Erased From Home.

arents and my brother Harold Davis were g

life ended

t, my family was always dr

ft me b

decided I was done s

me, I came

liar ceiling. My brother H

y Ayden Campbel

ago, and Ayden was the son of his fe

and with his congenital asthma, my parent

now on. He's not well, so look after him, okay?" my mom said

resented the attention Ayden got, complained about

Ayden's weak, delicate

ail as a flower, clinging to

d pleased with this innocent

over and patted my head. "Shawn, be good. Ayden's yo

st tig

rother, expected to dote

ctance, the whole family treate

Davises' bio

en Ayden showed up, and all the love and

for it, only to be called s

imid voice came fr

tears, as if I were so

aking it seem like I'd

is, my family accused me of bullying h

nd my mom, playing the same gam

pond, my mom and

h disapproval. "Shawn, Ayden jus

same as l

" I turned and headed upstairs, ign

the moment Ayden arrived, I became the outcast,

love was cheap. A few tears from Ayden, an

be taken so easily w

ames to win them over, he cou

room, tired of th

ldn't fight Ayde

ld, not even the fiancée

d none

e National Def

er the exam would get me into an eli

perfect sch

eded exceptiona

o bond with Ayden, but his f

either boy nor girl, an

old ate it up, treating him

s requirements in my room

showed up after ten at night, offe

liked th

ice came through the door. "Open the doo

him, he'd knock for half an hou

apped, "I've told you I don't

s, his eyes cautiously meeting mine. "Mi

oice trembled. "Please don't be mad. I know you hate me

ld appeared, shoving

through my

"What's your problem? He's just trying to

ou're too stubborn, Shawn. When will you be as t

eked at me from behind them,

my face. I sneered, "Guess I'll never be as perfect as yo

respond, I slamm

oice. "It's my fault. Shawn doesn't like

fault. Shawn's just narrow-minded. Stay aw

, we'll have him apolog

a small,

was always like this. Ayden shed a few tears

o apologize like i

e with th

idents with the milk ha

ting him outright, which only

ed trying to win me over. Instead, he played the sweet, clingy act w

emy was a top school, and with my average talent, I ha

birthday

o the amusement park to ride

d Ayden, I was thrilled

d Harold fussed over Ayden, asking if

n a bottomless pit couldn'

yself an ice cream since

and whined that

e, you can't have ice cream with your asthma. It's n

den's condition? Why flaunt that ice cream

to Ayden. My ice cream fell, splattering on the

the roller coaster. What's his sickne

king at me timidly. "I won't eat it. I

ears younger, but a

al tactic- spying, pleasin

d me, deliberatel

me like I was a monster. "What's wrong with you? Trying to hurt him? You

n is. If he fell, couldn't you help him?

y hands, staring at their

y broke the silence. "Dad, I can't breathe

f anything happens to him because you di

g happens to Ayden, I won't le

past two lives, Ayden ruin

perfectly timed, like

rk. Clinging to one last shred

ried, not wanting to be abandoned

ng on, hoping someone would see

ection, her voice soft but reluct

nd Harold," I said, meani

sonable, Shawn. Ayden's condition is serious, and as his mother, I ca

a ride home for me. She l

aded, as if even the melted ice cream'

et and the ruined ice cream int

ld kid. Why did my mom

s, I sat on the living room so

m light stayed

t morning. Ayden was surrounded lik

ce stiffened, as if she just remembered she'd

you know Ayden wasn't feeling well, right? I remembe

In my last life, my m

s flared up on my birthd

about it before, bu

r house, I never had a

words wer

y mom's express

sorry, Shawn. I ruined your bi

d, her voice full of pity. "Don't s

oked at me. "Shaw

der brother, I should give in to him,"

growing up, Shawn. You get it. Next time, all fi

last life, I never went to an amuse

mean my birthday wou

ys expect me to accept

th amusement parks." I

e upset. I love you both the same.

till looked at me with dissatisfaction, pr

's my fault for making yo

ault, Ayden. Shawn will forgive you. He didn't catch you

. "Exactly. It's not your fault.

his perfect family of

d they'd all left me a

e protected him and forgave him

ct was undenia

lives, Ayden never got

our house arrived, my paren

ned me at the amusement park, Ayden stood i

ignored, the

ut anyone could see the difference

king at a small cake, av

nts for their favoritism, which trigger

be. I didn't want

tarted my final year

school material. Unsurprisingly, I scored first in the school on t

ng, my family fussed, urging him to rest or o

to my mom's arms, crying. "Mom, I'm so stupid

ot stupid, Ayden. Shawn studied months ahe

orized everything. You're so smart, Ayden.

ssurance while I, the school

s, no one mentioned grad

hing their loving fami

Academy, I stayed upstairs studying, rare

e flipped the table over

middle school, I found myself amo

here, and getting fi

d three years

s sooner, I might ne

ing at school, rarely goi

n as their youngest son, an

r the summer, I dragged

se was

my mom?" I asked

mom and the others went out to celebrate," Keith s

hool break, but no one eve

orites, but my parents t

iced my room had become Ayden's. Even the family portrait h

as being eras

room until nine at night when

ow, still had that c

dn't do well on my exams, and you still got

o you don't need to study hard. You're my youngest, wh

they froze, like t

yden, then looked to my dad

lding. "You're old enough to te

y. "Shawn, don't be upset. I didn't know you we

poorly, so Mom took everyone out to cheer me up.

u when his break was? No, you planned his break months ago-when he

ing in front of Ayden, ready to argue. "We treat you and Ayden the same

ld's closest brother. He'd pr

family celebration. Mine? No one even knows I'm home. My room

mom stood frozen. My dad sta

remembers I'm part of this family? You say you t

one owes you something. Nobody does! If you're so great, stop being a Davis! You hate Ayden, don't you? What good