The Blue Sheets

On the day we went shopping for college supplies, Mikayla, my younger sister, picked up a lace bedding set, her eyes sparkling. Mom put the item into the cart without glancing at the price. When it came to my turn, my brother, Cory, furrowed his brows at my choice of a blue bedsheet set. “Kaycee, why do you always reach for the cold-tone colors? “Girls should go for something softer. Be like Mikayla.” Even my childhood friend, Ben, chuckled. “No one in your dorm knows you anyway. Just pick whatever’s easy.” Mikayla shifted her gaze to the blue bedsheets in my hands and murmured, “Kaycee, why don’t you use my old ones? “It’s not like you mind anyway.” Mom was on board with the idea. “Don’t spend unnecessarily, Kaycee. Putting two girls through college isn’t easy on the family.” My grip on the sheets tightened. I knew exactly what Mikayla was talking about. The fabric was worn thin, the edges were pilled, and the pillowcase still had the coffee stain. Things had always been this way. Mikayla’s unwanted dresses, old backpacks, and tiresome room would go to me. I once believed that by staying in my lane, I would eventually get my turn. It had been eighteen years. All I got in return was that I never cared about what I got. At the checkout counter, Mom paid for Mikayla’s things. My blue bedsheet set was dumped back on the shelf. I grinned. No one would make note of the things I liked. I grabbed the blue bedspread. This time, I wouldn’t be putting it back. Chapter 1 Kaycee's POV “Kaycee, why are you paying for the purchase yourself?” My brother, Cory Tuttle, pressed my phone down before I could tap it against the machine. “Mikayla’s used bedding doesn’t have a hole or anything. What’s your issue?” I swatted his hand off with composure. “Since the sheets are in such good condition, Mikayla can take them to school. “I’m buying the set of blue bed linens with my own money. I’m not spending money from the family’s budget.” Following a soft beep, the transaction was successful. Cory froze while our mother, Tracey Tuttle, grimaced. “Why are you so unappreciative? Mikayla only offered you her old one because she was trying to save you money.” Mikayla Tuttle tugged Mom on the sleeve, her eyes welling up. “Don’t be mad at Kaycee, Mom. It’s all my fault. I should’ve just given her my new bedding.” Ben Cross approached and took the heavy shopping bags from Mikayla’s hands. “Kaycee, it’s just a set of sheets. Must you make everyone upset?” I looked at my childhood friend, the man who had sworn to be my only knight in shining armor. Somewhere down the line, Ben’s attention had shifted to Mikayla. I held onto the bag with the blue bedding set. “All I wanted was a fresh, clean set of sheets.” Not giving them any more attention, I walked out of the store. On the way home, Ben was behind the wheel. As always, I headed for the front passenger seat. My hand reached for the handle. Cory pulled me back. “Take the back seat. “Mikayla gets a little motion sick, so she should sit in the front.” I paused and glanced at Mikayla. Mikayla clutched her chest, her head resting on Tracey’s shoulder. However, I recalled her chatting and laughing with Tracey in the back seat while munching on a bag of chips. Ben rolled down the car window, his voice tender. “Just take the back seat, Kaycee. There’s more room back there anyway. You can kick back and relax.” Without a word, I withdrew my arm and opened the door to the back seat. It was cramped in the back. Cory, Tracey, and I were squeezed in the back row. Tracey edged forward, wrapping her arms around Mikayla, while Cory kept reaching to hand her tissues. Shoved into the corner by the window, I was basically stuck against the frigid car door. The streetlights outside the window fleeted past. Back in seventh grade, I ranked first in school. I sprinted home with my report card, hoping to get a hug from Tracey. However, Mikayla was running a slight fever that day. The entire family fussed over her the whole night as she lay in bed. My report card was left on the coffee table, where it ended up soaking up grease beneath a takeout box. Since then, I had learned to keep my grades in check. I kept my grades just slightly above Mikayla's average. Here I thought that by not standing out, our parents would divide their attention more evenly between Mikayla