Chapter 4No Longer My Brother’s Replacement

I froze in place like a robot that had suddenly powered down. Sienna looked flustered when I did not say anything.

“What’s wrong? You don’t like them?”

She glanced at me before quietly looking toward her mother. “If you don’t like them, we can return them after lunch and pick out something you do.”

I sniffled and forced a smile, shaking my head. “No. I love them. Thank you.”

Sienna let out a quiet sigh when she saw the redness around my eyes.

“Harry, I heard what happened from my mom.” She gently patted my shoulder. “Your mother hasn’t been herself since Henry passed away. You’ve been the one paying the price for it.

“When you start college, work hard and keep your GPA up. You can always apply to graduate school later. You’ve still got your whole life ahead of you. I know you’re going to have a bright future.”

Her words almost shattered the smile on my face. Did I really still have a future? Could I really leave Henry behind and simply live as Harry?

I got my answer that night.

The moment we got home, Mom picked up the art supplies Sienna had given me and threw them out the window. The tubes of paint burst open on the pavement below. Brilliant colors splattered across the ground like blood exploding from a body after a fatal fall.

I rushed to the window, too stunned to react.

Before I could say a word, Mom snatched the tracksuit out of the gift bag and flicked a lighter. The flames caught instantly. The fire lit up her twisted expression.

“Who said you could accept these? Henry would never have owned things like this! What do you think you’re doing, bringing them into this house?”

Sienna’s words echoed in my mind, and I could not hold it in anymore.

“Henry is dead! He’s dead! I’m Harry! I’m a living, breathing person! I have my own likes. My own dreams. My own life to live! He died when he was 18, and I’ve spent 18 years pretending to be him. Isn’t that enough?”

My answer was a slap that cut through the air. It knocked me to the floor, and my back slammed into my brother’s memorial photo. His framed portrait crashed to the ground with a sharp crack.

For one frozen moment, his dark eyes seemed to stare straight into mine.

Mom pointed at me with trembling fingers. “How dare you… How dare you… If Henry hadn’t died, you never would have had the chance to be born! Why should you get the future that was supposed to belong to my son?”

Even though I had always known that Mom never loved me, hearing her finally say it out loud still shattered my heart.

I lay on the floor as a shard of broken glass from my brother’s picture frame sliced into my palm. Blood slowly trickled out.

Mom collapsed to her knees, sobbing as she gathered Henry’s portrait into her arms. “Henry… My dear Henry… Did you get hurt? I will find you a better place.”

She walked past me carrying his portrait and never looked at me again. Dad grabbed his jacket and hurried after her, slamming the front door shut.

I closed my eyes and silently apologized to Sienna. It looked like I would not live long enough to see the future she believed I could have.

The tracksuit Mom had burned was blackened and scorched. I pulled it over my body, then looked toward the open window.

I changed my mind at that moment. I did not want to die the same way my brother had. If this was going to be the last moment of my life, I wanted to end it as Harry Stone.

It was the only act of defiance I had left.

I climbed onto the windowsill. After taking one last look at the place that had never truly been my home, I closed my eyes and let myself fall backward without a second thought.