Prologue

This is the moment that I have been waiting for.

Bright lights and spotlights charted my every gaze. The cheers of a multitude filled my herculean stage. Whose collars are piled high with scholarly medals, flexed in front of envious scholars. I heard trumpets, drum rolls, and sonata March, all hollered aloud to welcome my grand parade.

There was Mom and Dad, all into me, rejoicing with confetti and a mountain of flowers. This was the zenith of my dreams, the torch to my determination, and the fire to my inspiration. I would lavishly relish the pinnacle of my success, bid my thanks to everyone, and wave my hands gracefully. But, all of a sudden...

"Let us welcome the Most Favored Child---Danica She!"

Danica She. My awfully beautiful, talented over-achiever and famous little sister, Ugh! She had broken all the hopes that I had right from the day that she was born.

All I wished was a baby sister not a baby critter. But now, I regret it. And I wish that she would just pop away and disappear like pity bubbles out of thin air. Because, honestly, of all the people I loath the most, Danica will be the death of me. It is not that she's more famous than me, but it is that she is more favored than me. And I curse the day that she was born into my perfect little world.

I was supposed to be the apple of the eye, the star, and the sun of the family if it wasn't for her. Yet in what name did she suddenly appear to take everything from me?

I had everything before then. I had the attention, the favor, the gifts, the praises, but it all exploded just because of one little gifted princess, my sister, who popped out like a daisy in spring. If the universe has truly turned its eyes against me, then so be it. I will regain what's rightfully mine and take you back to your fertilizer where you completely belong.

And so, from then on, "Succeeding my sister is the zenith of my dreams, the torch to my determination, and the fire to my personal anger."

When the whole family started to turn all their favors towards her, I also started to compete. And so the contest goes on, balancing the good and the downsides between the two of us.

This goes: if she was smart, I was smarter. If she was so over-the-top, I was much braver. When she goes Diva, I gain favor for being obedient in contrast.

I tried to counter every measure to what I'm capable of and tried to win over her by taking advantage of her weaknesses as my strengths.

However, this doesn't work all the time, because when she became blatantly famous, I became blatantly famous for being overtly silent. When she became a star, I became a star wannabe. And as she became the focal point of the campus, I became the class outcast.

For the following years, this was the circle of my life. And it was so frustrating to see that no matter how much I tried to win the favor of my parents, they'd never realized.

So, I worked even harder and better and went to the extent where I finally decided to shun my little sister from my life. Hence, thereafter, I became so focused and immersed in my studies, I avoided going out with friends or even just chatting with them, and I joined all sorts of extracurricular activities that I was competent at. And because of this, I quickly climbed the ladder of veneration.

On the other hand, Danica goes on with her celebrity life. Taking pride in her numerous accomplishments and receiving a great deal of respect from both her mentors and her fellow students.

And oftentimes, she receive gifts from Mom and Dad for bringing a lot of rewards back home, which may come in the form of a family blowout, a new dress, a new pair of sandals, or new sorts of things. While I learned to be satisfied upon receiving a bit of spare clothes, spare shoes, and spare recyclable things from my older cousin.

They may be good to wear, but it's nothing compared to a brand new dress.

The situation got worse as time marched by. And later on, people started to compare Danica and me. The gossip spread like wildfire, and I've heard hearsay that people think more of Danica than I do.

In fact, I've heard some of it right in front of my face. They've been comparing us like I was a dead rock beside Danica, having no feelings for such offenses. And worse still, our relatives added to the weight of criticism, which pampered Danica from that point on. And Mom began to take her side all the time, even though she was completely wrong, which furthered the heat of our sister rivalry.

Then the time came when we finally went to the prestigious academy where our mother was employed. She was not the type to chitchat with her colleagues, but whenever there was something about me and Danica, she always got to know about it first. I don't know how, but there were times that I was satisfied with the feedback, yet most of it was satisfactorily worth blaspheming.

One mentor says, "I'm good at academics, but I was way too serious about it that I frowned my brows so badly that I began to look like a widow full of hitches, a loner who is potentially falling into depression, and a pitiful child pressured by her parents so much to do a couple of things for them.

Are they for real? I mean, do they really care about my emotional, mental, and parental shortcomings? If they really do, then they should have said it to me directly, not passed it along like a piece of their stupid gossip stories.

Whereas, on the other side of the boat, Danica seems to receive appreciation and recognition. She doesn't seem to have problems with them, but why do I consequently suffer from their petty judgements?

Danica was like this and that, and I was only like this and that. Danica was one of the most popular and talented girls in school. And I was only like one of the quiet nerds on the corner.

Every day I was made to be the reflection of Danica that she never should have been. And Danica is the reflection of me that I must become.

Well, I don't think I am a reflection of Danica or of anybody else. I am a person of my own and I have my own unique strengths that were beyond hers.

She may be an outgoing person, but I excel in academics way more than she did. She may be the Diva of the school, but I was much more responsible for student government affairs and school-based clubs responsibilities. And she may be talented and gifted, but I will surpass her with my utmost determination. In all these things, I am entirely confident that I will supersede Danica.

Except, however, for one particular problem.

Danica used to be admired by many suitors. Boys easily fawn over my sister, and recently, many are still head over heels for her. She always gets to receive Valentine's Day cards, balloons, flowers, and chocolates from her secret admirers.

One time, she even received expensive necklaces and rings from her pursuers, which were caught by Dad and pressed her to take them back. But that doesn't change the fact that Danica was so popular with men. And though she transferred with me to Mom's employer academy, her appeal to men never fades.

Whilst me, well, I have plenty of good friends---about three exactly, which is comprised of a gay boy and two girls to be precise.

Yes, a small circle of friends, but wholesomely trustworthy people. And speaking of significant others, I was a hundred percent sure-negative of ever getting a boyfriend.

One, is because I'm androphobic. And two, my Dad gave me a tough lesson on how to act snappy and dress like a man. And surely, he made a man out of me.

Yah, I was like Lady Mulan dressing up to be a little soldier that moves so sloppy and scrawny like a lame scarecrow trying to dress in plus-sized masculine clothing.

Personally, I would prefer to dress like any teenager does. But my Dad was so strict with me that I even got to wear long skirts, knee socks, and boots to school when it was even a hot day.

It took a long time for me to adapt to this excessively conservative fashion, but time has done well to make me used to this ancient relic dress code. I feel so off about this, but I guess it's for the best of both parties.

I really hate getting a smack from Dad.

And talking about romantic ideas, I would rather have my time on a good educational novel than waste my time over some puppy romance. Anyways, my goal is to overthrow my little arrogant gorgeous sister, not play house with some immature kids.

Though even so, some part of me wants to experience it too.

Yet being Androphobic, Ungraceful, Boyish, and so Unromantic, would throw me off on the sidelines. And even I would want a guy-friend, considering the underlying characteristics above, the rules of probability would definitely not approve.

But if there be a miracle, do you think, there would be someone who will dare to fall for me?

Then he'll be a complete joke.