and me. I was wrong. For the unloved, no amount of sacrifice was good enough. Even the deepest devotion would be labeled an inconvenience. Back home, dinner was already ready on the table. It was Mikayla’s favorite seafood gumbo and barbecue ribs. Tracey slipped on gloves, peeled the shrimp, and added them to Mikayla’s plate one by one. “Dig in, Mikayla. You won’t get much of my cooking once you’re away at college.” Cory took the most tender rib, cut the meat off the bone, and added it to Mikayla’s plate. “If you can’t get used to the cafeteria food at Briarwood University, just give me a buzz. I’ll order takeout for you.” Sitting across from Mikayla, Ben refilled her drink with a smile. “I work around the area. I know all the diners around the campus. I’ll take you out for great food on weekends.” They looked like a happy, close-knit family. Keeping my head down, I simply took a big bite of kale on my plate. After dinner, I retreated to my modest bedroom, a space that had been converted from a storage room. I pulled open the very bottom drawer. There lay a college admission letter. The letterhead bore the prestigious name of the school. Westbridge University. Chapter 2 Layered on top of the letter was a copy of an acceptance letter to Briarwood University. It so happened that the move-in day for both Briarwood University and Westbridge University was on the same day. I crumpled the photocopy sheet and tossed it into the wastebasket. The next day was the weekend. The Tuttles were throwing a party to celebrate the college admissions. Family and friends flooded our living room first thing in the morning to offer their best wishes. “Mikayla did amazingly well to get into Briarwood University. She’s heading off to a top school.” “You’re a lucky man, Ian. Your daughter has the looks and the brains.” Flattery and compliments came from every corner of the room. Grinning from ear to ear, Tracey took Mikayla’s hand while mingling with the crowd. Mikayla looked like royalty in her expensive, white designer dress. Aunt Gloria was snacking on nuts when she snapped her head toward me as I sat in the corner “How did you do with your exam? I hadn’t heard much about your grades.” Silence hung heavily in the air. The smile on Tracey’s face went stiff. Before long, she flicked her hand without a care. “Kaycee got into Briarwood University as well. “Her grades are mediocre at best, so she honestly got lucky to be admitted into BU. “Well, at least both girls will be on the same campus. Kaycee can help out Mikayla there.” Gloria nodded. “That’s true. Kaycee has always been a sensible, well-behaved girl. She’s the perfect older sister.” I sat on the single-seater, quietly sipping on my drink with my head down. Not a word left my lips. When I took my final exam, I no longer kept my score down. I finished my final exam thirty minutes ahead of time. For every question, I gave the answer I knew was the best possible one. On the day the score was released, the whole family crowded around the computer to check Mikayla’s results. When her score was just enough to get her into Briarwood University, they broke out into cheers and even popped a bottle of champagne to celebrate. No one asked about my score. Not to rain on their parade, I made a copy of Mikayla’s admission letter and left it on the table. The family didn’t even take a proper look, taking it for granted that my score was within the range of Mikayla’s. Halfway through the party, Ben stepped into the room with two beautifully wrapped gift boxes. “There you are, Ben. Take a seat,” Tracey greeted him enthusiastically. Ben approached Mikayla and presented her with one of the boxes—a velvet box branded with a luxury logo. “Congratulations on getting into college, Mikayla.” Mikayla unwrapped the gift in joy. It was a custom-made pearl bracelet. Each pearl was round and plump, glistening under the light. “Wow! It’s beautiful! Thank you, Ben!” Feeling giddy, Mikayla put on the bracelet and did a little spin for the guests. Cory let out a whistle. “Ben, this must have cost you a pretty penny.” Ben grinned. “All that matters is that Mikayla loves it.” Turning around, Ben walked toward me. He held a smaller carton and passed it to me. “This one’s for you, Kaycee.” I set my drink down and took the box. The packaging was very basic, without even a