Page 90 of Shine Bright

Although, no, it doesn’t fall.

It shatters like glass.

At first, I ignore the voices in the hall as I slam my new pointe shoes on the floor with all my might to make them a little more comfortable. But then I stop to listen.

It sounds like someone is arguing. Not just anyone. At least one of the voices is all too familiar to me. The higher and clearly female voice not so much, but I can place it anyway, because it belongs with him.

Jase and Zoe.

My brother and his girlfriend are arguing right outside my room. I grimace and try in vain to block out their voices. I wish they’d find another place to do this. But apparently, they can’t. Both voices get louder for a second, then all at once they’re silent.

The next moment there’s a knock on my door, and my head jerks up reflexively.

No. Just no. He can forget it.

I turn my attention back to my pointe shoes and the satin ribbons lying on the floor, along with scissors, a lighter, and superglue. There’s another knock, much more energetic this time. I concentrate on my work and ignore him.

Another knock, and then Jase’s voice, sounding pissed off. “Come on, Lia. I heard you. Just open the door.”

I groan. Of course he heard me. You can’t miss the sound of pointe shoes hitting the floor. Still, for a moment I’m tempted to pretend I didn’t hear him. After all, I could be wearing headphones and genuinely not realize he’s standing outside my door.

But as distant as my brother has become to me in recent years, I still know him well enough to know that he won’t give up. He’ll wait in the hallway until I face him. He may not have wanted to talk to me for months, but now that he’s obviously ready, he won’t leave until he’s told me what he has to say.

My knees crack as I push myself up from the floor and cross my room to open the door. “What do you want?” I ask coolly. My gaze lingers briefly on his face, the familiar green eyes and the lines of annoyance around his mouth, before noticing the black coat he’s wearing over a white shirt. He doesn’t give the impression that he only wants to chat. More like he’s on his way somewhere.

Zoe stands half a step behind him, her red hair braided into two loose plaits. She’s also wearing a coat over a dark blue knit dress. A hesitant smile plays on her face as she nods to me in greeting. I return her smile just as hesitantly but immediately turn my attention back to my brother.

Jase takes a deep breath, and I can see how little he actually wants to be here. So what the hell is he doing here? I get the answer a second later.

“I thought we could go to Mom’s together. Then we can save the money on an Uber.”

“Why should we—” I fall silent and feel the blood drain from my face. He can’t be serious.

“Why should we what?” Jase frowns in confusion, but then again, how could he possibly understand?

It’s Mom’s birthday today.

Of course I know that. I always remember her birthday. After all, I’m the one who’s made sure we’ve all spent it together in recent years. More or less, anyway, because Jase hasn’t shown up the last two times. This time, however, he seems to have made up his mind. However, nothing is planned for today. At least if there is, no one has told me anything about it.

I haven’t heard from Mom in weeks. Not since I called her and told her I didn’t get the part. She said she’d call me back the next day, but she didn’t. And for the first time in my life, I didn’t chase her. For the first time, I waited for her to come to me. Which she didn’t do.

Instead, she forgot about me.

Again.

Or maybe she just doesn’t want me around. The thought sends a painful stab through my heart. It’s beating so fast, it feels like it’s going to jump out of my chest at any second. I don’t want to believe it, but there aren’t many other possibilities. Either she forgot me or she doesn’t want to see me.

Jase would never show up at our parents’ house unannounced. He would never go there without being invited. Their home hasn’t been his home for a long time, and it looks like there’s no place for me there now either.

“Lia? What’s going on? Are you coming with us, or do you want to go alone?” he asks, and I realize that he has no idea. He doesn’t know that Mom didn’t invite me. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be standing at my door right now.

Three seconds, three heartbeats. Then I make a decision.

“Give me five minutes. I need to change.”

Jase rolls his eyes. “Hurry up.”

I don’t bother answering as I slam the door in his face, harder than necessary, but I’m seething inside. At the same time, I feel numb as I hastily swap my leggings and sweater for black tights and a dark dress.