Chapter 1

My family had finally traded in our five-seater for a seven-seater. With six of us traveling together, I thought I'd never have to lie in the trunk again.

But on this trip back to our hometown, my younger sister Chloe's golden retriever was sprawled across the only empty seat.

She smiled at the dog.

"Biscuit, this is your special seat from now on!"

I asked coldly, "If Biscuit sits there, where am I supposed to sit?"

Chloe looped her arm through mine and gave it a coaxing shake.

"Ellie, you know how fussy Biscuit is. Biscuit starts howling at the slightest discomfort."

"You've been riding in the trunk for more than ten years, so you must be used to it. Please don't fight a dog for a seat, okay?"

Grandpa Ray and Grandma Judy chimed in.

"You know Biscuit's temper. Put Biscuit in the trunk, and none of us will get a moment's peace the whole way."

"It's better for the dog and for the whole family if you don't make an issue of it. It's only a five-hour drive. You'll be there after a nap."

When Mom saw that I hadn't moved, she urged, "Hurry up and get in. Stop wasting time."

I waited for Dad to speak.

He didn't even look at me.

So that was it. Even the dog had a place in this family, but I didn't.

If that was how it was, there was nothing here for me to hold on to anymore.

...

"Elise, what are you standing there for? Get in the car!"

Dad finally turned around, only to rush me with an impatient look.

"The neighbors back home are all helping set up Chloe's graduation party."

"It'd be rude to keep them waiting because we showed up late."

I stayed stubbornly rooted to the spot.

Four years ago, when I got into UPenn, I'd thought my parents would be happy. I'd thought they would throw me a graduation party.

They never even mentioned one.

I once asked them why.

Mom said, "Elise, you know what our finances are like. A decent party costs a lot of money."

"And you know how much we've spent on Chloe's tutoring these past two years. It's $150 an hour."

"You're the mature one. You don't care about that kind of empty show, right?"

"Besides, you already got into UPenn. Missing one party won't change anything."

Now, four years later, Chloe had gotten into a small private school called Ridgeview College, where she'd be paying full tuition.

My parents had notified our relatives and friends well in advance that they were throwing her a graduation barbecue back in our hometown.

In that moment, it felt as though a line had been carved straight through my heart, separating me from this family.

Afraid I would be upset, Mom offered an explanation without being asked.

"Our finances have gotten much better lately, so we can afford to throw Chloe a party. Don't read too much into it."

She didn't know I'd once overheard her talking to Dad at home.

Dad had said, "Elise got into a top school, and we didn't even throw her a party. Doesn't it look bad if we throw one for Chloe now?"

Mom had dismissed his concern. "Elise doesn't care about things like that. She never fights for anything."

"Chloe is different. She cares about appearances. If we don't throw her a party, she'll hold it against us for the rest of her life."

"Besides, her school isn't much to brag about. Without a party, she won't have anything impressive to post for her friends."

Dad had said, "What will our relatives and friends think when word gets around?"

Mom had answered as if it were obvious. "I don't care what anyone else thinks. This is all the money we have, and it's only enough for one party."

"Of course I'm saving it for Chloe. She needs the party to make herself look good more than Elise does."

That was when I finally understood that a mother's love wasn't always divided equally.

On the invisible scale inside Mom's heart, Chloe's side would always outweigh mine.

"Elise, what is wrong with you today?" Mom's impatient voice dragged me out of my thoughts.

Before, they never had to ask. I would climb into the trunk on my own.

The one time I didn't obediently lie down inside, I heard the blame in Mom's voice.

"I'm not getting in there," I said. "I've done it for more than ten years."

"I've given in for more than ten years. It's Chloe's turn now."