold.

00:07:00It just never occurred to her to talk to me.

00:07:05Sis?

00:07:07When she suddenly spoke, my palm tightened on the wheel.

00:07:11What?

00:07:13That message you sent in the group chat yesterday?

00:07:15Ethan told you to delete it?

00:07:18Yeah.

00:07:20Did you?

00:07:22No.

00:07:24She nodded, then lowered her head to look at her phone again.

00:07:27I waited for a long time, waiting for her to say,

00:07:30Happy Birthday.

00:07:31She didn't.

00:07:33When we reached the training center,

00:07:35she unbuckled her seat belt.

00:07:37Sis, I'm here.

00:07:39Yeah.

00:07:40Train hard.

00:07:41Can you pick me up this afternoon?

00:07:42I finish at five.

00:07:43I have a study group this afternoon.

00:07:45That was a lie.

00:07:47I had nothing this afternoon.

00:07:48I just didn't want to go.

00:07:50Then I'll ask Mom to pick me up.

00:07:51Okay.

00:07:53At 4.50 that afternoon,

00:07:55Mom sent a message in the family group chat.

00:07:58Chloe finishes training at five.

00:08:00Who can pick her up?

00:08:01I'm in a meeting.

00:08:02I'm at a friend's house.

00:08:03Mallory, aren't you free this afternoon?

00:08:05I looked at that message.

00:08:07She started with who can pick her up,

00:08:09but in the end it still landed on me.

00:08:11It's on your way anyway, right?

00:08:12Just go pick her up.

00:08:13It wasn't on my way at all.

00:08:15But in this family, my road was always on the way.

00:08:17My time was always free.

00:08:19I typed okay and sent it.

00:08:21Then I turned my phone face down on the desk.

00:08:25Suddenly, I wondered what would happen if one day I didn't reply with okay.

00:08:32If I turned off my phone, canceled my number, and disappeared too.

00:08:37Would they first panic because no one could pick up Chloe?

00:08:40Or would they think of me first?

00:08:42I knew the answer.

00:08:43When I picked Chloe up, her face was flushed from training and her hair was damp.

00:08:48Sis, I'm thirsty.

00:08:49Where's your water bottle?

00:08:51Finished it.

00:08:52I handed her the spare bottle of water in the car.

00:08:54Thanks, sis.

00:08:56Mmm.

00:08:56On the way home, she soon fell asleep against the window.

00:08:59I adjusted the air conditionings so the car wouldn't be so cold.

00:09:02She was the little princess everyone in the family revolved around.

00:09:05And most of the roads I had driven through this city had been for someone else.

00:09:08But not for much longer.

00:09:10Not long after, the school college counselor called me into her office.

00:09:14Mallory Hayes, I saw your awards record.

00:09:17Honorable Ments in the National Math Olympias.

00:09:20That's impressive.

00:09:21Awards like that carry real weight.

00:09:22Which schools are you considering for early applications?

00:09:25I'm still looking.

00:09:26What do your parents think?

00:09:27I haven't told them yet.

00:09:29Something this important and you're not discussing it with your family first?

00:09:33I want to look into it myself first.

00:09:35I knew that even if I told them, no one would take it seriously.

00:09:38On last month's mock examen, I ranked third in the entire grade.

00:09:41I took a photo of my report card and sent it to the family group chat.

00:09:43My third place ranking stayed in the chat for only a very short while.

00:09:46All it got from mom was one sentence.

00:09:48Not bad.

00:09:48The next message was a video mom sent of Chloe dancing.

00:09:51That afternoon, when I got home, I found a dusty letter among a pile of bills and flyers on the

00:09:56coffee table.

00:09:56It said,

00:09:57Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Hayes.

00:09:59Your daughter, Mallory Hayes, has received an honorable mention in the National High School Mathematics Olympiad.

00:10:04Two months had passed.

00:10:06The envelope hadn't even been opened.

00:10:07It was tucked between bills and pizza courons.

00:10:10Completely forgotten.

00:10:11At dinner, mom answered a FaceTime call from my aunt.

00:10:14My aunt asked about Ethan's swim meet.

00:10:16Mom said he had taken second place in the district, pride filling her voice.

00:10:19My aunt asked about Chloe's dance competition.

00:10:22Mom said she had won gold at regionals, and the judges had praised how steady she was off dyes.

00:10:27How's Mallory?

00:10:28She's applying to college soon too, right?

00:10:31She's doing fine.

00:10:33Third in my grade.

00:10:34A National Math Olympic award.

00:10:36In mom's mouth, all of it became doing fine.

00:10:38I sat at the dining table, still holding the award letter that had been forgotten for two months.

00:10:42No one asked how I had been lately.

00:10:45No one turned to me and said, Mallory, what about you?

00:10:47I went back to my room, opened my laptop, and started looking up colleges that would actually care about competition

00:10:52backgrounds.

00:10:52In the end, I stopped at Carnegie Mellon.

00:10:55Hundreds of miles away from home, no one would remember me, only when they needed someone to pick up my

00:10:59sister.

00:10:59I opened the application page.

00:11:02My fingers hovered over the screen for three seconds, before I finally closed it.

00:11:06I decided to try one more time.

00:11:09If they still couldn't see me this time, I would leave.

00:11:13Completely.

00:11:16Mallory, Ashley is coming to stay with us for a while.

00:11:20Give her your room and share with Chloe for now.

00:11:23Saturday morning, mom said it casually while changing shoes by the door.

00:11:27I was sitting at the dining table eating cereal.

00:11:30My spoon stopped in midair.

00:11:35Why my room?

00:11:36Your room gets the best natural light.

00:11:38Ashley hasn't been feeling well lately and the doctor said more sunlight would be good for her.

00:11:42Ethan's room has a window too.

00:11:44Your brother is a boy, Ashley is a girl, how could they share a room?

00:11:47Then let her stay with Chloe.

00:11:48Chloe needs space to stretch at night.

00:11:50Your room only has a bed and a desk, it's easy to clear out.

00:11:53How long is she staying?

00:11:54About half a month.

00:11:55Her summer program is over here.

00:11:56Okay.

00:11:57I didn't argue anymore.

00:11:58Experience had taught me a long time ago that arguing was useless.

00:12:01That afternoon, Ashley came in dragging two large suitcases, smiling sweetly.

00:12:08Auntie?

00:12:09Uncle?

00:12:10You're here!

00:12:11You're here!

00:12:11Come in!

00:12:13Mom was so warm, as if an important guest had arrived.

00:12:17Ashley pushed her suitcases into my room and looked around from the doorway.

00:12:21Auntie, can this bookshelf be moved out?

00:12:23I want to put a vanity mirror here.

00:12:26Of course.

00:12:28Mallory, move the bookshelf out.

00:12:30On my bookshelf were three years of notebooks, reference books, and a few certificates.

00:12:34It took me an hour to move everything into a corner of Chloe's room.

00:12:39That night, I laid a mattress on the floor of Chloe's room.

00:12:43Sis, why don't you sleep on the bed?

00:12:46I'll sleep on the floor.

00:12:48No, the floor is fine.

00:12:50Ashley is actually okay.

00:12:52Don't be upset.

00:12:54Ashley was never what upset me.

00:12:57What hurt was that in this house, I was always the one expected to give way.

00:13:03On the third day, I went back to my room to get review materials and opened the door to find

00:13:08Ashley flipping through my math competition notes.

00:13:10These are yours?

00:13:11Your handwriting is so neat.

00:13:13Yeah.

00:13:14Please put them back.

00:13:15I was just looking.

00:13:16You're way too protective of this stuff.

00:13:18She casually put the notebook back on the desk.

00:13:21I glanced over and suddenly realized one was missing.

00:13:23There was a blue one on the desk.

00:13:25Where is it?

00:13:25I didn't touch it.

00:13:26I didn't see it.

00:13:27I searched for ten minutes and finally found it in the trash can.

00:13:31Half the cover had been torn off, and several pages inside were soaked with coffee, the writing blurred into smears.

00:13:36It was the problem-solving notebook I had been organizing since freshman year.

00:13:40Three years.

00:13:41I only had that one copy.

00:13:42Ashley, this?

00:13:44Oh, maybe I knocked it over when I was carrying coffee.

00:13:46Just write another one.

00:13:47I stood in the doorway holding the drenched notebook, my hands shaking.

00:13:53I took the notebook back to Chloe's room and dried it page by page with a hair broyer.

00:14:00Where the writing was blurred, I slowly filled it back in with a pencil.

00:14:06I worked until one in the morning.

00:14:08The next morning, Ashley sat in my old seat, chatting happily with Mom.

00:14:12No one asked why the circles under my eyes were so dark, or what had happened last night.

00:14:17And I no longer needed to wait for that one last time.

00:14:20From that day on, I began preparing to leave.

00:14:23Until the day I received my acceptance letter, I knew the time had come to leave this house.

00:14:27I packed my suitcase and bought a Greyhouse ticket for the early dawn departure the next day.

00:14:32The destination was Pittsburgh.

00:14:33Then I walked to the door and placed my house key on the small entryway table.

00:14:37I left the group chat and deactivated my old phone number.

00:14:41The screen went dark.

00:14:43The whole world suddenly became much quieter.

00:14:47I pulled my suitcase, opened the door, and closed it softly behind me.

00:15:03But on my birthday, this house always treats it like any other day.

00:15:07I thought turning 18 would be different.

00:15:10That morning, I got up early on purpose, put on light makeup, and sat on the living room couch to

00:15:16wait.

00:15:16Mom walked past me on her way out, carrying Chloe's dance bag.

00:15:21Heat up your own lunch.

00:15:22I'm taking Chloe to her intensive class.

00:15:25Dad was watering tomatoes in the backyard.

00:15:28Ethan called him to go play basketball at the park, and the two of them left soon after.

00:15:33At noon, I was the only one left in the house.

00:15:37I sent a message in the family group chat.

00:15:39I'm 18 today.

00:15:41No one replied.

00:15:43This family celebrates everyone's birthday.

00:15:46Everyone's but mine.

00:15:48Because my parents only love my twin siblings, Ethan and Chloe.

00:15:51They don't love me.

00:15:53When Ethan wants a birthday party, my parents book a private room at his favorite steakhouse a month in advance.

00:16:00When it's Chloe's turn and she wants to go to Six Flags, the whole family goes.

00:16:04Mom even posts nine photos on Instagram.

00:16:07But on my birthday, this house always treats it like any other day.

00:16:11I thought turning 18 would be different.

00:16:13That morning, I got up early on purpose, put on light makeup, and sat on the living room couch to

00:16:19wait.

00:16:20Mom walked past me on her way out, carrying Chloe's dance bag.

00:16:24Heat up your own lunch.

00:16:26I'm taking Chloe to her intensive class.

00:16:29Dad was watering tomatoes in the backyard.

00:16:32Ethan called him to go play basketball at the park, and the two of them left soon after.

00:16:37At noon, I was the only one left in the house.

00:16:40I sent a message in the family group chat.

00:16:43I'm 18 today.

00:16:45No one replied.

00:16:46At 7 that night, everybody came home.

00:16:49No one sang.

00:16:50No one felt like anything was missing.

00:16:53I was 18 now.

00:16:55At last, I could decide for myself where I wanted to go.

00:16:59Mallory, delete that message from the group chat.

00:17:02I almost missed Grandpa's voice message.

00:17:05Ethan didn't even look up.

00:17:07He tapped the edge of his plate, lightly with his dinner knife, signaling Mom to give him more ribs.

