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Chapter 12
“My parents told me I was beautiful even back then.”
She deliberately didn’t say adoptive parents.
After all, the first thing Janice did upon arriving at the house was greet Sian’s adoptive parents. With their very different appearances, Janice must have quickly realized they weren’t her biological parents.
“They told me over and over—without ever getting tired of it—that I was the most precious and treasured person in the world. That’s why I don’t feel ashamed of who I was back then.”
Orphaned, not a genius like her brother, and sickly besides, Sian had nonetheless received overflowing, unconditional love.
Because of that, Sian had learned to love herself too.
Even if Janice were to someday spread rumors about Sian’s past or use her as a steppingstone to escape her own miserable situation, Sian wouldn’t mind.
Her past might look ridiculous in other people’s eyes, but to her, it never felt that way.
To her, it was more like a medal—a proof that she had endured a difficult time.
In fact, her story had even helped when she transferred to Wharton School.
“You too.”
Sian smiled and playfully poked Janice on the cheek with her finger.
“No matter what you look like, it doesn’t matter. You’re beautiful and precious too, just like me.”
Sian had expected a bright smile from Janice, but instead, she was taken aback.
Janice’s eyes welled up, and then fat tears suddenly began to stream down her cheeks.
“Sorry. Don’t cry.”
Flustered, Sian apologized right away.
Janice laughed through her tears at Sian apologizing when she hadn’t done anything wrong.
“Are you stupid? Why are you the one apologizing?”
“Because you’re crying…”
Janice sniffled, wiped her tears with her hands, and then confessed as if in a booth.
“My mom’s a textbook almond mom.”
“Almond mom?”
“You know, the kind of mom who tells her daughter she’s getting fat and only gives her almonds to eat.”
Sian’s jaw dropped. Her mother was never like that.
Her adoptive mother always prioritized health above all else, making sure fresh vegetables and proper portions of protein were on the table.
Seeing Sian’s shocked face, Janice hurried to defend her mom.
“My mom’s never once been fat in her whole life. Plus, back in high school she was even a cheer captain.”
“Ah.”
“I’m the odd one out in my family. My dad and younger brother aren’t fat like me. I’m the only one like this.”
Now Sian understood why Janice had wanted so badly to be a cheerleader.
She wanted to follow in her mother’s footsteps, become a cheerleader, and one day captain—to finally earn her mom’s approval.
“This is the first time anyone’s ever told me I’m pretty.”
Sian hugged Janice tightly when she said that.
“Janice, I’m so glad to have a pretty friend like you.”
Feeling Sian’s gentle hand patting her back, Janice thought—
That’s exactly what I wanted to say to you.
“My gosh, you’ll have to redo your makeup. Unless you want to go to the party looking like a panda, that is.”
When the hug ended and Sian saw Janice’s smudged makeup, she shrieked playfully.
A little while later…
Once they were both ready, the two took a selfie together and sent it to Aaron.
It was in the group chat the three of them had made not long ago.
“All ready for the party!”
They sent the photo with the message, and Aaron quickly marked it as read.
Soon, another photo came back. This one was of the book Aaron was reading.
“Proust’s In Search of Lost Time?”
Janice frowned as she looked at the same photo.
“Until now, I’ve only ever seen people claim they’ve read that book. Is he actually reading it for real?”
“If it’s Aaron, then yeah, probably.”
Unlike the confident Sian, Janice still looked skeptical.
Sian chuckled and typed another message.
“Enjoy your book!”
After sending it, she took Janice’s hand.
It was time to head to the party.
***
The music was already audible as soon as they got out of the car at the party venue.
They had arrived about an hour later than the original invitation time, and the party was in full swing.
“Have fun. Watch out for the boys.”
Sian’s adoptive father smiled as he said goodbye from the driver’s seat.
Her adoptive mother in the passenger seat looked equally cheerful.
They were genuinely happy—not only because their daughter had made a friend at school, but also because she’d been invited to a party.
“If anything happens, call right away. We’ll come pick you up immediately.”
“Don’t stay out too late. Be home before midnight, Cinderella.”
“Yes.”
After their repeated reminders, her parents drove off.
Sian and Janice looked at each other.
Then they stomped their feet excitedly and squealed.
“Oh my god! I’m so nervous right now.”
“More nervous than at the cheerleader tryouts?”
“Of course! Blake Williams wasn’t there then!”
Giggling and holding hands, the two girls made their way toward the entrance, hearts fluttering.
The place was the Williams family’s villa.
It was mainly where Blake stayed while attending school, and according to Aaron, he occasionally held parties there.