seal sticker. I peeked inside and found a generic blind-box plushie. It was from an old series that had been popular two years back. “I spotted this blind box while passing a shop. Weren’t you into this kind of thing?” Ben’s tone was offhand. I stared at the plushie. He remembered it wrong. Mikayla was the one with a thing for blind boxes. Two years ago, Mikayla bought an entire case of blind boxes, desperate to get the hidden edition. She dumped the plushies all over the floor once she was done. I was simply there to pick up after her. Ben took it that I loved the plushies. “Thank you.” My voice was flat as I put the box down on the table. Ben had an issue with my indifference. He furrowed his brows. “Kaycee, is this because you got a cheaper gift than Mikayla? “You have always been understanding. Don’t be so petty.” I looked up at his self-righteous face. “I’m not. “I’m fine with whatever you get me.” Ben was taken aback. My response threw him off. In the past, I would tear up in silence and cower in a corner whenever he showed even the slightest favoritism. The party was over, and the guests took off. I stayed back, tasked with cleaning up the mess. Ben helped Mikayla move the expensive gifts to her bedroom. I carried the stack of greasy plates into the kitchen. While brushing past the trash can, I stopped. I dumped the unopened blind box. “Plop.” The blind box sank into the slop of discarded dinner. Not looking back, I made a beeline out of the kitchen. Chapter 3 That night, the whole family started packing their bags. Three massive pink suitcases were laid out across the living room floor. Tracey was busy stuffing piles of new clothes into them. “Mikayla, bring this cashmere top along. Winter in Briarwood can be brutal. “Don’t forget these luxury treats. You can snack on them when you have a late-night craving in the dorms.” Cory hovered over the table, focused on lining up the screen protector on Mikayla's new tablet. “Mikayla, I downloaded a ton of shows for you. You can watch them to kill time.” Mikayla sat on the couch, dangling her feet and smiling like Little Miss Sunshine. “Thank you, Mom. Thank you, Cory.” I walked around the three huge trunks to get to the storage room. From the space under my bed, I pulled out an old gray suitcase. It was the suitcase I'd used since my boarding school days. The wheels had grown stiff over the years, letting out a creaky squeak whenever I gave the suitcase a pull. I opened my closet and took out my washed-out T-shirts and jeans to fold and pack into the bag. Then, I tucked my newly purchased bed linen right at the bottom. Lastly, I picked up the admission letter to Westbridge University with utmost care and slipped it between the pages of my journal. I tucked the book into my backpack. I couldn’t even fill half the suitcase with my few belongings. As I pulled the zipper, Ben opened the door and sauntered right in. He glanced at my deflated luggage. “Kaycee, is that all you’re packing?” “Yes.” I didn’t even look up. He approached me, his voice bursting with entitlement. “I’m driving Mikayla to Briarwood University tomorrow at eight in the morning. Cory and I are going to help her with her luggage. “Mikayla gets motion sickness, so we can’t pack the car with too many people. With Mr. and Mrs. Tuttle joining us, all the seats are taken.” He paused as if weighing his words. “Since you packed light, you can take a coach at the bus terminal. “You’ve always been independent. I’m sure you have no issues getting to the school yourself, right?” I paused, my hand still on the zipper. Picking my head up, I met his gaze in silence. I first met Ben when I was eight. As Tracey bought the last doll in the display window for Mikayla, I huddled in the corner of the backyard, sweeping in secret. Back then, Ben handed me a piece of candy and said earnestly in his boyish voice, “If no one else is on your side, I will be.” For ten long years, those innocent childhood words were the only thing that kept me going through my darkest days. Yet now, all I clung to was a cruel illusion. It was a two-hour drive from home to Briarwood University. The bus route was not very straightforward. It would take three connections and half a day to get to the destination. To ensure Mikayla had a comfortable ride, Ben ditched me to navigate the public transportation