My brother sent a text to his girlfriend, but accidentally sent it to me: "Babe, I'm at the school gate, where are you?" I narrowed my eyes, a wicked smile curling on my lips. "Babe, I just walked out of the classroom." The chat box showed [Typing...] for a long time. I continued to fire back: "Babe, did you wait just to walk home with me? I'm so moved!" "Babe, why aren't you saying anything?" My brother, furious and embarrassed, finally replied: "Are you sick? That's enough!" Five minutes later, he Venmo-ed me $50. "Please, don't tell Mom and Dad I'm dating." 1. SATs were finally over. Walking out of the exam hall, I turned off airplane mode. Notifications flooded my screen. Just as I cleared them, a message from my brother, Carter, popped up. "Babe, I'm at the school gate, where are you?" I instinctively shuddered. Frowning hard. What kind of possessed nonsense is Carter spouting? I stared at the message for a moment. Suddenly, I remembered overhearing him call someone "Babe" on the phone at home. I had suspected he was dating early. But I had no concrete evidence. Whenever I asked indirectly, he would deny it with that arrogant attitude of his. Today, he delivered the evidence right to my doorstep. A wicked smile floated onto my lips. I tapped out a reply: "Babe, I just walked out of the exam hall." Calling my brother "Babe" made me nauseous. But thinking about how it would disgust him even more made me happy. As soon as the message was sent. I saw the "Typing..." bubble appear and disappear in our chat. Over and over. Ten minutes passed. I walked from the building to the school gate, and he still hadn't replied. He chose to play dead. Ignore it. Pretend nothing happened. I wasn't going to let him off that easily. I continued texting: "Did you wait just to walk home with me, Babe? I'm so moved." "Babe, why are you so good to me!" I added sarcastically: "Babe, why aren't you talking?" [Babe???] Finally, Carter couldn't take it anymore. He replied furiously: "Maya, are you sick? That's enough!" I laughed at the screen. "Babe, I discovered someone is dating early!" "Mom and Dad would be very interested to know, right?" Five minutes later. Carter Venmo-ed me. For once, his attitude softened: "I'm begging you, don't tell Mom and Dad." I remained unmoved. I didn't accept the money. And I didn't reply anymore. I could already see Carter standing at the school gate from a distance. I have to admit, my brother has good genes. Even in a crowd of students, that face and figure stood out. I slowed down. Hiding behind a pillar to observe. I wanted to see who my brother's girlfriend was. Waited for five or six minutes. Didn't see my brother's girlfriend, but saw someone unexpected. A boy in a white shirt and black casual pants rode his bike and stopped next to my brother. The boy had handsome features and a clean, cool temperament. His side profile when he smiled slightly was dazzling than the sun. His name is Julian. He's the school heartthrob and my brother's childhood friend. Top-tier looks and IQ. Half the girls in school probably have a crush on him. Ranked first in the grade, he already got early acceptance to Harvard. Just standing casually in the crowd, he attracted countless gazes. So handsome it made me dizzy. In my view, my brother was chatting with Julian while scanning the crowd from time to time. I carefully dodged his line of sight. A moment later. A girl with a high ponytail suddenly appeared. She naturally hugged my brother's arm. Her upturned face carried a sweet smile. I quickly took out my phone to record a video. The girl's face wasn't unfamiliar. I remembered her name was Bella. A famous beauty in school, an art student. Damn it! My brother actually eats this good! 2. I recorded a video. Took photos too. Sent one to my brother. In the distance, he looked down at his phone, his face darkening. My phone buzzed. He messaged: "Don't you like Julian?" "I'll help you chase him." I raised an eyebrow. Didn't expect my brother to use this to make a deal, trying to shut me up. Julian and we are neighbors. He treats me better than my brother does. Handsome, smart, good family background. Not only gentle to me, but also often gave me small gifts. Hard not to like him. He was born to be liked by girls. I am a mundane person, no exception. I sent an OK emoji. Then showed myself, jogging up to my brother and them. Pretending it was a chance encounter. "Brother!" Carter looked at me, face slightly sour. Bella hurriedly let go of his hand, blushing as she greeted me. Julian smiled at me, "How did the exam go?" I smiled back, "Pretty good." Looking at their expressions, I asked, "Do you guys have plans?" Julian nodded: "Yes." My brother's voice was a bit cold: "We have something to do, you go home first." I ignored his dismissal: "Count me in, I'm bored after the exam anyway." "Okay?" This was directed at Julian. He was a head taller than me. His long, beautiful eyes lowered slightly, lips curving into a smile. Gentle agreement: "Okay." "No!" That was my brother. "Maya, you weren't part of the plan tonight. You can't just butt in." I looked at my brother quietly. The atmosphere was a bit off. Bella pulled my brother's sleeve: "Actually, it's fine." Julian also spoke up: "It'll be lively with Maya." "She's not a stranger." Suppressing the annoyance on his brow, my brother dropped a "Whatever." And walked ahead pulling Bella. Julian patted my head, leaned in close, and whispered in my ear. "Don't be unhappy. Your brother just doesn't know how to interact with you." My heartbeat skipped a beat. Julian's proximity surrounded me with his scent. I smelled the fresh laundry scent on his clothes. As for what he said. I didn't respond. 