No one laughed.
No one moved.
The only sound came from the microphone slipping out of Chloe’s hand and hitting the stone patio.
She stared at me in complete disbelief.
“What…”
“What happened to you?”
For several seconds, I simply looked at my sister. Then I bent down, picked up the microphone, and answered in the calmest voice I could manage.
“You did.”
The words froze the entire party.
Confusion spread across Chloe’s face as she slowly shook her head.
“What are you talking about?”
“I don’t remember…”
“You don’t,” I replied softly.
“Because Mom and Dad made sure you never would.”
I turned toward the crowd before looking back at my sister.
“Twelve years ago our house caught fire.”
“You were trapped upstairs.”
“I went back inside to get you.”
“You survived.”
“I came out looking like this.”
The backyard fell completely silent.
For the first time since the party began…
Nobody was looking at my scars.
They were all looking at Chloe.