My brother must be here too.
Just as she crossed the threshold, brimming with excitement, someone came out to meet them.
But it wasn’t the host of the party—it was Victoria.
Victoria silently looked the two of them up and down.
“Hm…”
Both were dressed up for the party, but not overly so.
Once her scanning was done, Victoria stepped aside like a gatekeeper, granting them entry.
“The drinks are in the kitchen, so help yourselves. But don’t touch the alcohol. If you cause trouble, Blake will be the one who suffers for it.”
Unlike Janice, who scowled at the strict dorm-matron-like tone, Sian simply smiled brightly.
“Thanks for telling us.”
She started toward the kitchen to grab drinks, but suddenly Victoria grabbed her arm.
“Sienna.”
“Yes?”
“Don’t go thinking you’re special just because Blake invited you. He always invited the cheerleaders to his parties at the start of the semester.”
That wasn’t true. This time was the exception.
Blake’s parties were always only for football team members to bond.
But Victoria lied boldly, pretending confidence.
After all, how would a transfer student like Sian know the difference?
“You’re nothing more than just another cheerleader to Blake.”
Victoria bit the inside of her cheek hard, though it didn’t show outwardly.
Even at this blatant warning, Sian only smiled, looking completely unbothered.
“Yes, I know. Don’t worry.”
With nothing else to say, Victoria let them go.
On the way to the kitchen, Janice whispered to Sian,
“What the hell? Does she think she’s Blake’s girlfriend or something?”
Sian just shrugged.
Victoria’s hostility didn’t really bother her.
After all, she wasn’t here to see Blake anyway.
In the kitchen, Sian poured punch into a paper cup and glanced around.
As she searched for her brother, someone spoke up to her.
“Oh? You’re the girl Blake invited, right?”
“Probably.”
“You should’ve come a little earlier. That guy just said he was bored and disappeared.”
Sian wasn’t disappointed.
She asked her question casually, hoping it sounded natural.
“What about Ian?”
“Ian?”
The guy looked surprised, wondering how she knew Ian. Then he nodded, as if realizing there must be some kind of Asian student network.
“Yeah, Ian left early. He doesn’t really like these parties, so he only shows his face for a bit.”
“Oh…”
Sian’s shoulders slumped.
She had put so much effort into dressing up, but her brother wasn’t even here.
It was disappointing, to say the least.
“By the way, I didn’t introduce myself. I’m Jeffrey Thomas.”
“I’m Sienna Rogers. And this is my friend, Janice Perry.”
“Hello.”
Peeking out shyly from behind Sian, Janice greeted him.
“Hey.”
Jeffrey grinned at her greeting, then turned his eyes back to Sian.
“So… were you born in Korea by any chance?”
She wasn’t sure why he asked, but Sian answered honestly.
After all, he had answered her question earlier too.
“Yes, I was born in Korea. But I moved around a lot after that…”
After her illness was cured and she recovered some stability, Sian had lived with her missionary parents in China and Mongolia.
But she figured Jeffrey wasn’t asking for her full biography.
Sure enough—
He hopped down from the table he’d been sitting on, eyes sparkling as he stepped closer.
“Then you must know how to play Apartment! I really want to learn it from a local.”
So that was the real reason.
Sian relaxed and laughed.
The song Apartment had become such a huge hit that it made people curious about the game too.
“Yes, I know it.”
It was originally a drinking game.
But when Sian had been hospitalized, an older girl in the same ward had taught it to her to pass the time, and they often played together.
So Sian knew it well.
“Want me to teach you?”
“Oh, awesome!”
Jeffrey shouted loudly, calling over others to join.
At that, Janice grabbed Sian’s arm with a terrified face.
“Don’t leave me alone.”
“Of course not. I’ll stick with you no matter what.”
“But I don’t even know what that game is…”
“It’s fine. No one else here will know it either, except me.”
Hearing Sian’s reassurance, Janice gradually calmed down.
Once enough people had gathered in the living room, Jeffrey waved for Sian to start.
“Janice is playing too.”
At Sian’s words, Jeffrey nodded indifferently, leaving it up to her, and urged the game on.
A few people gave Janice annoyed looks, but no one kicked her out.
“So how do we play?”
Standing in front of the crowd, explaining the rules, Sian felt like a teacher.
Soon, following her instructions, everyone sat in a circle, put their hands together in the center, and shouted in unison:
“Apartment! Apartment!”
A few onlookers in the distance snickered at the exaggerated Korean-style pronunciation, but the players themselves were utterly serious.
