But my visa wasn’t here yet, so I smiled faintly. Swallowed my pride. And slipped into the backseat of the car.
I would bear with it a little longer.
Bianca was beside Troy in the passenger seat, talking non-stop about their trip like it was some fairytale.
“We hiked the Matterhorn—it was freezing, but he carried me down the trail like a knight.” She went on, oblivious to everything else. “Then there was this sweet shop, and he bought the whole shelf because I couldn’t decide!”
“Troy even booked the entire rooftop of the Ritz for dinner. Candles and everything.”
I stared out the window, dead silent. Her giggles and his soft chuckles filled the space, but I didn’t respond. I couldn’t.
The rest of the ride passed in quiet torment, my chest tight with rage and helplessness.
That night, Bianca announced she’d cooked dinner.
“I made something for everyone! Come eat with us!” she chirped, her tone sweet, as though that would make up for all the damage she’d done.
I was about to refuse when Troy gave me that look—the one that said if I didn’t play nice, I’d be the problem.
“Bianca apologized. She’s trying, Thalia. Don’t be immature. She’s just a kid.”
A kid who split my skull open. I forced myself to sit down. My hands clenched under the table, white-knuckled as I stared at the steaming bowl of soup she’d placed before me.
Bianca beamed at me. “Try it. I added a secret spice.”
I hesitated, staring at the soup. Then I took a sip, trying to swallow my disgust. Something tingled at the back of my throat. Then that tingling turned to a violent burning.
I dropped the spoon. My chest tightened, the air choking from my lungs. My throat swelled, panic rising like a tidal wave.
Shrimp. Tiny bits of shrimp. The cruelest betrayal. I looked at Bianca through blurred vision. Her face was frozen in mock horror.
“Oh my god. I didn’t know! I didn’t mean—”
Liar. She always knew. Always.
I glanced at Troy. His eyes hardened—not in concern, but in irritation.
“Bianca, go upstairs. You don’t need to see this.”
And then he walked away. Left me there.
I staggered to the kitchen, my hands trembling as I fumbled through the drawers, searching for my EpiPen and allergy meds. My body was shutting down, but I fought to stay conscious. I swallowed a pill, just enough to stabilize myself.
An hour later, I collapsed in bed, utterly drained, barely hanging on to life. Sleep took me swiftly, mercifully.