00:17:15I looked down at my phone.

00:17:16The message in the family chat, I'm 18 today, was still sitting there.

00:17:21No one had replied.

00:17:24Mom came over with a plate of garlic bread and set it in the middle of the table.

00:17:30All right.

00:17:31No phones at dinner.

00:17:34I looked at the food on the table.

00:17:36Ethan liked ribs.

00:17:38Chloe liked mac and cheese.

00:17:40Mom had made the salad for herself.

00:17:42Not a single dish was for me.

00:17:44I liked seafood.

00:17:46Grilled salmon was my favorite.

00:17:48I had said it so many times.

00:17:50No one in this family remembered.

00:17:54Dad, today...

00:17:56Dad set down his iced tea and glanced at me.

00:18:00The next second, he turned back to Ethan.

00:18:03How's your wrist from basketball this afternoon?

00:18:05Does the sprain still hurt?

00:18:07It's okay.

00:18:08Shoot.

00:18:08It aches a little when I shoot.

00:18:10I'll take you to a sports therapist tomorrow.

00:18:12My words died in mid-air.

00:18:15I finished dinner quietly and went to wash the dishes.

00:18:18I turned the faucet on high.

00:18:22From the living room came the sound of Chloe practicing ballet basics,

00:18:26her toes landing against the floor one by one.

00:18:28Mom counted beats beside her.

00:18:30Ethan was playing Xbox in his room, shouting every few minutes.

00:18:34Dad was on the couch with his iPad.

00:18:35Everyone in this house had something of their own.

00:18:39Everyone had someone answering them.

00:18:42Except me.

00:18:44I stood in the kitchen, washing platelets and cups for five people.

00:18:50The water was loud.

00:18:51Loud enough that even if I cried, no one would hear.

00:18:55After the dishes, I went back to my room and shut the door.

00:18:58My phone lit up.

00:18:59It was a message in the class group chat.

00:19:01It was the only happy birthday I had received all day

00:19:03from a classmate I had known for less than a year.

00:19:06I replied, thank you.

00:19:07Then I opened my photo album and kept scrolling back.

00:19:10After I turned six, Mom's camera had almost completely turned toward them.

00:19:14Most of the photos were of them.

00:19:16I scrolled for a long time before I finally found one.

00:19:19It was from when I was nine and had entered the school speech contest.

00:19:23Mom had taken it from the audience.

00:19:24The photo was blurry.

00:19:27Only half my body was in it because the other half of the frame was Chloe in the front row,

00:19:32turning back toward the camera with a bright smile.

00:19:35I stood off stage in front of the microphone, my face barely visible.

00:19:40The phone screen dimmed and my face appeared in the black reflection.

00:19:45Eighteen-year-old Mallory Hayes had spent the whole morning putting on makeup,

00:19:49waited all day, and still hadn't gotten a single happy birthday.

00:19:52Mom's voice came from outside the door.

00:19:56Mallory, wake your sister at seven tomorrow morning.

00:20:00She has training at 8.30.

00:20:04Okay.

00:20:07Hey sis, it's seven.

00:20:09Chloe had woken up on her own.

00:20:11She stood in my doorway in a pink leotard, her hair half-tied.

00:20:15I checked my phone.

00:20:166.53.

00:20:17My alarm hadn't even gone off.

00:20:20You got up by yourself?

00:20:21Yeah.

00:20:23I set an alarm.

00:20:24Mom told you to wake me, but I was afraid you didn't sleep well last night.

00:20:29She said it so casually, but the words still stung.

00:20:32She knew I hadn't slept well last night.

00:20:35I'll help you tie your hair.

00:20:37No.

00:20:38It's fine.

00:20:39I can do it.

00:20:42She turned and left.

00:20:44Chloe had always been like that with me.

00:20:47She wasn't cruel.

00:20:49She just wasn't close.

00:20:51She called me sis, but the word carried no weight.

00:20:56The twins had their own rhythm, and I had never been able to enter it.

00:21:00At breakfast, Mom was warming milk for Chloe.

00:21:02Ethan wasn't up yet.

00:21:05Mally, have you eaten?

00:21:07I have.

00:21:08I hadn't.

00:21:10She didn't even check whether there was a bowl I'd used on the table.

00:21:13She just nodded.

00:21:15Chloe, did you pack your water bottle?

00:21:17It's hot today.

00:21:18Drink more water.

00:21:19I did.

00:21:21Mally, drive your sister there.

00:21:23She still doesn't know the stops near the training center.

00:21:25Chloe had been going to that training center for two years.

00:21:29Mom still said she didn't know the way.

00:21:32Okay.

00:21:33As we were leaving, Ethan finally got up and called from his doorway.

00:21:38Mom, what's for breakfast?

00:21:41I left you a bagel and yogurt on the table.

00:21:44A bagel and yogurt.

00:21:45Ethan's regular breakfast.

00:21:48No one had ever asked what I wanted in the morning.

00:21:51On the way to the training center,

00:21:53Chloe sat in the passenger seat scrolling through her phone.

00:21:57She wasn't trying to be cold.

00:21:59It just never occurred to her to talk to me.

00:22:04Sis?

00:22:05When she suddenly spoke, my palm tightened on the wheel.

00:22:10What?

00:22:11That message you sent in the group chat yesterday?

00:22:14Ethan told you to delete it?

00:22:17Yeah.

00:22:18Did you?

00:22:21No.

00:22:22She nodded, then lowered her head to look at her phone again.

00:22:26I waited for a long time, waiting for her to say,

00:22:29Happy Birthday.

00:22:30She didn't.

00:22:32When we reached the training center, she unbuckled her seatbelt.

00:22:35Sis, I'm here.

00:22:37Yeah.

00:22:38Train hard.

00:22:39Can you pick me up this afternoon?

00:22:40I finish at five.

00:22:42I have a study group this afternoon.

00:22:44That was a lie.

00:22:45I had nothing this afternoon.

00:22:47I just didn't want to go.

00:22:48Then I'll ask Mom to pick me up.

00:22:50Okay.

00:22:51At 4.50 that afternoon, Mom sent a message in the family group chat.

00:22:56Chloe finishes training at five.

00:22:58Who can pick her up?

00:22:59I'm in a meeting.

00:23:00I'm at a friend's house.

00:23:02Mallory, aren't you free this afternoon?

00:23:04I looked at that message.

00:23:05She started with who can pick her up, but in the end it still landed on me.

00:23:09It's on your way anyway, right?

00:23:11Just go pick her up.

00:23:12It wasn't on my way at all.

00:23:13But in this family, my road was always on the way.

00:23:16My time was always free.

00:23:17I typed okay and sent it.

00:23:20Then I turned my phone face down on the desk.

00:23:24Suddenly, I wondered, what would happen if one day I didn't reply with okay?

00:23:30If I turned off my phone, canceled my number, and disappeared too, would they first panic

00:23:36because no one could pick up Chloe?

00:23:38Or would they think of me first?

00:23:40I knew the answer.

00:23:42When I picked Chloe up, her face was flushed from training and her hair was damp.

00:23:46Sis, I'm thirsty.

00:23:48Where's your water bottle?

00:23:49Finished it.

00:23:50I handed her the spare bottle of water in the car.

00:23:53Thanks sis.

00:23:54Mmm.

00:23:55On the way home, she soon fell asleep against the window.

00:23:58I adjusted the air conditionings so the car wouldn't be so cold.

00:24:01She was the little princess everyone in the family revolved around.

00:24:04And most of the roads I had driven through this city had been for someone else.

00:24:07But not for much longer.

00:24:09Not long after, the school college counselor called me into her office.

00:24:13Mallory Hayes, I saw your awards record.

00:24:16Honorable Ments in the National Math Olympias.

00:24:18That's impressive.

00:24:19Awards like that carry real weight.

00:24:21Which schools are you considering for early applications?

00:24:23I'm still looking.

00:24:25What do your parents think?

00:24:26I haven't told them yet.

00:24:28Something this important and you're not discussing it with your family first?

00:24:31I want to look into it myself first.

00:24:33I knew that even if I told them, no one would take it seriously.

00:24:36On last month's mock examen, I ranked third in the entire grade.

00:24:39I took a photo of my report card and sent it to the family group chat.

00:24:42My third place ranking stayed in the chat for only a very short while.

00:24:44All it got from mom was one sentence.

00:24:46Not bad.

00:24:46The next message was a video mom sent of Chloe dancing.

00:24:49That afternoon, when I got home, I found a dusty letter among a pile of bills and flyers

00:24:54on the coffee table.

00:24:55It said,

00:24:56Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Hayes.

00:24:58Your daughter, Mallory Hayes, has received an honorable mention in the National High School

00:25:02Mathematics Olympiad.

00:25:03Two months had passed.

00:25:04The envelope hadn't even been opened.

00:25:06It was tucked between bills and pizza courons.

00:25:08Completely forgotten.

00:25:09At dinner, mom answered a FaceTime call from my aunt.

00:25:12My aunt asked about Ethan's swim meet.

00:25:14Mom said he had taken second place in the district, pride filling her voice.

00:25:18My aunt asked about Chloe's dance competition.

00:25:20Mom said she had won gold at regionals, and the judges had praised how steady she was off dyes.

00:25:25How's Mallory?

00:25:26She's applying to college soon too, right?

00:25:30She's doing fine.

00:25:31Third in my grade.

00:25:33A National Math Olympiac award.

00:25:34In mom's mouth, all of it became doing fine.

00:25:37I sat at the dining table, still holding the award letter that had been forgotten for

00:25:40two months.

00:25:41No one asked how I had been lately.

00:25:43No one turned to me and said, Mallory, what about you?

00:25:45I went back to my room, opened my laptop, and started looking up colleges that would actually

00:25:49care about competition backgrounds.

00:25:51In the end, I stopped at Carnegie Mellon.

00:25:53Hundreds of miles away from home, no one would remember me, only when they needed someone

00:25:57to pick up my sister.

00:25:58I opened the application page.

00:26:00My fingers hovered over the screen for three seconds, before I finally closed it.

00:26:05I decided to try one more time.

00:26:07If they still couldn't see me this time, I would leave.

00:26:11Completely.

00:26:15Mallory, Ashley is coming to stay with us for a while.

00:26:19Give her your room and share with Chloe for now.

00:26:21Saturday morning, Mom said it casually while changing shoes by the door.

00:26:25I was sitting at the dining table eating cereal.

00:26:28My spoon stopped in mid-air.

00:26:33Why my room?

00:26:35Your room gets the best natural light.

00:26:37Ashley hasn't been feeling well lately and the doctor said more sunlight would be good for her.

00:26:41Ethan's room has a window too.

00:26:42Your brother is a boy, Ashley is a girl, how could they share a room?

00:26:45Then let her stay with Chloe.

00:26:47Chloe needs space to stretch at night.

00:26:49Your room only has a bed and a desk, it's easy to clear out.

00:26:51How long is she staying?

00:26:53About half a month.

00:26:53Her summer program is over here.

00:26:55Okay.

00:26:55I didn't argue anymore.

00:26:56Experience had taught me a long time ago that arguing was useless.

00:27:00That afternoon, Ashley came in dragging two large suitcases, smiling sweetly.

00:27:07Auntie? Uncle?

00:27:08You're here! You're here! Come in!

00:27:11Mom was so warm, as if an important guest had arrived.

00:27:15Ashley pushed her suitcases into my room and looked around from the doorway.

00:27:19Auntie, can this bookshelf be moved out?

00:27:22I want to put a vanity mirror here.

