Chapter 1The Brother My Ghost Dad Picked

I'm a daddy's girl, and for the last five years, he’s been gone. But this morning, after a stupid fall off my bike, I could hear him again.

“Honey, don’t let that boy Garrett Pierce fool you again. He’s about to fake amnesia so he can manipulate you into doing something foolish. He wants to make a fool of you in front of the whole Base community.”

I thought the ringing in my ears was just a concussion. I immediately ran next door to Garrett’s house. He opened the door and blinked at me blankly. “Who are you?” he asked.

My father’s voice, sharp and frantic, echoed in my head:

“Last time, you let your mother adopt him. You gave him everything good in your life. But he locked you in your house while he went off with someone else, and you were trapped in that fire! He left you to burn!”

“Sloane, listen to your old man. Your mom is going to ask you to pick a little brother tonight. Don’t pick Garrett again. Pick Miles Thompson. The one who always glares and gets under your skin. But remember, every time you finished your dance practice, he was the one who quietly slipped you a bottle of water.”

And sure enough, that evening, my mother, Base Commander Eliza Miller, walked toward me holding a handful of photos of young boys.

“Sloane, honey,” she said, her tone serious. “These boys are all children of fallen service members. I’ve decided to adopt one to be your brother. I want you to pick. We’ll be a family.”

This time, I didn't hesitate. I pointed straight at the photo of Miles Thompson.

“I’m listening to Dad,” I said. “I pick him.”

* * *

Mom looked at me, a flicker of surprise in her eyes. “Miles? Sloane, you two are constantly fighting. Are you sure you want him as your brother? Think this through. Once we make it official, he’s family for life.”

My mother is a high-ranking officer on this Base. Anyone she brings into our family gets an automatic ticket to a better life, better opportunities.

Aunt Carol, Garrett’s distant guardian, stepped forward quickly, trying to interfere. “Sloane, Garrett may have a little temporary amnesia right now, but you two were inseparable before. Why don’t you wait a few days? I’m sure his memory will come back.”

My dad made a loud, disgusted sound in my head. “She is full of it! Last time, that little Reed girl broke your most prized doll, and before you could even say a word, Garrett locked you out in the rain! You almost had pneumonia. It was Miles who came looking for you with an umbrella, muttering ‘This is such a pain,’ the whole time, but he still took you back to his place.”

Hearing that, a painful knot tightened in my chest.

I didn't understand why Dad kept talking about these “past life” things, but every word felt heavy and suffocating, like cotton soaked in cold water.

It was true that Brooke Reed had always been Garrett’s favorite playmate. They were always together, playing marbles and trading cards, and I was perpetually on the outside.

“Mom,” I said, my voice firm. “I’ve made my choice. I want Miles Thompson to be my brother.”

Mom collected the photos and gently ruffled my hair. “Okay, I respect your decision. I’ll host a dinner for the community two days from now and formally announce it.”

Dad let out a long, audible sigh of relief. “That’s my girl. This time, my Sloane is going to grow up safe and happy.”

After Mom and the adults left to discuss the official paperwork, I changed into a t-shirt and shorts, wanting to get some air.

I wasn’t surprised to see three familiar figures standing in the hallway when I opened the door. They were the kids Mom was considering, my usual circle of playmates.

Garrett was there, along with Zack and Ryan. Miles was, predictably, missing.

Zack grinned and nudged me. “Sloane, we heard you’re picking a brother! Who did you pick?”

Ryan chimed in, “Who else? It has to be Garrett! Everyone knows Sloane is totally obsessed with him and shares everything good with him.”

Garrett, however, just glanced at me with an air of adult indifference. “I really don’t remember the last few years. I only remember playing with Brooke. But if the grown-ups decide I’m your brother, I’ll… accept you as a sister.”

Dad gave a cold, hard scoff. “Accept you? Last time, he used that amnesia act as an excuse to be glued to Brooke while still taking advantage of all your attention. He broke your heart over and over again. The rotten jerk!”

I looked at Garrett’s dismissive expression. If Dad hadn’t warned me, I might have fallen for it again.

I had trusted him completely, truly believing he liked being my friend.

I remembered my birthday three years ago. He had gathered all the Base kids to sing to me, his eyes bright as he said, “Sloane, I will always be right behind you.” I was so touched I nearly cried, and from that day on, I followed him everywhere.

Now I knew he actually preferred Brooke, only being nice to me because of Mom’s rank.

Now, he was faking amnesia, openly admitting he wanted to hang out with Brooke, yet still trying to begrudgingly agree to be my brother just to get into our family.

