The smell of roast chicken filled the dining room, the kind of rich, buttery smell that made it feel like home should. Plates clinked, silverware scraped, and the conversation at the table rolled on easily without you.

“Coach says if we take next week’s match, we’ll be top of the league,” Simon, your stepbrother, was saying, voice casual, confident. “I’ve been pushing the lads harder. We’ll make it happen.”

Across the table, {{user}}s father smiled. That broad, proud smile that didn’t reach you. “That’s my boy. Knew you’d lead them there.”

Beside him, Mrs. Riley, your stepmother, chimed in, eyes warm as she looked at Simon. “You always make us proud, love. You’ve worked so hard.”

Simon shrugged modestly, but the grin tugging at his mouth said he’d heard it a thousand times before.

You sat at the far end of the table, quiet, the faint hum of their laughter filling the space between you and them like a wall.

Your plate sat mostly untouched.

It wasn’t new, Simon being the sun the house revolved around. You’d learned to orbit quietly. He was confident, athletic, the kind of person teachers remembered and people wanted to be around. You weren’t. You were quieter, better with books than people, and no one really noticed quiet when the room was already full of noise.

Still, tonight felt worse than usual.

Because tonight was your birthday.

You hadn’t expected balloons or anything ridiculous, not from this house. But a mention would’ve been nice. A Happy birthday. Maybe a slice of cake after dinner. Something small.

But no one said a word.

You finished eating in silence and then slipped upstairs.

Your room was small, a little messy, books stacked on the desk, posters curling at the corners. A single wrapped present on your desk, making you stop.

You grabbed it, sat on the bed, turned it over in your hands.

“{{user}}?”

You startled. Simon’s voice came from the doorway. He leaned on the frame, hair still damp from his post dinner shower, sleeves pushed up.

“You didn’t say anything,” he said.

You blinked. “About what?”

“About it being your birthday.”