00:27:25Of course.

00:27:26Mallory, move the bookshelf out.

00:27:28On my bookshelf were three years of notebooks, reference books, and a few certificates.

00:27:33It took me an hour to move everything into a corner of Chloe's room.

00:27:37That night, I laid a mattress on the floor of Chloe's room.

00:27:42Sis, why don't you sleep on the bed? I'll sleep on the floor.

00:27:46No, the floor is fine.

00:27:49Ashley is actually okay. Don't be upset.

00:27:53Ashley was never what upset me.

00:27:56What hurt was that in this house, I was always the one expected to give way.

00:28:02On the third day, I went back to my room to get review materials

00:28:05and opened the door to find Ashley flipping through my math competition notes.

00:28:09These are yours? Your handwriting is so neat.

00:28:12Yeah. Please put them back.

00:28:14I was just looking. You're way too protective of this stuff.

00:28:17She casually put the notebook back on the desk.

00:28:19I glanced over and suddenly realized one was missing.

00:28:22There was a blue one on the desk. Where is it?

00:28:24I didn't touch it. I didn't see it.

00:28:26I searched for ten minutes and finally found it in the trash can.

00:28:29Half the cover had been torn off, and several pages inside were soaked with coffee.

00:28:33The writing blurred into smears.

00:28:35It was the problem-solving notebook I had been organizing since freshman year.

00:28:38Three years. I only had that one copy.

00:28:41Ashley, this?

00:28:42Oh, maybe I knocked it over when I was carrying coffee.

00:28:44Just write another one.

00:28:45I stood in the doorway holding the drenched notebook, my hands shaking.

00:28:52I took the notebook back to Chloe's room and dried it page by page with a hair broyer.

00:28:58Where the writing was blurred, I slowly filled it back in with a pencil.

00:29:05I worked until one in the morning.

00:29:07The next morning, Ashley sat in my old seat, chatting happily with Mom.

00:29:11No one asked why the circles under my eyes were so dark, or what had happened last night.

00:29:15And I no longer needed to wait for that one last time.

00:29:19From that day on, I began preparing to leave.

00:29:22Until the day I received my acceptance letter, I knew the time had come to leave this house.

00:29:26I packed my suitcase and bought a Greyhouse ticket for the early dawn departure the next day.

00:29:30The destination was Pittsburgh.

00:29:32Then I walked to the door and placed my house key on the small entryway table.

00:29:36I left the group chat and deactivated my old phone number.

00:29:40The screen went dark.

00:29:41The whole world suddenly became much quieter.

00:29:45I pulled my suitcase, opened the door, and closed it softly behind me.

00:30:01But on my birthday, this house always treats it like any other day.

00:30:06I thought turning 18 would be different.

00:30:08That morning, I got up early on purpose, put on light makeup, and sat on the living room couch to

00:30:14wait.

00:30:15Mom walked past me on her way out, carrying Chloe's dance bag.

00:30:19Heat up your own lunch.

00:30:20I'm taking Chloe to her intensive class.

00:30:23Dad was watering tomatoes in the backyard.

00:30:27Ethan called him to go play basketball at the park.

00:30:30And the two of them left soon after.

00:30:32At noon, I was the only one left in the house.

00:30:35I sent a message in the family group chat.

00:30:38I'm 18 today.

00:30:40No one replied.

00:30:41This family celebrates everyone's birthday.

00:30:45Everyone's but mine.

00:30:46Because my parents only love my twin siblings, Ethan and Chloe.

00:30:50They don't love me.

00:30:51When Ethan wants a birthday party, my parents book a private room at his favorite steakhouse a month in advance.

00:30:58When it's Chloe's turn and she wants to go to Six Flags, the whole family goes.

00:31:02Mom even posts nine photos on Instagram.

00:31:05But on my birthday, this house always treats it like any other day.

00:31:09I thought turning 18 would be different.

00:31:12That morning, I got up early on purpose, put on light makeup, and sat on the living room couch to

00:31:18wait.

00:31:19Mom walked past me on her way out, carrying Chloe's dance bag.

00:31:23Heat up your own lunch.

00:31:24I'm taking Chloe to her intensive class.

00:31:27Dad was watering tomatoes in the backyard.

00:31:30Ethan called him to go play basketball at the park.

00:31:34And the two of them left soon after.

00:31:36At noon, I was the only one left in the house.

00:31:38I sent a message in the family group chat.

00:31:41I'm 18 today.

00:31:43No one replied.

00:31:45At seven that night, everybody came home.

00:31:47No one sang.

00:31:48No one felt like anything was missing.

00:31:51I was 18 now.

00:31:53At last, I could decide for myself where I wanted to go.

00:31:57Mallory, delete that message from the group chat.

00:32:00I almost missed Grandpa's voice message.

00:32:03Ethan didn't even look up.

00:32:05He tapped the edge of his plate, lightly with his dinner knife, signaling Mom to give him more ribs.

00:32:13I looked down at my phone.

00:32:15The message in the family chat, I'm 18 today, was still sitting there.

00:32:19No one had replied.

00:32:22Mom came over with a plate of garlic bread and set it in the middle of the table.

00:32:28All right.

00:32:30No phones at dinner.

00:32:32I looked at the food on the table.

00:32:35Ethan liked ribs.

00:32:36Chloe liked mac and cheese.

00:32:38Mom had made the salad for herself.

00:32:40Not a single dish was for me.

00:32:42I liked seafood.

00:32:45Grilled salmon was my favorite.

00:32:47I had said it so many times.

00:32:49No one in this family remembered.

00:32:53Dad, today...

00:32:55Dad set down his iced tea and glanced at me.

00:32:58The next second, he turned back to Ethan.

00:33:01How's your wrist from basketball this afternoon?

00:33:03Does the sprain still hurt?

00:33:05It's okay.

00:33:06Shoot.

00:33:07It aches a little when I shoot.

00:33:08I'll take you to a sports therapist tomorrow.

00:33:10My words died in mid-air.

00:33:13I finished dinner quietly and went to wash the dishes.

00:33:17I turned the faucet on high.

00:33:21From the living room came the sound of Chloe practicing ballet basics.

00:33:24Her toes landing against the floor one by one.

00:33:27Mom counted beats beside her.

00:33:29Ethan was playing Xbox in his room, shouting every few minutes.

00:33:32Dad was on the couch with his iPad.

00:33:35Everyone in this house had something of their own.

00:33:37Everyone had someone answering them.

00:33:41Except me.

00:33:43I stood in the kitchen, washing platelets and cups for five people.

00:33:48The water was loud.

00:33:50Loud enough that even if I cried, no one would hear.

00:33:53After the dishes, I went back to my room and shut the door.

00:33:56My phone lit up.

00:33:57It was a message in the class group chat.

00:33:59It was the only happy birthday I had received all day,

00:34:02from a classmate I had known for less than a year.

00:34:04I replied, thank you.

00:34:06Then I opened my photo album and kept scrolling back.

00:34:09After I turned six, Mom's camera had almost completely turned toward them.

00:34:13Most of the photos were of them.

00:34:14I scrolled for a long time before I finally found one.

00:34:17It was from when I was nine and had entered the school speech contest.

00:34:21Mom had taken it from the audience.

00:34:23The photo was blurry.

00:34:25Only half my body was in it,

00:34:26because the other half of the frame was Chloe in the front row,

00:34:30turning back toward the camera with a bright smile.

00:34:33I stood off stage in front of the microphone,

00:34:36my face barely visible.

00:34:38The phone screen dimmed,

00:34:40and my face appeared in the black reflection.

00:34:43Eighteen-year-old Mallory Hayes had spent the whole morning

00:34:46putting on makeup, waited all day,

00:34:48and still hadn't gotten a single happy birthday.

00:34:51Mom's voice came from outside the door.

00:34:55Mallory, wake your sister at seven tomorrow morning.

00:34:59She has training at 8.30.

00:35:02Okay.

00:35:05Hey, sis. It's seven.

00:35:08Chloe had woken up on her own.

00:35:09She stood in my doorway in a pink leotard, her hair half-tied.

00:35:13I checked my phone.

00:35:156.53.

00:35:16My alarm hadn't even gone off.

00:35:18You got up by yourself?

00:35:20Yeah.

00:35:21I set an alarm.

00:35:23Mom told you to wake me,

00:35:24but I was afraid you didn't sleep well last night.

00:35:27She said it so casually,

00:35:29but the words still stung.

00:35:30She knew I hadn't slept well last night.

00:35:33I'll help you tie your hair.

00:35:35No, it's fine.

00:35:37I can do it.

00:35:40She turned and left.

00:35:43Chloe had always been like that with me.

00:35:46She wasn't cruel.

00:35:47She just wasn't close.

00:35:50She called me sis,

00:35:52but the word carried no weight.

00:35:54The twins had their own rhythm,

00:35:56and I had never been able to enter it.

00:35:58At breakfast, Mom was warming milk for Chloe.

00:36:01Ethan wasn't up yet.

00:36:04Mally, have you eaten?

00:36:06I have.

00:36:07I hadn't.

00:36:08She didn't even check whether there was a bowl I'd used on the table.

00:36:11She just nodded.

00:36:13Chloe, did you pack your water bottle?

00:36:15It's hot today.

00:36:16Drink more water.

00:36:18I did.

00:36:19Mally, drive your sister there.

00:36:21She still doesn't know the stops near the training center.

00:36:24Chloe had been going to that training center for two years.

00:36:28Mom still said she didn't know the way.

00:36:31Okay.

00:36:32As we were leaving,

00:36:33Ethan finally got up and called from his doorway.

00:36:36Mom, what's for breakfast?

00:36:39I left you a bagel and yogurt on the table.

00:36:42A bagel and yogurt?

00:36:44Ethan's regular breakfast.

00:36:46No one had ever asked what I wanted in the morning.

00:36:49On the way to the training center,

00:36:52Chloe sat in the passenger seat scrolling through her phone.

00:36:55She wasn't trying to be cold.

00:36:57It just never occurred to her to talk to me.

00:37:02Sis?

00:37:04When she suddenly spoke, my palm tightened on the wheel.

00:37:08What?

00:37:10That message you sent in the group chat yesterday?

00:37:12Ethan told you to delete it?

00:37:15Yeah.

00:37:17Did you?

00:37:19No.

00:37:21She nodded, then lowered her head to look at her phone again.

00:37:24I waited for a long time, waiting for her to say,

00:37:27Happy Birthday.

00:37:28She didn't.

00:37:30When we reached the training center, she unbuckled her seat belt.

00:37:34Sis, I'm here.

00:37:36Yeah.

00:37:37Train hard.

00:37:38Can you pick me up this afternoon?

00:37:39I finish at 5.

00:37:40I have a study group this afternoon.

00:37:42That was a lie.

00:37:44I had nothing this afternoon.

00:37:45I just didn't want to go.

00:37:47Then I'll ask Mom to pick me up.

00:37:48Okay.

00:37:50At 4.50 that afternoon,

00:37:52Mom sent a message in the family group chat.

00:37:55Chloe finishes training at 5.

00:37:57Who can pick her up?

00:37:58I'm in a meeting.

00:37:59I'm at a friend's house.

00:38:00Mallory?

00:38:01Aren't you free this afternoon?

00:38:02I looked at that message.

00:38:04She started with,

00:38:05Who can pick her up?

00:38:06But in the end, it still landed on me.

00:38:08It's on your way anyway, right?

00:38:09Just go pick her up.

00:38:10It wasn't on my way at all.

00:38:12But in this family, my road was always on the way.

