Middle Child Syndrome

Dear applicant, 

We are happy to let you know that your application has been accepted. Please report to the admin office within a month of this notification to fill out the university form.

I would appreciate your presence at the admin office. We are excited to help you take the next steps of your academic journey.

Sincerely, 

Dean,

Maxwell Academy.

The letter was in Rika's hands, but it still felt like a dream. She could not believe that she had been accepted into her first choice.

When the application window opened, she had applied at the Maxwell Academy but was nervous.

Not because Rika scored poorly on her exams but because her exam scores were too high to get into the university of her choice. 

Also, her secondary gender as a beta posed a problem in this alpha-omega-dominated society.

'I am sure this will disappoint mother and father if I tell them. I should keep this a secret from them.'

Rika closed the email she was reading and controlled her facial expression.

But keeping the grin down was impossible. Rika could not force herself to calm down and appear as if nothing had happened.

She decided to head out and burn some energy to combat the giddy feeling Rikka was currently facing. 

A walk would be the best way for her to burn her energy.

When Rika walked down, the living room was empty, and she could not see anyone there. However, that did not mean that her family was not home.

Rika knew better than to assume this by now.

Her heightened sense picked up the sound of someone trying to sneak up on her. Rika let out of the way before she could be caught, and the other person blinked as he missed her.

"Awww, you are no fun, Rika. Did you smell me sneaking up on you? Your mother is the same! *sigh* Both of you never allow me to sneak up on you."

Rika blinked at her father's fake sadness, and her mood soured.

Her father was often absent-minded and made comments that offended Rika, but by this point, she had gotten used to it.

"Father, there is no way Rika would have smelled you. She cannot even sense it is our cycle. Anyway, were you heading out? Can you bring me a bag of chips when you return?"

Rika turned her attention from her father toward her elder brother, Mark. His remark made Rika's father look ashamed and uncomfortable.

If her father was careless in a harmless way, her brother was blunt and sharp in an intended way.

He knew how to hurt someone with his words; his most likeable target was Rika.

"O-Oh! I forgot! But I am sure that Rika would not mind my slip-up! Right, Rika? You know how busy I often am, and I forget such minor details."

It did not feel like a minor detail to Rika.

Being born into an Alpha-omega-dominated family, her needs and wants were often overlooked. 

And Rika understood that this was not entirely her family's fault. 

Her family lived in a different world than hers; they could share things and experiences Rika could never share with them.

She smiled as gently as possible when she turned to face her father.

"I don't mind. I know how busy you have been recently. Then, I should head out now."

There had been a time when Rika would have stood up for herself. But she knew better now.

If she did say something, it would hurt her father's feelings and make Mark angry.

Then he would say even more hateful things to Rika, and the cycle would continue until someone got hurt. (It was always Rika that got hurt because she was weaker)

It would have been better if she quickly went out and calmed her head down.

"Hey Rika, are you running away? Don't you want to say something to father?"

Mark asked, and his voice sounded annoyed.

Rika had no idea what pissed him off, and she doubted she would be able to find out either.

'I don't have enough brain power to waste on this idiot anyway. I will be out of this place soon anyway. I need to hold on for a little longer.'

These thoughts encouraged Rika, but she still shut the door behind her when she went out.

"Tsk, what the hell is wrong with her? I thought she was getting better at handling herself?"

Mark complained, and Rika could hear him even when the door was closed.

The market was a little distance from Rika's home, so she walked to it. The fifteen-minute walk helped her clear her mind.

"What is that idiot's problem? We used to be close before he presented. No, this happened even after that. Was it after Suzie presented as an omega, but I never did? Why am I even thinking about that idiot."

Suzie was a sour spot for Rika to think about.

Unlike Mark, Rika was not close to her youngest sibling, Suzie. This was because Suzie was a fragile child and an early bloomer. 

There were signs of her being an omega present since she was young.

However, Suzie was spoilt by their parents due to her weak immune system and even weaker nature. She was often their priority.

It did not help that she and Rika only had a 10-month age difference. 

During that time, Rika often felt neglected and lashed out. She tried everything—from acting up to going silent—but nothing had worked to gain her family's attention.

And now, after 17 years, Rika had learned not to care.

"Mam, would you be buying all that? I need to process it if you want to buy it."

The cashier asked. Rika looked down at her bag.

She was the only person in the convenience store, and the cashier seemed in a hurry.

The cashier looked like an omega with delicate features and fragile skin. Due to her agitated nature, Rika was sure that she was also releasing pheromones.

'Ah, must be one of her bad days. I should pay up and leave.'

Rika looked around when her eyes fell on a bag of chips in the corner. She suddenly had an idea and grabbed that pack as well.

____

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