Chapter 2

I started secretly getting my visa and paperwork together for London.

So I could go to the consulate, I told Mom the school had a summer program I needed to leave early for.

She was curled up on the couch and didn’t even look away from her phone. “Do we have to pay for it?”

“No. Full scholarship, room and board included.”

Once she heard it wouldn’t cost a cent, she didn’t even say be careful. She just waved me off so I’d stop blocking her view of her phone.

I gave all the physical paperwork and the admission documents to Professor Evans.

I kept it from everyone, especially Asher.

But he was busy too lately—busy putting together a “packing list” for Chloe’s move to New York.

Chloe posted a screenshot to her Instagram Story: a ten-page life guide Asher had made for her.

The caption said: Thank god for Asher, I’d be totally lost in New York on my own!

Asher liked it within seconds, then turned around and sent me an iMessage:

Your sister is such a giant baby. Once we’re in New York, I’m going to have to keep her in line so she doesn’t bug you. Feel better, Winnie?

I didn’t reply.

Not long after, he called.

“Why aren’t you answering? Still mad?” He sounded amused, exasperated.

“I’m not mad. Helping her is your business. It has nothing to do with me.”

“Then why have you been ignoring me?” He sighed. “I don’t even want to help her. But she keeps bugging me. She says if I don’t, she’ll have to go ask you. I didn’t want her bothering you.”

I clutched my passport application, my voice so calm it scared even me. “Asher, you don’t have to explain. I don’t care.”

“What am I going to do with you.” He gave in. “Once we’re in New York, I promise she won’t get in the way of us. Okay?”

Before, hearing that would have melted me in a second.

Now it just made me sick to my stomach.

Admit it, Winnie. He loves it. He loves how much Chloe depends on him.

One afternoon, I came home and opened my bedroom door to find Chloe standing at my closet, going through my favorite jacket.

“Who said you could come into my room?” My voice went cold.

“The door wasn’t locked.” She turned around, all innocence. “We’re going to be living together in New York. I wanted to see if I could borrow this jacket. New York winters are really cold.”

I stared at her. “When did I ever say I was living with you?”

“I did.”

Asher’s voice came from the hall.

He walked in with two iced Americanos, as casual as if he were planning a field trip. “I found a three-bedroom near campus. One room for you, one for me, one for her.”

I stared at him in disbelief. “You want me to live under the same roof as her?”

“It’s not like you’d be sharing a bed. You’d have your own space.”

He frowned, like I was being completely unreasonable.

Chloe stood off to the side, eyes red again, and said in a small voice, “Never mind. If my sister doesn’t want me, I’ll just live in the dorms. I’ve never had a roommate before… but I’m sure I can get used to it.”

Mom heard and came running upstairs. “The dorms? What if you can’t sleep at night?”

I finally couldn’t take it anymore. I was shaking all over. “When I went to boarding school as a kid, why didn’t you ever worry about me? She’s an adult. She should be responsible for her own life!”

Mom paused, then looked thoroughly annoyed. “You’ve always been independent. Chloe’s not like you. It’s three bedrooms—nobody’s making you squeeze into one room with her. What more do you want?”

Chloe tugged at Mom, red-eyed, her voice wobbling with tears. “Mom, stop. Winnie just doesn’t want me to be a third wheel. I shouldn’t get in the way of her and Asher.”

Mom was about to tear into me again, but Asher lifted a hand and had them both step out.

Once the door was closed, he came over and tried to pull me into his arms. I went stiff all over. I had no desire to respond at all.

“Stop it.” He sighed and lowered his voice, coaxing. “She’s a mess who can’t do anything right.

“If we don’t look after her and she gets into trouble in New York, won’t it all end up on you anyway? So we can have some peace later, just put up with it for now. Okay?”

“What about me?” I leaned against him and couldn’t feel any warmth at all. “What am I?”

“You’ve got me.” He kissed my forehead, like he was granting me some enormous gift. “You’ll always be the most important person to me.”

Right.

And Asher just kept talking in my ear, mapping out our whole future in New York.