00:38:14My time was always free.

00:38:16I typed okay and sent it.

00:38:18Then I turned my phone face down on the desk.

00:38:22Suddenly, I wondered what would happen if one day I didn't reply with okay.

00:38:29If I turned off my phone, canceled my number, and disappeared too.

00:38:34Would they first panic because no one could pick up Chloe?

00:38:37Or would they think of me first?

00:38:39I knew the answer.

00:38:40When I picked Chloe up, her face was flushed from training and her hair was damp.

00:38:45Sis, I'm thirsty.

00:38:46Where's your water bottle?

00:38:48Finished it.

00:38:49I handed her the spare bottle of water in the car.

00:38:51Thanks, sis.

00:38:53On the way home, she soon fell asleep against the window.

00:38:56I adjusted the air conditionings so the car wouldn't be so cold.

00:38:59She was the little princess everyone in the family revolved around.

00:39:02And most of the roads I had driven through this city had been for someone else, but not for much

00:39:06longer.

00:39:07Not long after, the school college counselor called me into her office.

00:39:12Mallory Hayes, I saw your awards record.

00:39:14Honorable Ments in the National Math Olympias.

00:39:16That's impressive.

00:39:18Awards like that carry real weight.

00:39:19Which schools are you considering for early applications?

00:39:22I'm still looking.

00:39:23What do your parents think?

00:39:24I haven't told them yet.

00:39:26Something this important and you're not discussing it with your family first?

00:39:30I want to look into it myself first.

00:39:32I knew that even if I told them, no one would take it seriously.

00:39:35On last month's mock examen, I ranked third in the entire grade.

00:39:38I took a photo of my report card and sent it to the family group chat.

00:39:40My third place ranking stayed in the chat for only a very short while.

00:39:43All it got from mom was one sentence.

00:39:44Not bad.

00:39:45The next message was a video mom sent of Chloe dancing.

00:39:48That afternoon, when I got home, I found a dusty letter among a pile of bills and flyers on the

00:39:53coffee table.

00:39:53It said,

00:39:54Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Hayes.

00:39:56Your daughter, Mallory Hayes, has received an honorable mention in the National High School Mathematics Olympiad.

00:40:01Two months had passed.

00:40:03The envelope hadn't even been opened.

00:40:04It was tucked between bills and pizza courons.

00:40:07Completely forgotten.

00:40:08At dinner, mom answered a FaceTime call from my aunt.

00:40:11My aunt asked about Ethan's swim meet.

00:40:13Mom said he had taken second place in the district, pride filling her voice.

00:40:16My aunt asked about Chloe's dance competition.

00:40:19Mom said she had won gold at regionals.

00:40:21And the judges had praised how steady she was off dyes.

00:40:24How's Mallory?

00:40:25She's applying to college soon too, right?

00:40:28She's doing fine.

00:40:30Third in my grade.

00:40:31A National Math Olympiac award.

00:40:33In mom's mouth, all of it became doing fine.

00:40:35I sat at the dining table, still holding the award letter that had been forgotten for two months.

00:40:40No one asked how I had been lately.

00:40:42No one turned to me and said,

00:40:43Mallory, what about you?

00:40:44I went back to my room, opened my laptop,

00:40:46and started looking up colleges that would actually care about competition backgrounds.

00:40:49In the end, I stopped at Carnegie Mellon.

00:40:52Hundreds of miles away from home, no one would remember me,

00:40:55only when they needed someone to pick up my sister.

00:40:57I opened the application page.

00:40:59My fingers hovered over the screen for three seconds,

00:41:01before I finally closed it.

00:41:03I decided to try one more time.

00:41:06If they still couldn't see me this time,

00:41:08I would leave.

00:41:10Completely.

00:41:13Mallory, Ashley is coming to stay with us for a while.

00:41:17Give her your room and share with Chloe for now.

00:41:20Saturday morning, mom said it casually while changing shoes by the door.

00:41:24I was sitting at the dining table eating cereal.

00:41:27My spoon stopped in mid-air.

00:41:32Why my room?

00:41:33Your room gets the best natural light.

00:41:35Ashley hasn't been feeling well lately,

00:41:37and the doctor said more sunlight would be good for her.

00:41:39Ethan's room has a window too.

00:41:41Your brother is a boy, Ashley is a girl.

00:41:43How could they share a room?

00:41:44Then let her stay with Chloe.

00:41:45Chloe needs space to stretch at night.

00:41:47Your room only has a bed and a desk.

00:41:49It's easy to clear out.

00:41:50How long is she staying?

00:41:51About half a month.

00:41:52Her summer program is over here.

00:41:54Okay.

00:41:54I didn't argue anymore.

00:41:55Experience had taught me a long time ago that arguing was useless.

00:41:58That afternoon, Ashley came in dragging two large suitcases, smiling sweetly.

00:42:05Auntie? Uncle?

00:42:07You're here! You're here! Come in!

00:42:10Mom was so warm, as if an important guest had arrived.

00:42:14Ashley pushed her suitcases into my room and looked around from the doorway.

00:42:18Auntie, can this bookshelf be moved out? I want to put a vanity mirror here.

00:42:23Of course.

00:42:25Mallory, move the bookshelf out.

00:42:27On my bookshelf were three years of notebooks, reference books, and a few certificates.

00:42:32It took me an hour to move everything into a corner of Chloe's room.

00:42:36That night, I laid a mattress on the floor of Chloe's room.

00:42:41Sis, why don't you sleep on the bed? I'll sleep on the floor.

00:42:45No, the floor is fine.

00:42:47Ashley is actually okay. Don't be upset.

00:42:51Ashley was never what upset me.

00:42:54What hurt was that in this house, I was always the one expected to give way.

00:43:00On the third day, I went back to my room to get review materials and opened the door to find

00:43:05Ashley flipping through my math competition notes.

00:43:07These are yours? Your handwriting is so neat.

00:43:10Yeah. Please put them back.

00:43:12I was just looking. You're way too protective of this stuff.

00:43:15She casually put the notebook back on the desk.

00:43:17I glanced over and suddenly realized one was missing.

00:43:20There was a blue one on the desk. Where is it?

00:43:22I didn't touch it. I didn't see it.

00:43:25I searched for ten minutes and finally found it in the trash can.

00:43:28Half the cover had been torn off, and several pages inside were soaked with coffee.

00:43:32The writing blurred into smears.

00:43:34It was the problem-solving notebook I had been organizing since freshman year.

00:43:37Three years. I only had that one copy.

00:43:39Ashley? This?

00:43:41Oh, maybe I knocked it over when I was carrying coffee. Just write another one.

00:43:44I stood in the doorway holding the drenched notebook, my hands shaking.

00:43:50I took the notebook back to Chloe's room and dried it page by page with a hair broyer.

00:43:57Where the writing was blurred, I slowly filled it back in with a pencil.

00:44:03I worked until one in the morning.

00:44:05The next morning, Ashley sat in my old seat, chatting happily with Mom.

00:44:09No one asked why the circles under my eyes were so dark, or what had happened last night.

00:44:14And I no longer needed to wait for that one last time.

00:44:17From that day on, I began preparing to leave.

00:44:20Until the day I received my acceptance letter, I knew the time had come to leave this house.

00:44:24I packed my suitcase and bought a Greyhouse ticket for the early dawn departure the next day.

00:44:29The destination was Pittsburgh.

00:44:31Then I walked to the door and placed my house key on the small entryway table.

00:44:34I left the group chat and deactivated my old phone number.

00:44:38The screen went dark.

00:44:40The whole world suddenly became much quieter.

00:44:44I pulled my suitcase, opened the door, and closed it softly behind me.

00:45:00But on my birthday, this house always treats it like any other day.

00:45:04I thought turning 18 would be different.

00:45:07That morning, I got up early on purpose, put on light makeup, and sat on the living room couch to

00:45:13wait.

00:45:13Mom walked past me on her way out, carrying Chloe's dance bag.

00:45:18Heat up your own lunch. I'm taking Chloe to her intensive class.

00:45:22Dad was watering tomatoes in the backyard.

00:45:25Ethan called him to go play basketball at the park, and the two of them left soon after.

00:45:31At noon, I was the only one left in the house.

00:45:34I sent a message in the family group chat.

00:45:36I'm 18 today.

00:45:38No one replied.

00:45:39This family celebrates everyone's birthday.

00:45:43Everyone's but mine.

00:45:45Because my parents only love my twin siblings, Ethan and Chloe.

00:45:48They don't love me.

00:45:50When Ethan wants a birthday party, my parents book a private room at his favorite steakhouse a month in advance.

00:45:57When it's Chloe's turn and she wants to go to Six Flags, the whole family goes.

00:46:01Mom even posts nine photos on Instagram.

00:46:03But on my birthday, this house always treats it like any other day.

00:46:08I thought turning 18 would be different.

00:46:10That morning, I got up early on purpose, put on light makeup, and sat on the living room couch to

00:46:16wait.

00:46:17Mom walked past me on her way out, carrying Chloe's dance bag.

00:46:21Heat up your own lunch.

00:46:23I'm taking Chloe to her intensive class.

00:46:26Dad was watering tomatoes in the backyard.

00:46:29Ethan called him to go play basketball at the park, and the two of them left soon after.

00:46:34At noon, I was the only one left in the house.

00:46:37I sent a message in the family group chat.

00:46:40I'm 18 today.

00:46:42No one replied.

00:46:44At seven that night, everybody came home.

00:46:46No one sang.

00:46:47No one felt like anything was missing.

00:46:50I was 18 now.

00:46:52At last, I could decide for myself where I wanted to go.

00:46:56Mallory, delete that message from the group chat.

00:46:59I almost missed Grandpa's voice message.

00:47:02Ethan didn't even look up.

00:47:04He tapped the edge of his plate, lightly with his dinner knife, signaling Mom to give him more ribs.

00:47:12I looked down at my phone.

00:47:13The message in the family chat, I'm 18 today, was still sitting there.

00:47:18No one had replied.

00:47:21Mom came over with a plate of garlic bread and set it in the middle of the table.

00:47:26All right.

00:47:28No phones at dinner.

00:47:31I looked at the food on the table.

00:47:33Ethan liked ribs.

00:47:35Chloe liked mac and cheese.

00:47:37Mom had made the salad for herself.

00:47:39Not a single dish was for me.

00:47:41I liked seafood.

00:47:43Grilled salmon was my favorite.

00:47:45I had said it so many times.

00:47:47No one in this family remembered.

00:47:51Dad, today...

00:47:53Dad set down his iced tea and glanced at me.

00:47:57The next second, he turned back to Ethan.

00:48:00How's your wrist from basketball this afternoon?

00:48:02Does the sprain still hurt?

00:48:04It's okay.

00:48:05Shoot.

00:48:05It aches a little when I shoot.

00:48:07I'll take you to a sports therapist tomorrow.

00:48:09My words died in mid-air.

00:48:12I finished dinner quietly and went to wash the dishes.

00:48:15I turned the faucet on high.

00:48:19From the living room came the sound of Chloe practicing ballet basics.

00:48:23Her toes landing against the floor one by one.

00:48:25Mom counted beats beside her.

00:48:27Ethan was playing Xbox in his room.

00:48:29Shouting every few minutes.

00:48:31Dad was on the couch with his iPad.

00:48:33Everyone in this house had something of their own.

00:48:35Everyone had someone answering them.

00:48:39Except me.

00:48:41I stood in the kitchen, washing platelets and cups for five people.

00:48:47The water was loud.

