- 4.
The storage room didn’t have any windows,
so it was pitch black if you didn’t turn on the
lights.
I made the bed and carefully put the rabbit
inside before going to sleep, resting its head
on the pillow and draping its arms over the
covers.
When Jake came back with Tiffany, he had a
fow bright red handprints on his face
く
few bright red handprints on his face.
We looked at each other, silent.
I pulled out a hard–boiled egg and held it out
to him.
“Here, Jake, use this to ice your face, or it’ll
get even more swollen tomorrow.”
He didn’t take it. “It’s nothing.”
He forced a smile.
“You better get used to it. It’s going to
happen a lot.”
I was confused. “Why do I have to get used to
it? Won’t Mom and Dad do anything about
her hitting people?”
Г
He didn’t answer directly.
“After you got lost, Mom and Dad adopted
Tiffany and tried to make up for everything
they lost with you, by giving it all to Tiffany.”
“But I’m back now. If they really feel bad for
losing me, they can make it up to me, right?”
Judging by his expression, I’d asked another
stupid question.
He grabbed my rabbit when I wasn’t looking.
“This rabbit’s been with you for years, it
should hang out with your brother for a bit
now.”
He winked at me.
<
I smiled.
Jake was still the brother I remembered.
I took the rabbit from him when I was little, so
I guess I could let him borrow it for one night.
But that’s when the trouble started.
I asked Jake for the rabbit back the next day,
but he avoided my eyes.
“Do you know Stella Lou? I’ll buy you an even
bigger, more beautiful rabbit.”
I shook my head.
I wanted the rabbit I’d had for fourteen years.
“Stella Lou is really cute. way cuter than that
old rabbit.”
Jake wouldn’t let it go, showing me pictures
of Stella Lou.
I realized something was wrong.
I ran to Tiffany’s room.
Tiffany was lying in bed playing on her phone,
humming a happy song, with a ball of fluff
under her head.
She yelled, “Who told you you could come in
my room? Get out!”
I pulled the fluff out from under her head.
It was my rabbit.
Ripped open, with its mouth twisted, its eyes
crooked, and cotton spilling out of its
stomach.
I swallowed my anger. “Why did you touch my
rabbit?”
“Oh, is this rabbit yours? I thought it was
Jake’s. That explains why it was so ugly.”
Tiffany didn’t care.
“Why did you touch my rabbit?”
“I told you, I didn’t know it was yours.”
“Why did you touch my rabbit?”
“Okay, are you done yet? It’s just a rabbit, I’ll
pay you back for it. Here’s fifty bucks that’ll
<
buy you three of them!”
Tiffany grabbed some change and threw it at
my face.
The coins fell on the floor.
My face stung, but my eyes stayed on her.
“You killed my rabbit.”
Tiffany rolled her eyes. “You’re crazy!”
I looked around the room.
Tiffany had two display cases in her bedroom
full of figures, stands, pins, and limited-
edition merchandise.
They were carefully arranged and decorated,
worth a fortune.
Г
I grabbed a chair and smashed one of the
display cases to pieces.
“Aaaah! My shrine! How can an old rabbit
compare to my limited–edition shrine? I’m
going to kill you!”
Tiffany jumped at me, ready to tear me apart.
I warned her, “Touch my rabbit again, and I’ll
smash your other display case.”