Not on my watch. The obnoxious little fraud.

I fought back the urge to expose him right there. Let him be smug for two more days, I thought. I wanted to see the look on his face when Mom made the official announcement.

Zack poked my shoulder. “So? Who did you pick?”

I kept my voice flat. “You’ll find out in two days.”

I turned to leave, but Ryan’s voice stopped me. “Garrett, she definitely picked you. Don’t you remember when you had a cold, Sloane went out in the rain to the commissary to get you ginger candy and got soaked herself? She practically worships you.”

“She does?” Garrett flashed a conceited smile. “I guess she really cares about me, then.”

My heart seized up, a sudden, sharp pain. My eyes immediately burned with tears, but I refused to let them fall.

Everyone on the Base knew I liked spending time with Garrett.

The other kids often teased me, calling me his "shadow," but I didn’t care.

I lost my dad young, and Mom was often deployed or busy. Garrett was the only one who stood up for me when other kids bullied me. So, when he offered his friendship, I was ecstatic, promising myself I would be the best friend to him, ever.

Now I realized his kindness might have been entirely transactional, entirely due to Mom's influence.

“Sloane Miller, wait up.” Garrett called out.

I turned back. He walked toward me, holding a brightly dressed doll—Brooke’s doll. “I know you chose me. I’ll be your brother, but I need you to promise me you won’t interfere with me playing with Brooke.”

I looked him dead in the eye. “You have amnesia, right? How are you so sure I chose you?”

Garrett frowned. “Everyone says you like me best. Who else would you pick?”

A rush of pure, hot anger went through me.

So Garrett knew how I felt. He knew, and he was still using my affection to bully me.

“Don’t worry,” I said. “I won’t be chasing after you anymore. You can hang out with Brooke all you want.”

In fact, I thought, he should be thrilled when he hears the news.

Garrett looked genuinely stunned by how quickly I agreed.

As I started to walk away again, he reached out, instinctively trying to grab my arm. Just then, a little kids’ scooter wobbled wildly toward me.

The wheel slammed into my ankle, and I went down hard. My palms scraped against the rough concrete walkway, peeling the skin.

Brooke, the little girl from the scooter, jumped off frantically, her voice already tearful. “Sloane, I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to hit you…”

Before I could even speak, Dad started railing in my head. “The little actress! She’s doing it again! Last time she stole your toy, but she cried like you were the bully, and that idiot Garrett believed her every time!”

Seeing Brooke’s watery eyes, Garrett immediately rushed to her side, his expression softening with concern. “It’s okay, Brooke. It was just an accident. Sloane won’t blame you.”

He helped Brooke up, then turned to me, his face showing clear annoyance. “It’s just a scrape. Don’t make a scene.”

My palms were throbbing, searing with pain, but I bit back my tears and stood up slowly.

Brooke sniffled dramatically. “Sloane, please forgive me. I was playing carelessly. I’ll hit myself as punishment, okay?”

She made a show of raising her hand to hit herself. Garrett quickly blocked her, then glared at me in anger. “Sloane, she apologized! Can’t you just drop it?”

Dad’s voice was livid. “This rotten kid! My Sloane hasn't said a single word—that little drama queen is doing the whole performance herself! Sloane, you can’t let this go!”

I always listened to my father. I raised my hand and shoved Brooke squarely, sending her tumbling back onto the ground.

I looked at Garrett. “That is making a scene. My father taught me to stand up for myself.”

Brooke sat on the ground, completely frozen.

Garrett was equally shocked, a flash of pure rage on his young face. “Sloane, you—”

I raised my hand again and pushed him too. “That is taking it too far.”

Since I’d known him, I’d always deferred to him, never once pushing back.

The shove completely stunned him.

Garrett stared at me in disbelief, his face red with fury. “Fine. You think you’re so tough? You’ll regret hitting me.”

“Brooke, I’ll take you to the Base infirmary.”

Dad was merciless in his derision. “Doesn’t even check on his hurt sister-figure, but rushes to comfort the one who crashed into her. You’d only regret having a family member who has no moral compass. Sloane, your hand must hurt.”

I looked down at my bleeding palms. The raw, gut-deep feeling of betrayal was unbearable.

In the past, whenever I was hurt, Garrett would be frantic, desperate to trade places with me.

Maybe that concern wasn’t entirely fake. But now, he looked right through my pain, prioritizing Brooke instead.

Everything Dad said was starting to sound horrifyingly true.

Even if he did become my brother, it would only lead to the same tragedy Dad had described.