00:48:48Loud enough that even if I cried, no one would hear.

00:48:52After the dishes, I went back to my room and shut the door.

00:48:55My phone lit up.

00:48:56It was a message in the class group chat.

00:48:58It was the only happy birthday I had received all day

00:49:00from a classmate I had known for less than a year.

00:49:03I replied, thank you.

00:49:04Then I opened my photo album and kept scrolling back.

00:49:07After I turned six, Mom's camera had almost completely turned toward them.

00:49:11Most of the photos were of them.

00:49:13I scrolled for a long time before I finally found one.

00:49:16It was from when I was nine and had entered the school speech contest.

00:49:20Mom had taken it from the audience.

00:49:22The photo was blurry.

00:49:23Only half my body was in it.

00:49:25Because the other half of the frame was Chloe in the front row.

00:49:29Turning back toward the camera with a bright smile.

00:49:32I stood off stage in front of the microphone, my face barely visible.

00:49:37The phone screen dimmed, and my face appeared in the black reflection.

00:49:42Eighteen-year-old Mallory Hayes had spent the whole morning putting on makeup,

00:49:46waited all day, and still hadn't gotten a single happy birthday.

00:49:49Mom's voice came from outside the door.

00:49:53Mallory, wake your sister at seven tomorrow morning.

00:49:57She has training at 8.30.

00:50:01Okay.

00:50:04Hey sis, it's seven.

00:50:06Chloe had woken up on her own.

00:50:08She stood in my doorway in a pink leotard, her hair half-tied.

00:50:12I checked my phone.

00:50:136.53.

00:50:14My alarm hadn't even gone off.

00:50:17You got up by yourself?

00:50:18Yeah.

00:50:20I set an alarm.

00:50:21Mom told you to wake me, but I was afraid you didn't sleep well last night.

00:50:26She said it so casually, but the words still stung.

00:50:29She knew I hadn't slept well last night.

00:50:32I'll help you tie your hair.

00:50:34No, it's fine.

00:50:35I can do it.

00:50:39She turned and left.

00:50:41Chloe had always been like that with me.

00:50:44She wasn't cruel.

00:50:45She just wasn't close.

00:50:48She called me sis, but the word carried no weight.

00:50:53The twins had their own rhythm, and I had never been able to enter it.

00:50:57At breakfast, Mom was warming milk for Chloe.

00:51:00Ethan wasn't up yet.

00:51:02Mally, have you eaten?

00:51:04I have.

00:51:05I hadn't.

00:51:07She didn't even check whether there was a bowl I'd used on the table.

00:51:10She just nodded.

00:51:11Chloe, did you pack your water bottle?

00:51:14It's hot today.

00:51:14Drink more water.

00:51:16I did.

00:51:18Mally, drive your sister there.

00:51:20She still doesn't know the stops near the training center.

00:51:23Chloe had been going to that training center for two years.

00:51:26Mom still said she didn't know the way.

00:51:29Okay.

00:51:30As we were leaving, Ethan finally got up and called from his doorway.

00:51:35Mom, what's for breakfast?

00:51:38I left you a bagel and yogurt on the table.

00:51:40A bagel and yogurt?

00:51:42Ethan's regular breakfast.

00:51:45No one had ever asked what I wanted in the morning.

00:51:48On the way to the training center, Chloe sat in the passenger seat scrolling through her phone.

00:51:54She wasn't trying to be cold.

00:51:56It just never occurred to her to talk to me.

00:52:01Sis?

00:52:01Yes.

00:52:02When she suddenly spoke, my palm tightened on the wheel.

00:52:07What?

00:52:08That message you sent in the group chat yesterday?

00:52:11Ethan told you to delete it?

00:52:13Yeah.

00:52:15Did you?

00:52:18No.

00:52:19She nodded, then lowered her head to look at her phone again.

00:52:22I waited for a long time, waiting for her to say,

00:52:26Happy Birthday.

00:52:27She didn't.

00:52:29When we reached the training center, she unbuckled her seat belt.

00:52:32Sis, I'm here.

00:52:34Yeah.

00:52:35Train hard.

00:52:36Can you pick me up this afternoon?

00:52:37I finish at 5.

00:52:38I have a study group this afternoon.

00:52:41That was a lie.

00:52:42I had nothing this afternoon.

00:52:44I just didn't want to go.

00:52:45Then I'll ask Mom to pick me up.

00:52:47Okay.

00:52:48At 4.50 that afternoon, Mom sent a message in the family group chat.

00:52:53Chloe finishes training at 5.

00:52:55Who can pick her up?

00:52:56I'm in a meeting.

00:52:57I'm at a friend's house.

00:52:59Mallory?

00:52:59Aren't you free this afternoon?

00:53:01I looked at that message.

00:53:02She started with who can pick her up, but in the end it still landed on me.

00:53:06It's on your way anyway, right?

00:53:08Just go pick her up.

00:53:09It wasn't on my way at all.

00:53:10But in this family, my road was always on the way.

00:53:13My time was always free.

00:53:15I typed okay and sent it.

00:53:17Then I turned my phone face down on the desk.

00:53:21Suddenly, I wondered, what would happen if one day I didn't reply with okay?

00:53:27If I turned off my phone, canceled my number, and disappeared too?

00:53:32Would they first panic because no one could pick up Chloe?

00:53:35Or would they think of me first?

00:53:37I knew the answer.

00:53:38When I picked Chloe up, her face was flushed from training and her hair was damp.

00:53:43Sis, I'm thirsty.

00:53:45Where's your water bottle?

00:53:46Finished it.

00:53:48I handed her the spare bottle of water in the car.

00:53:50Thanks, sis.

00:53:51Mmm.

00:53:52On the way home, she soon fell asleep against the window.

00:53:55I adjusted the air conditionings so the car wouldn't be so cold.

00:53:58She was the little princess everyone in the family revolved around,

00:54:00and most of the roads I had driven through this city had been for someone else,

00:54:04but not for much longer.

00:54:06Not long after, the school college counselor called me into her office.

00:54:10Mallory Hayes, I saw your awards record.

00:54:13Honorable Ments in the National Math Olympias.

00:54:15That's impressive.

00:54:16Awards like that carry real weight.

00:54:18Which schools are you considering for early applications?

00:54:20I'm still looking.

00:54:21What do your parents think?

00:54:23I haven't told them yet.

00:54:24Something this important, and you're not discussing it with your family first?

00:54:28I want to look into it myself first.

00:54:30I knew that even if I told them, no one would take it seriously.

00:54:33On last month's mock examen, I ranked third in the entire grade.

00:54:36I took a photo of my report card and sent it to the family group chat.

00:54:39My third place ranking stayed in the chat for only a very short while.

00:54:41All it got from mom was one sentence. Not bad.

00:54:44The next message was a video mom sent of Chloe dancing.

00:54:46That afternoon, when I got home, I found a dusty letter

00:54:49among a pile of bills and flyers on the coffee table.

00:54:52It said,

00:54:53Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Hayes.

00:54:55Your daughter, Mallory Hayes, has received an honorable mention

00:54:58in the National High School Mathematics Olympiad.

00:55:00Two months had passed.

00:55:01The envelope hadn't even been opened.

00:55:03It was tucked between bills and pizza courons.

00:55:05Completely forgotten.

00:55:06At dinner, mom answered a FaceTime call from my aunt.

00:55:09My aunt asked about Ethan's swim meet.

00:55:11Mom said he had taken second place in the district, pride filling her voice.

00:55:15My aunt asked about Chloe's dance competition.

00:55:17Mom said she had won gold at regionals,

00:55:19and the judges had praised how steady she was off dyes.

00:55:22How's Mallory?

00:55:23She's applying to college soon too, right?

00:55:27She's doing fine.

00:55:29Third in my grade, a National Math Olympiac award.

00:55:31In mom's mouth, all of it became doing fine.

00:55:34I sat at the dining table, still holding the award letter that had been forgotten for two months.

00:55:38No one asked how I had been lately.

00:55:40No one turned to me and said,

00:55:41Mallory, what about you?

00:55:42I went back to my room, opened my laptop,

00:55:44and started looking up colleges that would actually care about competition backgrounds.

00:55:48In the end, I stopped at Carnegie Mellon.

00:55:50Hundreds of miles away from home, no one would remember me,

00:55:53only when they needed someone to pick up my sister.

00:55:55I opened the application page.

00:55:57My fingers hovered over the screen for three seconds,

00:56:00before I finally closed it.

00:56:02I decided to try one more time.

00:56:04If they still couldn't see me this time,

00:56:06I would leave.

00:56:08Completely.

00:56:12Mallory, Ashley is coming to stay with us for a while.

00:56:16Give her your room and share with Chloe for now.

00:56:18Saturday morning, Mom said it casually while changing shoes by the door.

00:56:23I was sitting at the dining table eating cereal.

00:56:25My spoon stopped in mid-air.

00:56:30Why my room?

00:56:32Your room gets the best natural light.

00:56:34Ashley hasn't been feeling well lately,

00:56:35and the doctor said more sunlight would be good for her.

00:56:38Ethan's room has a window, too.

00:56:39Your brother is a boy.

00:56:40Ashley is a girl.

00:56:41How could they share a room?

00:56:42Then let her stay with Chloe.

00:56:44Chloe needs space to stretch at night.

00:56:46Your room only has a bed and a desk.

00:56:47It's easy to clear out.

00:56:48How long is she staying?

00:56:50About half a month.

00:56:50Her summer program is over here.

00:56:52Okay.

00:56:52I didn't argue anymore.

00:56:53Experience had taught me a long time ago that arguing was useless.

00:56:57That afternoon, Ashley came in dragging two large suitcases, smiling sweetly.

00:57:04Auntie? Uncle?

00:57:05You're here! You're here! Come in!

00:57:08Mom was so warm, as if an important guest had arrived.

00:57:12Ashley pushed her suitcases into my room and looked around from the doorway.

00:57:16Auntie, can this bookshelf be moved out?

00:57:19I want to put a vanity mirror here.

00:57:22Of course.

00:57:23Mallory, move the bookshelf out.

00:57:26On my bookshelf were three years of notebooks, reference books, and a few certificates.

00:57:30It took me an hour to move everything into a corner of Chloe's room.

00:57:34That night, I laid a mattress on the floor of Chloe's room.

00:57:39Sis, why don't you sleep on the bed? I'll sleep on the floor.

00:57:43No, the floor is fine.

00:57:46Ashley is actually okay. Don't be upset.

00:57:50Ashley was never what upset me.

00:57:53What hurt was that in this house, I was always the one expected to give way.

00:57:59On the third day, I went back to my room to get review materials and opened the door to find

00:58:03Ashley flipping through my math competition notes.

00:58:06These are yours? Your handwriting is so neat.

00:58:09Yeah. Please put them back.

00:58:11I was just looking. You're way too protective of this stuff.

00:58:14She casually put the notebook back on the desk.

00:58:16I glanced over and suddenly realized one was missing.

00:58:19There was a blue one on the desk. Where is it?

00:58:21I didn't touch it. I didn't see it.

00:58:23I searched for ten minutes and finally found it in the trash can.

00:58:26Half the cover had been torn off, and several pages inside were soaked with coffee, the writing blurred into smears.

00:58:32It was the problem-solving notebook I had been organizing since freshman year.

00:58:35Three years. I only had that one copy.

00:58:38Ashley, this?

00:58:39Oh, maybe I knocked it over when I was carrying coffee. Just write another one.

00:58:42I stood in the doorway holding the drenched notebook, my hands shaking.

