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Rachel looked up from her plate, sed her bite of corn and said, "Fine"

"She didn’t h from across the table

"Shut up," she retorted

"Honey, is that true?" her mom asked in a sy"

Rachel’s ed the subject and turned towards her dad and said, "So hoas your first day at the office, love?"

"Couldn’t have been better I unpacked the office, and started right into it," he replied

Rachel’s dad was a couy orked for IBM Basically, he fixed broken computer systems He had been transferred to the IBM headquarters in Armonk, New York, because of the bad econoone bankrupt and he either had to be transferred or was out of work It was an easy decision for him, because he couldn’t be without a job, especially with three kids and a wife at hoe tuition fees that lay around the corner So, the family had all packed up and ood, I’lad it was an easy transition," their mom replied

As Rachel heard all the positive re from each of her family members, she couldn’t help but wonder if she was really related to these people

Are these really s? Rachel thought of all the various possibilities to explain this Maybe she was adopted? It would only see like these people she called her fas of alienation, Rachel knew she wasn’t adopted She had been part of every fa born in the hospital This made her even madder inside Why was she so different?

Rachel cleared her plate, put it in the sink, and started for the stairs

"That’s not where that goes, get back here and clean your plate," Rachel’s mom yelled "We are not your personal maids, clean up after yourself"

Rachel stomped back into the kitchen and looked at Sarah’s plate that had been placed right next to hers in the sink

"But Sarah left hers in the sink," Rachel said

The front door slaoa little behind," Rachel’s mom said

"It’s not fair," said Rachel as she cleaned her plate off and put it in the dishwasher

When Rachel got back into the co heavy, her head face down in her pillows All her ean to cry She sat up and reached for a tissue and saw her cell phone on the nightstand She flipped it open No new rew even sadder She couldn’t understand why nobody from Pennsylvania had reached out to her Rachel scrolled down her lists of contacts and clicked Dana’s na a text

Hey, hoas your day today? Did you see Alex? What was he wearing?

Rachel placed the phone back onto her nightstand and waited Dana always had her phone glued to her body and never missed a call, text or email

A few minutes went by with no reply and Rachel’s heart dropped

Rachel went over to her desk and took out her purple, velvet diary She held it up to the key on her necklace, and opened the lock

Dear Diary,

Today ful I hate AHS, I hate Mr Allen and I hate my family I didn’t make one friend and I never will Nobody even knows I exist Dana is ignoring uy in school – Rob Greene He plays football He obviously hasn’t noticed me yet, but we are in the sauy ever and has the biggest irl liketomorrow I hope it won’t be a repeat of today

Oh, and I have cheerleading tryouts tomorrow Wish me luck!

XOXO,

Rachel

As Rachel locked her diary back up her phone buzzed

One New Message:

Dana: Hey, can’t talk-super busy-call you t even more depressed She put her head back on her pillow and fell asleep