3
Right before the talent show, my sister, Peyton, came to find me.
That day, she walked through the campus like a swan among ducks, surrounded by classmates who had been charmed by her money and fawned over her status as the Sinclair family’s heiress.
When she saw me walking with my desk mate, it seemed she had conveniently forgotten her previous command to “stay away from me.”
The first thing out of her mouth was:
“Are you jealous of me?”
I looked at her, confused.
She wasted no time listing all the supposed ways we were different.
“Your dad is just some low–level office worker. Your mom runs a tiny flower shop.
Your family’s entire annual income couldn’t even cover one hour of my piano lessons.
That bike you ride home? It wouldn’t even pay for a single scratch on my Maybach.
And now, just because you got first place on one test, you think you’re too good to even speak to me?
If it’s not jealousy, then what is it?”
It wasn’t jealousy.
It was disgust.
It was loathing.
<
It was loathing.
It was contempt.
I looked at Peyton quietly, my gaze lingering on the dark circles under her eyes, barely concealed by the layers of foundation she’d applied.
Then, it hit me.
I knew why she was here.
Her piano skills weren’t as good in this life as they were in my last.
She was at the bottom of the class academically, far from the shining star she thought she’d be.
Even the thing she prided herself on most–her wealth–didn’t seem to impress me.
And that’s why she was unraveling.
In the sea of adoration she had come to expect, I was the one person who didn’t care.
That drove her mad.
My desk mate, Gwen, couldn’t stand it any longer. She stepped in front of me protectively, facing Peyton head–on.
But Peyton shoved her to the ground.
“Gwen, right?” Peyton said, her tone dripping with disdain.
She tilted her chin up and smirked.
“I know you’re at the bottom of the class, too. Why waste your time sucking up to someone like Eliza? She’ll only step all over your pride. Why not hang out with me instead? Here, take this.”
With that, Peyton casually slipped off her Bulgari watch–a five–figure accessory–and tossed it onto Gwen’s lap.
She didn’t just want to humiliate me.
She wanted to take everything and everyone away from me.
But Gwen wasn’t having it. Furious, she scrambled to her feet, her eyes blazing like a little lion cub.
She picked up the watch between two fingers, like it was trash, and flung it aside.
“My pride isn’t made of glass,” Gwen shot back. “It doesn’t shatter that easily, unlike yours.
And what’s this supposed to mean, huh? You think we’re at the bottom of the class together, so you can buy me off? Or are you trying to say I’m not worth anything without your pity?”
She grabbed my arm and started pulling me away, glancing over her shoulder at Peyton with a look of pure contempt.
“If you’ve got the guts, take first place yourself. Eliza’s talented, kind, and smarter than you’ll ever be. So stop whining about sour grapes just because you’re a failure.”
Her words hit Peyton like a slap in the face.
And that’s when Peyton snapped.
She lunged forward, grabbing Gwen by the collar and yanking her necklace out from under her shirt.
For a moment, she froze, staring at the delicate red bunny pendant shimmering in the sunlight.
<
Then, she slapped Gwen hard across the face.
“You thief!” Peyton shrieked. “You stole my necklace, you filthy little thief!”
The slap was loud and sharp, echoing across the courtyard.
Everyone nearby froze, stunned by the scene.
Even those who had admired Peyton’s wealth and status were shocked–none of them had expected this kind of behavior.
It took Gwen a moment to process what had just happened. Then, without hesitation, she slapped Peyton back. Twice.
“Are you insane? Go get your head checked. Your family’s so rich, they can’t afford a doctor to fix whatever’s broken in there?”
The little bunny pendant swayed on Gwen’s chest, catching the light with a soft red glow.
Peyton’s eyes filled with tears of rage. She reached out, trying to grab the necklace again.
“You trash!” she screamed. “That necklace is worth three million dollars! You stole it! I’ll have you arrested–I’ll have you thrown in jail for
life!”
Her accusations were ridiculous.
Gwen’s pendant wasn’t worth millions. It was a birthday gift from her dad when she turned twelve–something she cherished and kept hidden
under her shirt most of the time.
Peyton was grasping at straws, trying to turn the situation to her advantage.
I’d had enough.
I grabbed Peyton’s wrist before she could touch Gwen again.
“Peyton, that’s enough. Whatever issues you have with me, leave them here. Don’t dra
I wasn’t the same person I had been in my last life.
No longer powerless, no longer unable to protect myself or those I cared about.
anyone else into it.”
Thanks to my adoptive mother, I’d been taking taekwondo lessons for years. My grip was strong, and Peyton quickly realized she couldn’t break free.
She stopped struggling, glaring at me with her flushed, tear–streaked face.
“Oh, and you,” she spat. “You’re the one behind this, aren’t you? You won’t get away with this–you’re both going to pay!”
Her outburst drew a crowd, and someone called over the patrolling teachers.
The teachers handed us over to the principal, who immediately summoned all three sets of parents.
It was going to be a long day.
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