00:58:49I took the notebook back to Chloe's room and dried it page by page with a hair broyer.

00:58:55Where the writing was blurred, I slowly filled it back in with a pencil.

00:59:02I worked until one in the morning.

00:59:04The next morning, Ashley sat in my old seat, chatting happily with Mom.

00:59:08No one asked why the circles under my eyes were so dark, or what had happened last night.

00:59:12And I no longer needed to wait for that one last time.

00:59:16From that day on, I began preparing to leave.

00:59:19Until the day I received my acceptance letter, I knew the time had come to leave this house.

00:59:23I packed my suitcase and bought a Greyhouse ticket for the early dawn departure the next day.

00:59:27The destination was Pittsburgh.

00:59:29Then I walked to the door and placed my house key on the small entryway table.

00:59:33I left the group chat and deactivated my old phone number.

00:59:37The screen went dark.

00:59:38The whole world suddenly became much quieter.

00:59:42I pulled my suitcase, opened the door, and closed it softly behind me.

00:59:58But on my birthday, this house always treats it like any other day.

01:00:03I thought turning 18 would be different.

01:00:05That morning, I got up early on purpose, put on light makeup, and sat on the living room couch to

01:00:11wait.

01:00:12Mom walked past me on her way out, carrying Chloe's dance bag.

01:00:16Heat up your own lunch. I'm taking Chloe to her intensive class.

01:00:20Dad was watering tomatoes in the backyard.

01:00:24Ethan called him to go play basketball at the park, and the two of them left soon after.

01:00:29At noon, I was the only one left in the house.

01:00:32I sent a message in the family group chat.

01:00:35I'm 18 today.

01:00:37No one replied.

01:00:38This family celebrates everyone's birthday.

01:00:42Everyone's but mine.

01:00:43Because my parents only love my twin siblings, Ethan and Chloe.

01:00:47They don't love me.

01:00:48When Ethan wants a birthday party, my parents book a private room at his favorite steakhouse a month in advance.

01:00:55When it's Chloe's turn and she wants to go to Six Flags, the whole family goes.

01:00:59Mom even posts nine photos on Instagram.

01:01:02But on my birthday, this house always treats it like any other day.

01:01:06I thought turning 18 would be different.

01:01:09That morning, I got up early on purpose, put on light makeup, and sat on the living room couch to

01:01:15wait.

01:01:16Mom walked past me on her way out, carrying Chloe's dance bag.

01:01:20Heat up your own lunch.

01:01:21I'm taking Chloe to her intensive class.

01:01:24Dad was watering tomatoes in the backyard.

01:01:27Ethan called him to go play basketball at the park, and the two of them left soon after.

01:01:33At noon, I was the only one left in the house.

01:01:36I sent a message in the family group chat.

01:01:38I'm 18 today.

01:01:40No one replied.

01:01:42At seven that night, everybody came home.

01:01:44No one sang.

01:01:45No one felt like anything was missing.

01:01:48I was 18 now.

01:01:50At last, I could decide for myself where I wanted to go.

01:01:54Mallory, delete that message from the group chat.

01:01:57I almost missed Grandpa's voice message.

01:02:00Ethan didn't even look up.

01:02:03He tapped the edge of his plate, lightly with his dinner knife, signaling Mom to give him more ribs.

01:02:10I looked down at my phone.

01:02:12The message in the family chat, I'm 18 today, was still sitting there.

01:02:17No one had replied.

01:02:19Mom came over with a plate of garlic bread and set it in the middle of the table.

01:02:25All right.

01:02:27No phones at dinner.

01:02:29I looked at the food on the table.

01:02:32Ethan liked ribs.

01:02:33Chloe liked mac and cheese.

01:02:35Mom had made the salad for herself.

01:02:37Not a single dish was for me.

01:02:39I liked seafood.

01:02:42Grilled salmon was my favorite.

01:02:44I had said it so many times.

01:02:46No one in this family remembered.

01:02:50Dad, today...

01:02:52Dad set down his iced tea and glanced at me.

01:02:55The next second, he turned back to Ethan.

01:02:58How's your wrist from basketball this afternoon?

01:03:00Does the sprain still hurt?

01:03:02It's okay.

01:03:03Shoot.

01:03:04It aches a little when I shoot.

01:03:05I'll take you to a sports therapist tomorrow.

01:03:07My words died in mid-air.

01:03:10I finished dinner quietly and went to wash the dishes.

01:03:14I turned the faucet on high.

01:03:18From the living room came the sound of Chloe practicing ballet basics.

01:03:21Her toes landing against the floor one by one.

01:03:24Mom counted beats beside her.

01:03:26Ethan was playing Xbox in his room, shouting every few minutes.

01:03:29Dad was on the couch with his iPad.

01:03:31Everyone in this house had something of their own.

01:03:34Everyone had someone answering them.

01:03:38Except me.

01:03:40I stood in the kitchen, washing platelets and cups for five people.

01:03:45The water was loud.

01:03:47Loud enough that even if I cried, no one would hear.

01:03:50After the dishes, I went back to my room and shut the door.

01:03:53My phone lit up.

01:03:54It was a message in the class group chat.

01:03:56It was the only happy birthday I had received all day,

01:03:59from a classmate I had known for less than a year.

01:04:01I replied, thank you.

01:04:03Then I opened my photo album and kept scrolling back.

01:04:06After I turned six, Mom's camera had almost completely turned toward them.

01:04:10Most of the photos were of them.

01:04:11I scrolled for a long time before I finally found one.

01:04:14It was from when I was nine and had entered the school speech contest.

01:04:18Mom had taken it from the audience.

01:04:20The photo was blurry.

01:04:21Only half my body was in it, because the other half of the frame was Chloe in the front row,

01:04:27turning back toward the camera with a bright smile.

01:04:30I stood off stage in front of the microphone, my face barely visible.

01:04:35The phone screen dimmed, and my face appeared in the black reflection.

01:04:40Eighteen-year-old Mallory Hayes had spent the whole morning putting on makeup,

01:04:44waited all day, and still hadn't gotten a single happy birthday.

01:04:48Mom's voice came from outside the door.

01:04:52Mallory, wake your sister at seven tomorrow morning.

01:04:56She has training at 8.30.

01:04:59Okay.

01:05:02Hey, sis. It's seven.

01:05:05Chloe had woken up on her own.

01:05:06She stood in my doorway in a pink leotard, her hair half-tied.

01:05:10I checked my phone.

01:05:126.53. My alarm hadn't even gone off.

01:05:15You got up by yourself?

01:05:17Yeah.

01:05:18I set an alarm.

01:05:20Mom told you to wake me, but I was afraid you didn't sleep well last night.

01:05:24She said it so casually, but the words still stung.

01:05:27She knew I hadn't slept well last night.

01:05:30I'll help you tie your hair.

01:05:32No, it's fine. I can do it.

01:05:37She turned and left.

01:05:40Chloe had always been like that with me.

01:05:42She wasn't cruel.

01:05:44She just wasn't close.

01:05:47She called me sis, but the word carried no weight.

01:05:51The twins had their own rhythm, and I had never been able to enter it.

01:05:55At breakfast, Mom was warming milk for Chloe.

01:05:58Ethan wasn't up yet.

01:06:01Mally, have you eaten?

01:06:03I have.

01:06:04I hadn't.

01:06:05She didn't even check whether there was a bowl I'd used on the table.

01:06:08She just nodded.

01:06:10Chloe, did you pack your water bottle?

01:06:12It's hot today. Drink more water.

01:06:15I did.

01:06:16Mally, drive your sister there.

01:06:18She still doesn't know the stops near the training center.

01:06:21Chloe had been going to that training center for two years.

01:06:24Mom still said she didn't know the way.

01:06:28Okay.

01:06:29As we were leaving, Ethan finally got up and called from his doorway.

01:06:33Mom, what's for breakfast?

01:06:36I left you a bagel and yogurt on the table.

01:06:39A bagel and yogurt.

01:06:41Ethan's regular breakfast.

01:06:43No one had ever asked what I wanted in the morning.

01:06:46On the way to the training center,

01:06:49Chloe sat in the passenger seat scrolling through her phone.

01:06:52She wasn't trying to be cold.

01:06:54It just never occurred to her to talk to me.

01:06:59Sis?

01:07:01When she suddenly spoke, my palm tightened on the wheel.

01:07:05What?

01:07:07That message you sent in the group chat yesterday?

01:07:09Ethan told you to delete it?

01:07:12Yeah.

01:07:14Did you?

01:07:16No.

01:07:18She nodded, then lowered her head to look at her phone again.

01:07:21I waited for a long time, waiting for her to say,

01:07:24Happy Birthday.

01:07:25She didn't.

01:07:27When we reached the training center, she unbuckled her seat belt.

01:07:31Sis, I'm here.

01:07:33Yeah. Train hard.

01:07:35Can you pick me up this afternoon? I finish at 5.

01:07:37I have a study group this afternoon.

01:07:39That was a lie.

01:07:41I had nothing this afternoon.

01:07:42I just didn't want to go.

01:07:44Then I'll ask Mom to pick me up.

01:07:45Okay.

01:07:47At 4.50 that afternoon, Mom sent a message in the family group chat.

01:07:52Chloe finishes training at 5.

01:07:54Who can pick her up?

01:07:55I'm in a meeting.

01:07:56I'm at a friend's house.

01:07:57Mallory? Aren't you free this afternoon?

01:07:59I looked at that message.

01:08:01She started with who can pick her up, but in the end it still landed on me.

01:08:05It's on your way anyway, right? Just go pick her up.

01:08:07It wasn't on my way at all.

01:08:09But in this family, my road was always on the way.

01:08:11My time was always free.

01:08:13I typed okay and sent it.

01:08:15Then I turned my phone face down on the desk.

01:08:19Suddenly, I wondered what would happen if one day I didn't reply with okay.

01:08:26If I turned off my phone, canceled my number, and disappeared too.

01:08:31Would they first panic because no one could pick up Chloe?

01:08:34Or would they think of me first?

01:08:36I knew the answer.

01:08:37When I picked Chloe up, her face was flushed from training and her hair was damp.

01:08:42Sis, I'm thirsty.

01:08:43Where's your water bottle?

01:08:45Finished it.

01:08:46I handed her the spare bottle of water in the car.

01:08:48Thanks, sis.

01:08:50On the way home, she soon fell asleep against the window.

01:08:53I adjusted the air conditionings so the car wouldn't be so cold.

01:08:56She was the little princess everyone in the family revolved around.

01:08:59And most of the roads I had driven through this city had been for someone else.

01:09:02But not for much longer.

01:09:05Not long after, the school college counselor called me into her office.

01:09:08Mallory Hayes, I saw your awards record.

01:09:11Honorable Ments in the National Math Olympias.

01:09:14That's impressive.

01:09:15Awards like that carry real weight.

01:09:16Which schools are you considering for early applications?

01:09:19I'm still looking.

01:09:20What do your parents think?

01:09:21I haven't told them yet.

01:09:23Something this important, and you're not discussing it with your family first?

01:09:27I want to look into it myself first.

01:09:29I knew that even if I told them, no one would take it seriously.

01:09:32On last month's mock exam, I ranked third in the entire grade.

01:09:35I took a photo of my report card and sent it to the family group chat.

01:09:37My third place ranking stayed in the chat for only a very short while.

01:09:40All it got from mom was one sentence.

01:09:41Not bad.

01:09:42The next message was a video mom sent of Chloe dancing.