on my own. Before, I would feel hurt and demand to know why he had forgotten his promise. Yet now, all I felt was relief. Lucky for me, Ben wasn’t going to give me a ride. “Alright.” Ben froze. He had a whole speech ready to make me feel better, but he never got a chance to say any of it. Ben stared at my emotionless face and added. “Mikayla has never traveled so far from home before. She needs someone by her side.” I closed my backpack, then put it on the desk. “You don’t have to explain. I get it.” “I’m glad you see things my way.” He took a long, hard look at me before heaving a sigh of relief. Turning on his heel, he exited my room. “Mikayla, I’ve put your neck pillow in the car.” His voice boomed in the living space, wrapped once again in that sweetness. I closed the door, shutting out the cheers and laughter. Retrieving my phone, I tapped on the ticketing app. I’d be taking the train to Westbridge at seven the next morning. The screen showed that my ticket had been issued successfully. I turned off my phone and sprawled across my stiff bed before closing my eyes. This was my last night in this house. Chapter 4 The dawn broke at half-past six. Dragging along the old suitcase with squeaky wheels, I left home. The living room was dead silent. Last night, the family was up until late, helping Mikayla with all the packing. They must be fast asleep at the moment. I didn’t leave a note or say my goodbyes. Hailing a cab to the train station, I arrived at the platform in time for ticket inspection. I took the seat by the window, and the train began to pull away. The scenery outside the window began to race away from me as I left the city I had lived in for eighteen years behind me. I took out my phone and switched it on. The moment the screen lit up, a flurry of messages bombarded my phone. In the group chat named “One Big Happy Family”, Tracey posted a photo. Mikayla, sitting in the front passenger seat of Ben’s car, held up a peace sign with a sweet smile. Tracey: “Kaycee, have you boarded the bus?” Tracey: “Get to Mikayla’s dorm to set her up once you’re there. She doesn’t know how to make her own bed yet.” Cory sent a voice note. “Kaycee, get some food at the cafeteria once you’re there. Mikayla won’t have much of an appetite because of the car ride. Grab her some chicken soup and bring it over to her dorm.” I read all the entitled demands, a smirk playing across my lips. To them, I wasn’t going to college to get an education. I was there to act as Mikayla’s full-time nanny. Not bothering to reply, I simply muted the group chat. Two hours later, a message from Ben slipped into my DMs. “Where are you, Kaycee? “We’ve reached the main gate of Briarwood University. Mikayla has too much luggage to handle on her own. Come over and help with the move. “Quit playing games and ignoring our calls. It’s a hot day. Are you expecting Mikayla to get heatstroke standing in the open sun?” I stared at text bubbles popping up one after another. Ben’s smug, entitled face came to mind. He was probably certain that I would swallow my pain and simply do as he told me to. I shifted my gaze out the window. As the train began to decelerate, the sweet voice of the train attendant filled the air. “Dear passengers, we are now approaching Westbridge South Station…” I opened my chat window with Ben and typed on the screen. “I’m not at Briarwood University.” Almost immediately, I received his reply. Ben: “What’s your problem this time? If not in BU, where are you now?” Ben: “I’m warning you, Kaycee. It’s move-in day today. Don’t test my patience.” I grinned. That was when my communication stopped. I tapped on his contact profile. Ben was now added to my blocked contacts. I then blocked Cory, Tracey, and Ian. Once they had been removed from my contacts, I pulled the old SIM card out of my phone. I tossed it in a nearby trash can. From now on, the spineless Kaycee, desperate for the Tuttles’ love, no longer existed. Luggage in hand, I strutted out of the train station. September in Westbridge was drenched in golden sunlight. Drawing a deep breath, I flagged down a cab. “To Westbridge University.” The car merged into the traffic. I stared at the unfamiliar streets outside the car window while clutching my admission letter inside my backpack. It had been eighteen years. Finally, I could just be myself.