I awoke, disoriented, to the familiar chill of my brother’s bedroom floor. Another nightmare had dragged me here, a silent migration in the dark. + 

I feigned sleep as my mother’s worried face appeared in the doorway. My father, ever detached, had arrived to collect us for a visit. He seemed to prefer visits to actual co-habitation. + 

I heard their hushed exchange. “She’s in there again…” My mother’s voice was laced with concern. “Linda, she just loves her brother. Drop it,” my father’s tone was blunt, dismissive. + 

They retreated, and I sat up, recognizing my mother's quiet understanding. A glance at the clock confirmed it: 5:00 PM. Predictable, given my father’s schedule. + 

I sank back into the soft blankets, seeking a few more moments of respite on the worn floor of Ryan’s room. + 

--- + 

Two hours later, Ryan’s voice broke the silence. “Same dream again, Lyra?” + 

“Always is,” I replied, a weary grunt escaping my lips. I swung my legs off the floor and sat on the edge of his bed. + 

Ryan was a constant comfort. We’d never known sibling rivalry, never engaged in a single, genuine fight. He was, simply, the best brother anyone could ask for. + 

The sound of another argument drifted from downstairs. I looked at Ryan, fear tightening my chest. + 

“It’s okay,” he said, sensing my anxiety. “They’re probably just arguing about who gets us next summer.” + 

His reassurance, as always, worked its magic. We fell into a comforting embrace. + 

Our father appeared on the landing, sighing heavily. “Hey kids,” he said, his voice laced with exhaustion. + 

“What’s wrong, Dad?” Ryan asked, oblivious to the tension simmering between us. + 

“You’re moving in with your mother,” he announced cautiously. “I… I’ve met someone. And I don’t want kids getting in the way of our relationship.” + 

A cold fury flared within me, but I reined it in. Ryan, however, could not. He erupted, his voice raw with frustration. “Selfish! Inconsiderate! To dump us on Mum who is already giving you half the income! This woman will leave in a few months, and we’ll be stuck with you!” + 

We ran downstairs, and my mother enveloped us both in a soft embrace. + 

“It’s okay,” she murmured, her voice trembling. “She’s… she’s a bad influence.” + 

Dad left without a goodbye, leaving our belongings abandoned on the doorstep. + 

--- + 

Two years later… + 

--- + 

“Seventeen years old, sis! How does it feel?” Ryan grinned, playfully nudging me. I didn’t feel different, not really. My father had disappeared, as if he'd already forgotten us. + 

“Not much,” I replied. + 

“And keep it like that, forever,” he laughed. + 

I opened my only gift: a phone. An iPhone 6s, silver, with a purple case. I was overjoyed. + 

“Ryan and I saved for three years to get that for you,” my mother said, her voice filled with pride. “So don’t break it.” + 

I was too excited to take it with me to my new school, terrified I’d damage it. + 

I loved my life, but I knew my father would come back… + 