01:09:45That afternoon, when I got home, I found a dusty letter among a pile of bills and flyers on the

01:09:50coffee table.

01:09:50It said, Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Hayes.

01:09:53Your daughter, Mallory Hayes, has received an honorable mention in the National High School Mathematics Olympiad.

01:09:58Two months had passed. The envelope hadn't even been opened.

01:10:01It was tucked between bills and pizza courons.

01:10:04Completely forgotten.

01:10:05At dinner, mom answered a FaceTime call from my aunt.

01:10:08My aunt asked about Ethan's swim meet.

01:10:10Mom said he had taken second place in the district, pride filling her voice.

01:10:14My aunt asked about Chloe's dance competition.

01:10:16Mom said she had won gold at regionals, and the judges had praised how steady she was off dyes.

01:10:21How's Mallory? She's applying to college soon too, right?

01:10:25She's doing fine.

01:10:27Third in my grade, a National Math Olympiac award.

01:10:30In mom's mouth, all of it became doing fine.

01:10:32I sat at the dining table, still holding the award letter that had been forgotten for two months.

01:10:36No one asked how I had been lately.

01:10:39No one turned to me and said, Mallory, what about you?

01:10:41I went back to my room, opened my laptop, and started looking up colleges that would actually care about competition

01:10:46backgrounds.

01:10:46In the end, I stopped at Carnegie Mellon.

01:10:49Hundreds of miles away from home, no one would remember me, only when they needed someone to pick up my

01:10:53sister.

01:10:53I opened the application page.

01:10:56My fingers hovered over the screen for three seconds, before I finally closed it.

01:11:00I decided to try one more time.

01:11:03If they still couldn't see me this time, I would leave.

01:11:07Completely.

01:11:10Mallory, Ashley is coming to stay with us for a while.

01:11:14Give her your room and share with Chloe for now.

01:11:17Saturday morning, Mom said it casually while changing shoes by the door.

01:11:21I was sitting at the dining table eating cereal.

01:11:24My spoon stopped in mid-air.

01:11:29Why my room?

01:11:30Your room gets the best natural light.

01:11:32Ashley hasn't been feeling well lately and the doctor said more sunlight would be good for her.

01:11:36Ethan's room has a window too.

01:11:38Your brother is a boy, Ashley is a girl, how could they share a room?

01:11:41Then let her stay with Chloe.

01:11:42Chloe needs space to stretch at night.

01:11:44Your room only has a bed and a desk, it's easy to clear out.

01:11:47How long is she staying?

01:11:48About half a month.

01:11:49Her summer program is over here.

01:11:50Okay.

01:11:51I didn't argue anymore.

01:11:52Experience had taught me a long time ago that arguing was useless.

01:11:55That afternoon, Ashley came in dragging two large suitcases, smiling sweetly.

01:12:03Auntie? Uncle?

01:12:04You're here! You're here! Come in!

01:12:07Mom was so warm, as if an important guest had arrived.

01:12:11Ashley pushed her suitcases into my room and looked around from the doorway.

01:12:14Auntie, can this bookshelf be moved out? I want to put a vanity mirror here.

01:12:20Of course.

01:12:22Mallory, move the bookshelf out.

01:12:24On my bookshelf were three years of notebooks, reference books, and a few certificates.

01:12:28It took me an hour to move everything into a corner of Chloe's room.

01:12:33That night, I laid a mattress on the floor of Chloe's room.

01:12:37Sis, why don't you sleep on the bed? I'll sleep on the floor.

01:12:42No. The floor is fine.

01:12:44Ashley is actually okay. Don't be upset.

01:12:48Ashley was never what upset me.

01:12:51What hurt was that in this house, I was always the one expected to give way.

01:12:57On the third day, I went back to my room to get review materials,

01:13:00and opened the door to find Ashley flipping through my math competition notes.

01:13:04These are yours? Your handwriting is so neat.

01:13:07Yeah. Please put them back.

01:13:09I was just looking. You're way too protective of this stuff.

01:13:12She casually put the notebook back on the desk.

01:13:14I glanced over and suddenly realized one was missing.

01:13:17There was a blue one on the desk. Where is it?

01:13:19I didn't touch it. I didn't see it.

01:13:21I searched for ten minutes and finally found it in the trash can.

01:13:25Half the cover had been torn off, and several pages inside were soaked with coffee.

01:13:29The writing blurred into smears.

01:13:30It was the problem-solving notebook I had been organizing since freshman year.

01:13:34Three years. I only had that one copy.

01:13:36Ashley? This?

01:13:38Oh, maybe I knocked it over when I was carrying coffee. Just write another one.

01:13:41I stood in the doorway holding the drenched notebook, my hands shaking.

01:13:47I took the notebook back to Chloe's room and dried it page by page with a hair broyer.

01:13:54Where the writing was blurred, I slowly filled it back in with a pencil.

01:14:00I worked until one in the morning.

01:14:02The next morning, Ashley sat in my old seat, chatting happily with Mom.

01:14:06No one asked why the circles under my eyes were so dark, or what had happened last night.

01:14:11And I no longer needed to wait for that one last time.

01:14:14From that day on, I began preparing to leave.

01:14:17Until the day I received my acceptance letter, I knew the time had come to leave this house.

01:14:21I packed my suitcase and bought a Greyhouse ticket for the early dawn departure the next day.

01:14:26The destination was Pittsburgh.

01:14:28Then I walked to the door and placed my house key on the small entryway table.

01:14:31I left the group chat and deactivated my old phone number.

01:14:35The screen went dark.

01:14:37The whole world suddenly became much quieter.

01:14:41I pulled my suitcase, opened the door, and closed it softly behind me.

01:14:57But on my birthday, this house always treats it like any other day.

01:15:01I thought turning 18 would be different.

01:15:04That morning, I got up early on purpose, put on light makeup, and sat on the living room couch to

01:15:10wait.

01:15:10Mom walked past me on her way out, carrying Chloe's dance bag.

01:15:14Heat up your own lunch.

01:15:16I'm taking Chloe to her intensive class.

01:15:19Dad was watering tomatoes in the backyard.

01:15:22Ethan called him to go play basketball at the park, and the two of them left soon after.

01:15:28At noon, I was the only one left in the house.

01:15:31I sent a message in the family group chat.

01:15:33I'm 18 today.

01:15:35No one replied.

01:15:37This family celebrates everyone's birthday.

01:15:40Everyone's but mine.

01:15:41Because my parents only love my twin siblings, Ethan and Chloe.

01:15:45They don't love me.

01:15:47When Ethan wants a birthday party, my parents book a private room at his favorite steakhouse a month in advance.

01:15:54When it's Chloe's turn and she wants to go to Six Flags, the whole family goes.

01:15:58Mom even posts nine photos on Instagram.

01:16:00But on my birthday, this house always treats it like any other day.

01:16:05I thought turning 18 would be different.

01:16:07That morning, I got up early on purpose, put on light makeup, and sat on the living room couch to

01:16:13wait.

01:16:14Mom walked past me on her way out, carrying Chloe's dance bag.

01:16:18Heat up your own lunch.

01:16:20I'm taking Chloe to her intensive class.

01:16:23Dad was watering tomatoes in the backyard.

01:16:26Ethan called him to go play basketball at the park, and the two of them left soon after.

01:16:31At noon, I was the only one left in the house.

01:16:34I sent a message in the family group chat.

01:16:37I'm 18 today.

01:16:39No one replied.

01:16:41At 7 that night, everybody came home.

01:16:43No one sang.

01:16:44No one felt like anything was missing.

01:16:47I was 18 now.

01:16:49At last, I could decide for myself where I wanted to go.

01:16:53Mallory, delete that message from the group chat.

01:16:56I almost missed Grandpa's voice message.

01:16:59Ethan didn't even look up.

01:17:01He tapped the edge of his plate, lightly with his dinner knife, signaling Mom to give him more ribs.

01:17:09I looked down at my phone.

01:17:10The message in the family chat, I'm 18 today, was still sitting there.

01:17:15No one had replied.

01:17:18Mom came over with a plate of garlic bread and set it in the middle of the table.

01:17:24All right.

01:17:25No phones at dinner.

01:17:28I looked at the food on the table.

01:17:30Ethan liked ribs.

01:17:32Chloe liked mac and cheese.

01:17:34Mom had made the salad for herself.

01:17:36Not a single dish was for me.

01:17:38I liked seafood.

01:17:40Grilled salmon was my favorite.

01:17:42I had said it so many times.

01:17:44No one in this family remembered.

01:17:49Dad, today...

01:17:50Dad set down his iced tea and glanced at me.

01:17:54The next second, he turned back to Ethan.

01:17:57How's your wrist from basketball this afternoon?

01:17:59Does the sprain still hurt?

01:18:01It's okay. Shoot. It aches a little when I shoot.

01:18:03I'll take you to a sports therapist tomorrow.

01:18:06My words died in mid-air.

01:18:09I finished dinner quietly and went to wash the dishes.

01:18:12I turned the faucet on high.

01:18:16From the living room came the sound of Chloe practicing ballet basics.

01:18:20Her toes landing against the floor one by one.

01:18:22Mom counted beats beside her.

01:18:24Ethan was playing Xbox in his room, shouting every few minutes.

01:18:28Dad was on the couch with his iPad.

01:18:30Everyone in this house had something of their own.

01:18:32Everyone had someone answering them.

01:18:36Except me.

01:18:38I stood in the kitchen, washing platelets and cups for five people.

01:18:44The water was loud.

01:18:45Loud enough that even if I cried, no one would hear.

01:18:49After the dishes, I went back to my room and shut the door.

01:18:52My phone lit up.

01:18:53It was a message in the class group chat.

01:18:55It was the only happy birthday I had received all day,

01:18:57from a classmate I had known for less than a year.

01:19:00I replied, thank you.

01:19:01Then I opened my photo album and kept scrolling back.

01:19:04After I turned six, Mom's camera had almost completely turned toward them.

01:19:08Most of the photos were of them.

01:19:10I scrolled for a long time before I finally found one.

01:19:13It was from when I was nine and had entered the school speech contest.

01:19:17Mom had taken it from the audience.

01:19:19The photo was blurry.

01:19:20Only half my body was in it, because the other half of the frame was Chloe in the front row,

01:19:26turning back toward the camera with a bright smile.

01:19:29I stood off stage in front of the microphone, my face barely visible.

01:19:34The phone screen dimmed, and my face appeared in the black reflection.

01:19:39Eighteen-year-old Mallory Hayes had spent the whole morning putting on makeup, waited all day, and still hadn't gotten

01:19:45a single happy birthday.

01:19:46Mom's voice came from outside the door.

01:19:50Mallory, wake your sister at seven tomorrow morning.

01:19:54She has training at eight-thirty.

01:19:58Okay.

01:20:01Hey, sis. It's seven.

01:20:03Chloe had woken up on her own.

01:20:05She stood in my doorway in a pink leotard, her hair half-tied.

01:20:09I checked my phone.

01:20:106.53. My alarm hadn't even gone off.

01:20:14You got up by yourself?

01:20:15Yeah. I set an alarm.

01:20:18Mom told you to wake me, but I was afraid you didn't sleep well last night.

01:20:23She said it so casually, but the words still stung.

01:20:26She knew I hadn't slept well last night.

01:20:29I'll help you tie your hair.

01:20:31No, it's fine. I can do it.

01:20:36She turned and left.

01:20:38Chloe had always been like that with me.

01:20:41She wasn't cruel.

01:20:43She just wasn't close.

