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It’s hard to believe we’re sisters, or even related at all We were never close, even as kids growing up she would tease or just plain ignore h and high school, whereas I always drifted on the edge of the crowd It wasn’t like I was a social reject or anything--I hadout in our fa roups were off out on dates and at football games and parties I used to wish she would confide in me more, and let me into her life, even just a little It felt like she was a stranger who just happened to be living in the sa my direction except to scorn

Afterus closer together She was the only other person who h, after all But Carina didn’t want to talk, or even dwell on it for a e trip around Europe with her girlfriends, at the end of summer She left the week after we buried mom, and never even emailed me I read about all her adventures online, whole alburaphs posed in front of the Eiffel Tower and Italian beaches, like nothing rong

And et out of bed I know itHell, I hadin ave up the hope we’d ever be sisters, the way I saw , and safe

I’ve fallen behind the others I shake off the oldroos," I notice, onanyone else…?"

My words die onwith Daniel and Carina in the corner

"Hello, pu his usual outfit of corduroy pants and an Oxford shirt under his tweed jacket, gold-rimmed spectacles on his nose The perfect picture of an eccentric British acadelass to me It’s almost empty, I notice, and wonder if it’s his first, or his fifth

But then, it wouldn’t matter It’s the ninth and the tenth drink we have to worry about

"Dad" I do ht My heart-rate kicks "I didn’t know you were in town"

"Just got in a few days ago," he says, cheerfully oblivious to the way I fold my aroing to see soht I’d put theives a dah to turn my stomach, but I latch onto the other part of what he said Daniel called hi to Carina about her kitchen re

"We just had the whole thing redone," Carina is saying She gestures around at the professional range and granite countertops like a gareat," Daniel nods

"What rong with the old one?" I ask

Carina widens her eyes "Oh od, you should have seen it They had !"

The tone of her voice implies these are serious crimes I have to hide my eye-roll

Carina’s as bad ass For him, it’s expensive vacations, five hundred dollar dinners, and handner clothes I don’t understand how they can live like this: relying on loans and credit cards, and whatever rich friends will foot the bill There are always strings attached to that kind of thing, but dad and Carina act like they’re entitled to it, so desperately to keep dad in check and one, Dad flits around, staying too long with old friends, sucking their favors and hospitality dry And Carina? Well, there’s a reasona forty-two year old, twice-divorced douchebag of an investment banker, and it sure as hell isn’t his personality

I’ve been careful to never fall into that trap Ischool and vacations I tutored in high school, and worked doing the books for s aside a tiny nest egg of savings that’ll help pay for an aparth until I find a job

I swore to myself, I’d never have to depend on anyone the way they do But all the work I put in tosure I’d never have to rely onnow I’htening around o through to eat," Carina says She checks her watch, frowning "Alexander should be right down"

Please I send a silent prayer that et done with dinner, the sooner this charade of happy fa roo

"What were you thinking?" I hiss Already, I feel a rush of blood pounding in n that bad times are ahead "You called my dad?"