“Are you kidding?” I call out, my heart pounding so hard I’m afraid it will burst out of my chest. “You’re going to lock me in here like this?” Which one of them did it? It could be either of them. The odds are equally in both their favor. When no one answers—I don’t even hear so much as a snicker from out in the hall—I touch my forehead to the wood and try desperately not to cry. I didn’t do anything to deserve this. When is it going to stop?

No. I am not going to let them break me down like this. I’m not going to stand here and cry like a baby because of a locked door. Instead of giving in, I fish my phone out of my backpack. Mom probably won’t be happy that I’m bothering her over something I know she’s going to think is trivial, but maybe I can make it sound like a big misunderstanding, something we can laugh off together. I have to hope.

As it turns out, I have a text message from a number not stored in my contacts.

Unknown Number: If you know what’s good for you, you’ll stay in that room and not complain. Otherwise, you’re going to regret it.

Are they that determined to avoid the sight of me? Is my presence in this house that much of a problem for them? I can’t understand why. I have never done a single thing to either of them, ever. I wasn’t even here when our parents supposedly fell in love. I had nothing to do with it.

I guess with people like them, there doesn’t need to be a reason. They decided from day one that they hated me, and nothing is going to change their minds. The harder I try, the worse it’s going to get. So why bother?

I don’t bother responding to the text, instead throwing my phone onto the bed and dropping down beside it. I hate this sense of letting them win, even in this little way. But I have no doubt they meant what they said. They’ll find a way to make me regret it if I make a big deal about this.

So instead of marching downstairs, like I’d intended, I change into pajamas. Then inspiration strikes, and I go to the bathroom to retrieve the chair, which I wedge under the doorknob in here. Just because I’m locked in doesn’t mean somebody couldn’t decide to unlock the door and do whatever they felt like. I’m not going to make it that easy for them.