01:20:45She called me sis, but the word carried no weight.

01:20:50The twins had their own rhythm, and I had never been able to enter it.

01:20:54At breakfast, Mom was warming milk for Chloe.

01:20:57Ethan wasn't up yet.

01:20:59Mally, have you eaten?

01:21:01I have.

01:21:02I hadn't.

01:21:04She didn't even check whether there was a bowl I'd used on the table.

01:21:07She just nodded.

01:21:08Chloe, did you pack your water bottle?

01:21:11It's hot today. Drink more water.

01:21:13I did.

01:21:15Mally, drive your sister there.

01:21:17She still doesn't know the stops near the training center.

01:21:20Chloe had been going to that training center for two years.

01:21:23Mom still said she didn't know the way.

01:21:26Okay.

01:21:28As we were leaving, Ethan finally got up and called from his doorway.

01:21:32Mom, what's for breakfast?

01:21:35I left you a bagel and yogurt on the table.

01:21:37A bagel and yogurt.

01:21:39Ethan's regular breakfast.

01:21:42No one had ever asked what I wanted in the morning.

01:21:44On the way to the training center,

01:21:47Chloe sat in the passenger seat scrolling through her phone.

01:21:51She wasn't trying to be cold.

01:21:53It just never occurred to her to talk to me.

01:21:58Sis?

01:21:59When she suddenly spoke, my palm tightened on the wheel.

01:22:03What?

01:22:05That message you sent in the group chat yesterday?

01:22:08Ethan told you to delete it?

01:22:10Yeah.

01:22:12Did you?

01:22:15No.

01:22:16She nodded, then lowered her head to look at her phone again.

01:22:20I waited for a long time, waiting for her to say,

01:22:23Happy Birthday.

01:22:24She didn't.

01:22:26When we reached the training center, she unbuckled her seat belt.

01:22:29Sis, I'm here.

01:22:31Yeah.

01:22:32Train hard.

01:22:33Can you pick me up this afternoon?

01:22:35I finish at five.

01:22:36I have a study group this afternoon.

01:22:38That was a lie.

01:22:39I had nothing this afternoon.

01:22:41I just didn't want to go.

01:22:42Then I'll ask mom to pick me up.

01:22:44Okay.

01:22:45At 4.50 that afternoon,

01:22:48mom sent a message in the family group chat.

01:22:50Chloe finishes training at five.

01:22:52Who can pick her up?

01:22:53I'm in a meeting.

01:22:54I'm at a friend's house.

01:22:56Mallory?

01:22:56Aren't you free this afternoon?

01:22:58I looked at that message.

01:22:59She started with who can pick her up,

01:23:01but in the end, it still landed on me.

01:23:03It's on your way anyway, right?

01:23:05Just go pick her up.

01:23:06It wasn't on my way at all.

01:23:07But in this family, my road was always on the way.

01:23:10My time was always free.

01:23:11I typed okay and sent it.

01:23:14Then I turned my phone face down on the desk.

01:23:18Suddenly, I wondered,

01:23:21what would happen if one day I didn't reply with okay?

01:23:25If I turned off my phone,

01:23:27canceled my number,

01:23:28and disappeared too?

01:23:29Would they first panic?

01:23:30Because no one could pick up Chloe?

01:23:32Or would they think of me first?

01:23:34I knew the answer.

01:23:36When I picked Chloe up,

01:23:37her face was flushed from training,

01:23:39and her hair was damp.

01:23:40Sis, I'm thirsty.

01:23:42Where's your water bottle?

01:23:43Finished it.

01:23:44I handed her the spare bottle of water in the car.

01:23:47Thanks, sis.

01:23:49On the way home,

01:23:50she soon fell asleep against the window.

01:23:52I adjusted the air conditionings

01:23:53so the car wouldn't be so cold.

01:23:55She was the little princess

01:23:56everyone in the family revolved around.

01:23:57And most of the roads I had driven through this city

01:23:59had been for someone else,

01:24:01but not for much longer.

01:24:03Not long after,

01:24:04the school college counselor called me into her office.

01:24:07Mallory Hayes, I saw your awards record.

01:24:10Honorable Ments in the National Math Olympias.

01:24:12That's impressive.

01:24:13Awards like that carry real weight.

01:24:15Which schools are you considering for early applications?

01:24:17I'm still looking.

01:24:18What do your parents think?

01:24:20I haven't told them yet.

01:24:22Something this important,

01:24:23and you're not discussing it with your family first?

01:24:25I want to look into it myself first.

01:24:27I knew that even if I told them,

01:24:29no one would take it seriously.

01:24:30On last month's mock examen,

01:24:32I ranked third in the entire grade.

01:24:33I took a photo of my report card

01:24:34and sent it to the family group chat.

01:24:36My third place ranking stayed in the chat

01:24:37for only a very short while.

01:24:38All it got from mom was one sentence, not bad.

01:24:41The next message was a video mom sent of Chloe dancing.

01:24:43That afternoon, when I got home,

01:24:45I found a dusty letter among a pile of bills and flyers

01:24:48on the coffee table.

01:24:49It said,

01:24:50Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Hayes.

01:24:52Your daughter, Mallory Hayes,

01:24:53has received an honorable mention

01:24:55in the National High School Mathematics Olympiad.

01:24:57Two months had passed.

01:24:58The envelope hadn't even been opened.

01:25:00It was tucked between bills and pizza curans,

01:25:02completely forgotten.

01:25:03At dinner, mom answered a FaceTime call from my aunt.

01:25:06My aunt asked about Ethan's swim meet.

01:25:08Mom said he had taken second place in the district,

01:25:11pride filling her voice.

01:25:12My aunt asked about Chloe's dance competition.

01:25:14Mom said she had won gold at regionals,

01:25:16and the judges had praised how steady she was off dyes.

01:25:19How's Mallory?

01:25:20She's applying to college soon too, right?

01:25:24She's doing fine.

01:25:26Third in my grade,

01:25:27a National Math Olympiac award.

01:25:28In mom's mouth,

01:25:29all of it became doing fine.

01:25:31I sat at the dining table,

01:25:32still holding the award letter

01:25:33that had been forgotten for two months.

01:25:35No one asked how I had been lately.

01:25:37No one turned to me and said,

01:25:38Mallory, what about you?

01:25:39I went back to my room,

01:25:41opened my laptop,

01:25:41and started looking up colleges

01:25:43that would actually care about competition backgrounds.

01:25:45In the end,

01:25:46I stopped at Carnegie Mellon.

01:25:47Hundreds of miles away from home,

01:25:49no one would remember me,

01:25:50only when they needed someone to pick up my sister.

01:25:52I opened the application page.

01:25:54My fingers hovered over the screen for three seconds

01:25:56before I finally closed it.

01:25:59I decided to try one more time.

01:26:01If they still couldn't see me this time,

01:26:03I would leave.

01:26:05Completely.

01:26:08Mallory,

01:26:09Ashley is coming to stay with us for a while.

01:26:13Give her your room and share with Chloe for now.

01:26:16Saturday morning,

01:26:17mom said it casually while changing shoes by the door.

01:26:19I was sitting at the dining table eating cereal.

01:26:22My spoon stopped in mid-air.

01:26:27Why my room?

01:26:28Your room gets the best natural light.

01:26:31Ashley hasn't been feeling well lately,

01:26:32and the doctor said more sunlight would be good for her.

01:26:35Ethan's room has a window too.

01:26:36Your brother is a boy.

01:26:37Ashley is a girl.

01:26:38How could they share a room?

01:26:39Then let her stay with Chloe.

01:26:41Chloe needs space to stretch at night.

01:26:43Your room only has a bed and a desk.

01:26:44It's easy to clear out.

01:26:45How long is she staying?

01:26:46About half a month.

01:26:48Her summer program is over here.

01:26:49Okay.

01:26:49I didn't argue anymore.

01:26:50Experience had taught me a long time ago that arguing was useless.

01:26:54That afternoon,

01:26:55Ashley came in dragging two large suitcases,

01:26:58smiling sweetly.

01:27:01Auntie? Uncle?

01:27:02You're here! You're here! Come in!

01:27:05Mom was so warm,

01:27:07as if an important guest had arrived.

01:27:09Ashley pushed her suitcases into my room

01:27:12and looked around from the doorway.

01:27:13Auntie, can this bookshelf be moved out?

01:27:16I want to put a vanity mirror here.

01:27:19Of course.

01:27:20Mallory,

01:27:21move the bookshelf out.

01:27:22On my bookshelf were three years of notebooks,

01:27:25reference books,

01:27:26and a few certificates.

01:27:27It took me an hour to move everything into a corner of Chloe's room.

01:27:31That night,

01:27:32I laid a mattress on the floor of Chloe's room.

01:27:36Sis,

01:27:37why don't you sleep on the bed?

01:27:38I'll sleep on the floor.

01:27:40No.

01:27:41The floor is fine.

01:27:43Ashley is actually okay.

01:27:44Don't be upset.

01:27:47Ashley was never what upset me.

01:27:50What hurt was that in this house,

01:27:52I was always the one expected to give way.

01:27:56On the third day,

01:27:57I went back to my room to get review materials

01:27:59and opened the door to find Ashley flipping through my math competition notes.

01:28:03These are yours?

01:28:04Your handwriting is so neat.

01:28:06Yeah.

01:28:06Please put them back.

01:28:08I was just looking.

01:28:09You're way too protective of this stuff.

01:28:11She casually put the notebook back on the desk.

01:28:13I glanced over and suddenly realized one was missing.

01:28:16There was a blue one on the desk.

01:28:17Where is it?

01:28:18I didn't touch it.

01:28:19I didn't see it.

01:28:20I searched for 10 minutes and finally found it in the trash can.

01:28:23Half the cover had been torn off and several pages inside were soaked with coffee.

01:28:27The writing blurred into smears.

01:28:29It was the problem solving notebook I had been organizing since freshman year.

01:28:32Three years.

01:28:33I only had that one copy.

01:28:35Ashley?

01:28:36This?

01:28:36Oh, maybe I knocked it over when I was carrying coffee.

01:28:38Just write another one.

01:28:39I stood in the doorway holding the drenched notebook, my hands shaking.

01:28:46I took the notebook back to Chloe's room and dried it page by page with a hair broyer.

01:28:52Where the writing was blurred, I slowly filled it back in with a pencil.

01:28:59I worked until one in the morning.

01:29:01The next morning, Ashley sat in my old seat, chatting happily with Mom.

01:29:05No one asked why the circles under my eyes were so dark or what had happened last night.

01:29:09And I no longer needed to wait for that one last time.

01:29:13From that day on, I began preparing to leave.

01:29:16Until the day I received my acceptance letter, I knew the time had come to leave this house.

01:29:20I packed my suitcase and bought a grey house ticket for the early dawn departure the next day.

01:29:24The destination was Pittsburgh.

01:29:26Then I walked to the door and placed my house key on the small entryway table.

01:29:30I left the group chat and deactivated my old phone number.

01:29:33The screen went dark.

01:29:35The whole world suddenly became much quieter.

01:29:39I pulled my suitcase, opened the door, and closed it softly behind me.

01:29:46The curtains got that tab booked.

01:29:49The actual half.

01:29:50The air passed through.

01:29:50But the air passed through.

01:29:51It's aensus con aparece.

01:29:53The air passed through.

01:29:53The air Grey better.

01:29:53You

You Ignored My Birthday So I Erased Myself From The Family HD Movie Dailymotion [Watch Now]| Choosing Myself Over My Family 🌿

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