3. My brother and I are fraternal twins. Our relationship has been terrible since we were little. Arguing and fighting were daily meals. Loving each other was a fantasy. When we were little, he lost me for five years. From age five to ten. I was "lucky" to be adopted by a "kind family." Found by my parents at ten. When I accused my brother of deliberately losing me in front of our parents. What I got was their defense of him. "You remembered wrong." "Your brother isn't that kind of person." "That was just an accident." "You can't blame your brother anymore, okay?" From then on, I hated my brother. Hated Carter. At my most hateful, I cursed him to fall down stairs, choke on water, choke on food, get struck by lightning... Various vicious thoughts hovered in my heart. Five years of disconnection didn't bring deeper love and protection from parents, but a faint alienation. They felt I wasn't as well-behaved and cute as when I was little. Felt I was taught badly during the five lost years. Petty. Narrow-minded. Calculating. Vulgar and mean. These were their private evaluations of me. Late one night after just returning home, unable to sleep, I crawled up to find Mom and Dad, and accidentally heard their conversation in the living room. My brain felt like it was hammered hard. Holding back sobs, I shed tears in the dark for a long time. I also saw the crack of the door opening in the next room. My brother heard it too. Through my tears, I saw him hesitate, wanting to approach me, then shrinking back. Finally, when he walked towards me, I immediately hid in my room. Locked the door. Since that night, I learned to pretend to be good. 4. I went to dinner with my brother and them. At the table, Julian took good care of me. Putting food on my plate from time to time. My brother was absent-minded. Didn't know what he was thinking. Maybe thinking about how to kick me out of their circle. Bella was eating when suddenly she put down her chopsticks and waved towards the door. I turned my head instinctively. The moment I saw who was coming, my heart sank to the bottom. Chloe. The person I loathed the most. She was the one brought back to my home to replace me during the five years I was missing. When I came back, I made a huge scene to force her to leave my house. My rejection of Chloe, my brother knew perfectly well. Turns out all these years they kept in touch behind my back, their relationship so good they formed a small circle. I looked at my brother hatefully. He was looking at me, expression cold and mocking: "Told you not to come, you insisted." My brother's words were always so sharp and piercing. Julian frowned upon hearing this, kicking my brother under the table. Tone slightly heavy: "Carter!" I suppressed the gloom in my heart, staring at Julian's side profile, heart feeling sour yet sweet. Only he would protect me. Chloe walked over smiling. "Sorry for the wait!" When her gaze swept over me, her smile froze slightly. Expression became cautious, calling my name unexpectedly: "Maya?" "You're here too?" Maybe I'm biased. Or maybe sensitive. Chloe's words made me slightly unhappy. I felt her subtext was that I shouldn't be here. Usually, I wouldn't give her a pleasant face. But in front of others, especially Julian, my temper was always good. I forced a smile. Nodded, and left it at that. Chloe looked at the seats, looking troubled. "Where do I sit?" Julian beckoned her: "There's a seat next to me, sit here." This was a table for six. I sat with Julian. My brother and Bella sat opposite. Chloe could have sat on my brother's row, but as soon as Julian spoke, the corners of my mouth dropped instinctively. "Great, all my favorites." Chloe naturally sat on Julian's left, expressing happiness staring at the food on the table. She ate bite after bite. Appetite was good. "How did you guys do on the exam? Confident?" "We agreed to go to the same university, you have to respect the agreement." Chloe chatted while eating. My brother smiled: "Don't worry, no problem." Bella echoed: "I think I can too." Julian smiled faintly: "Good for you guys, looks like I'm going to school alone." "You're just showing off, genius." "Too much! Harvard admits are forbidden from chatting with us!" They talked and laughed. Chatting about topics and stories I didn't know. That familiar tacit understanding was like an invisible barrier isolating me. I ate silently. Chewing became more and more tasteless. Half the dishes on the table were ordered by Julian. Turns out they were all Chloe's favorites. Listening to the laughter in my ears, my gaze fell on the tea cup at my hand. To cut the grease, also out of habit. I ordered tea. They all ordered sodas. Only I was out of place. At this moment, staring at the barely visible layer of oil floating on the tea, I had an urge to vomit. Turns out my brother, Julian, and Chloe, the three of them were so close. Even Bella and Chloe seemed like old friends. I wasn't close to my brother's girlfriend at all, in fact, met her just today. And it was under the circumstance of bumping into them and being forced to introduce. Their gathering of four, I was the fifth wheel forced in. Clearly, I am Carter's biological sister. Clearly, I knew Julian first. But I became the extra one.
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