Chapter 2

Harper's POV

By eight PM, my headache had gotten WORSE. Each throb felt like someone hammering my temples. I stumbled out of the kitchen, desperate to sit down somewhere.

The party was still going strong - laughter and music filled the air.

I leaned against the wall as the world started spinning. My skin felt like it was on fire, but I was shivering.

"Harper, why are you still lurking around here?" Mom approached, frowning at my appearance. "Your face is all red - do you have a fever?"

"I... I don't feel good."

Mom pressed her hand to my forehead and immediately jerked it back. "Jesus, you're burning up! Harper, don't ruin the mood here. Go to your room and rest."

"Mom, I wanted to—"

"There's nothing to want. Get upstairs NOW. Don't infect the guests." Her voice was sharp with irritation.

I looked toward Dad, hoping for a shred of concern, but he was deep in conversation with Brad's father about business deals. He didn't even glance my way.

Madison noticed the commotion. "Mom, what's wrong with Harper?"

"She has a fever. I told her to go rest."

"Oh good. She wasn't much use down here anyway." Madison dismissed me with a wave, then turned back to her friends.

Ryan didn't even bother turning around.

I dragged myself upstairs, each step making me feel like I might collapse. The joyful sounds from below made my heart even heavier. This was Madison's engagement party - one of our family's most important moments - and I was just an irrelevant outsider whose illness was an inconvenience.

Back in my room, I collapsed onto my bed, shaking uncontrollably. I touched my burning forehead - probably 103 degrees - but nobody downstairs cared.

By ten PM, the party sounds had quieted, though I could still hear Madison's laughter and Ryan's booming voice occasionally.

I lay in bed as the fever made my consciousness fuzzy. Family photos on the wall looked blurry in the dim light. I squinted at them as childhood memories flooded back like a tide.

That photo was from my fifteenth birthday. Madison had just returned from summer camp with a gorgeous tan. Ryan was prepping for the SATs, already being courted by top colleges. And me? I'd just been lectured by Mom about my acne breakout.

"Harper, can't you take better care of yourself? Look at your face - you're embarrassing the family!" Mom had said.

I'd tried explaining it was normal teenage hormones, but she wouldn't listen.

"Madison never gets those things. Neither does Ryan. You're always causing me problems."

Back then I'd naively thought if I just tried harder, I could earn her love. I started using skincare products, even secretly saved money to see a dermatologist. But when I excitedly told Madison I'd found a treatment, she and her friends just laughed.

"Harper actually thinks skincare will make her pretty?" Madison had said into her phone. "Some people are just born with it, you know?"

After that, I became more and more insecure, more withdrawn. I learned to hide myself, learned not to expect any attention.

The fever made these memories painfully vivid. I rolled over as tears soaked my pillow.

At 2 AM, the high fever triggered nightmares.

In my dream, I stood outside a huge circle. Madison, Ryan, Dad, and Mom all stood inside with their backs to me. I desperately tried to enter the circle, but an invisible force kept pushing me out.

"Let me in!" I screamed in the dream. "I'm family too!"

But they couldn't hear me, continuing to chat and laugh inside their circle.

Suddenly, Dad's complaining voice echoed: "If we'd only had two kids... our lives would be so much simpler."

"Absolutely," Mom agreed. "The third one really was unnecessary."

Madison and Ryan both nodded in agreement.

I wanted to argue, to tell them how much I loved this family, but no words would come. I watched them drift away as the circle grew smaller, until I was completely abandoned in darkness.

I jolted awake, soaked in sweat. I reached for the thermometer on my nightstand - 103.2 degrees. The fever was getting worse, but downstairs was completely quiet.

Everyone was asleep. Nobody thought to check on me.

The next morning at nine, I was woken by loud noises.

I struggled to sit up, head still foggy, but the fever seemed slightly better. Sounds of dragging luggage and excited chatter came from downstairs.

I stumbled to the window and looked down, STUNNED.

A luxury sedan sat in the driveway. Dad was loading luggage into the trunk. Madison wore vacation clothes and oversized sunglasses, taking selfies. Ryan carried a large backpack, looking thrilled.

Mom emerged from the house holding passports and tickets.

"Everyone ready? The plane won't wait," Dad called out.

"Absolutely! Bahamas, here we come!" Madison squealed.

Bahamas? They were going to the BAHAMAS?

My heart started racing. They couldn't actually be planning to leave me behind, could they?

I rushed downstairs in my pajamas, hair a mess.

"Wait! Where are you going?"

Mom saw me and looked annoyed. "Harper, you're awake. We're going to the Bahamas to celebrate Madison's engagement."

"What about me?"

"You? You had a fever last night - you're obviously still sick. Perfect time to rest at home." She said it like it was the most reasonable arrangement in the world.

"But... you never TOLD me! I want to come too!"

Dad checked his watch. "Harper, our flight leaves in two hours. Besides, you're sick - flying would be bad for you."

"I'm fine! I feel much better!" I insisted desperately, though my voice was still weak.

"Give it up, Harper." Ryan said impatiently. "Just stay home and rest. Vacation isn't really your thing anyway."

Madison was more direct. "Seriously, Harper, you'd just slow us down. You know you don't fit in at these kinds of places."

I felt my heart being ripped apart. They were really going to abandon me - not ONE person would stay to take care of me.

"Mom, I had a 103-degree fever last night..." I tried one last time.

"That's perfect then - stay home and rest quietly without sun exposure." Mom brushed me off. "There are leftovers in the fridge - enough for several days."

Then they got in the car.

I stood in the doorway watching the sedan disappear from sight.

The empty house contained only me. Last night's party mess was still everywhere - empty bottles and plates scattered around. The kitchen sink overflowed with dirty dishes, champagne stains marked the living room carpet.

I collapsed on the couch, surrounded by the chaos, feeling like the entire world had abandoned me.

Then my phone rang.

Seeing Dad's number, my heart suddenly raced. Maybe they'd realized something, maybe they regretted it, maybe they were coming back for me!

I answered quickly. "Dad?"

"Harper, we just got to the airport." Dad's voice sounded rushed, with noisy airport announcements in the background.

"Are you... are you coming back for me?" My voice was full of hope.

"Coming back? We're about to board." Dad sounded confused. "I'm calling to remind you - the living room and kitchen still need cleaning. Make sure you clean up all the party garbage and get those carpet stains out. We want to see a clean house when we get back."

My heart plummeted to the bottom.

"Also," Dad continued, "there are leftover appetizers in the fridge. Eat them before they go bad. Don't waste food."

"Dad..." my voice started trembling.

"Alright, we're boarding now. Take care of yourself and get the house cleaned up. We'll be back in five days."

Beep beep beep... He hung up.

I sat holding my phone in the middle of the trashed living room.

So they HAD thought of me - not because they cared about my health, not because they worried about me being alone, but because they didn't want to come home to a dirty house.

In their eyes, I wasn't even their daughter. I was just free housekeeping.