Chapter 1: The Birthday Dress
“Grandma, where’s my pink dress?””
I still remember the way those words sounded when I was ten years old—small, careful, and full of hope.
It was supposed to be the happiest day of my childhood.
The backyard was covered in pink and gold balloons. A giant banner stretched across the fence that read: *Happy 10th Birthday, Maya & Lily!* The cake sat on a glass table, decorated with two matching princess crowns made from sugar.
At least, that was what everyone thought.
Everyone was staring at my twin sister, Lily.
Her crystal-covered pink gown shimmered every time she moved. The little tiara on her head caught the sunlight, throwing tiny sparkles across the yard. Adults surrounded her, taking pictures and telling her how beautiful she looked.
“Look at our little princess!”” Aunt Rachel laughed.
“She looks like she belongs in a fairy tale,” Grandma Diane said proudly.
I stood near the doorway, holding my breath.
Because I was waiting for my dress.
Mom had promised.
Two weeks earlier, she had taken Lily and me shopping. She held up two identical pink dresses with tiny pearl buttons and said, “My girls are going to look like twins from a storybook.””
We had laughed and spun around in the dressing room.
But now Lily looked like a princess.
And I looked like I was waiting for a costume that never arrived.
Grandma Diane walked toward me carrying a black plastic dress folded over her arm.
I thought maybe I was seeing it wrong.
Maybe it was just a cover.
Maybe underneath it was my real dress.
Then she handed it to me.
“Put this on,” she said.
I stared at the material.
It was stiff.
Shiny.
Cold.
It looked like something someone would use to protect furniture from paint.
“Grandma…” I whispered.
“Where’s my pink dress?””
Her smile disappeared.
She leaned closer so nobody else could hear.
“That’s all you deserve.””
My stomach dropped.
“What?””
“You heard me,” she said quietly.
I looked toward the yard. Lily was laughing while everyone admired her dress.
“Mom bought matching ones,” I said.
“She said we would wear them together.””
Grandma’s eyes narrowed.
“Your mother always thinks you deserve the same things as Lily.””
She said Lily’s name differently.
Like it was something precious.
Like mine was something she had to tolerate.
“Go change,” Grandma ordered.
I walked upstairs slowly.
Every step felt heavier.
In the bedroom, I pulled the black dress over my clothes. The plastic scraped against my skin. It made a strange crinkling sound whenever I moved.
I looked in the mirror.
I didn’t look like a birthday girl.
I looked like someone who had been wrapped up and forgotten.
When I came downstairs, Grandma looked me over.
“There,” she said.
“Much better.””
I forced myself not to cry.
“Better?””
She pointed to a chair in the corner of the backyard.
“Sit there.””
I blinked.
“Why?””
“Because you’ll ruin the pictures.””
The words hit harder than the dress.
I looked at the camera in Uncle Mark’s hands. I looked at the family gathered around Lily.
“But it’s our birthday.””
Grandma smiled.
“Lily’s birthday photos matter.””
“My birthday matters too,” I whispered.
Her expression turned cold.
“Don’t start being dramatic.””
I sat in the corner chair.
The plastic dress squeaked every time I moved. I kept my hands folded in my lap, trying to disappear.
Then Mom’s voice came back to me.
“Today is about both of my girls.””
I held onto that sentence.
Because I needed to believe someone meant it.
A few minutes later, Lily noticed me.
She stopped smiling.
Her eyes moved from her dress to mine.
Then she walked over.
“Maya?””
I looked away.
“Go back,” I whispered.
“Everyone’s taking your pictures.””
“No.””
Her voice was quiet but firm.
“What happened?””
“Nothing.””
She knew I was lying.
Twins know things other people don’t.
She sat beside me.
The plastic dress made a loud crackling sound.
Lily’s face changed.
“She did this?””
I didn’t answer.
I didn’t need to.
Lily looked back at Grandma.
For the first time all day, my sister didn’t look like a princess.
She looked angry.
“I’m not taking any more pictures,” she said.
I grabbed her hand.
“Lily, don’t.””
“She can’t treat you like this.””
Grandma noticed us.
Her smile faded.
“Lily, come here. We need the birthday photos.””
Lily stood up.
“No.””
The whole yard went quiet.
Grandma laughed awkwardly.
“What did you say?””
“I said no.””
Everyone stared.
Lily reached into her pocket.
Then she pulled out her phone.
“I recorded everything.””
Grandma froze.
The wind moved through the balloons above us.
“What are you talking about?”” Grandma asked.
Lily held up the phone.
“The dress. What you said to Maya. All of it.””
Grandma’s face changed.
For the first time, she looked scared.
And before she could say another word, the front door opened.
A bag dropped onto the floor.
Mom stood there.
Her eyes moved from Lily’s phone…
to Grandma…
to me sitting in the corner wearing a black plastic dress.
May you like
Then Mom whispered four words that made the entire backyard go silent.
“What did you do?””
