Alex slumped down on the living room couch, his gaze following his older brother Ryan and his dad as they animatedly discussed last night’s soccer game. Ryan was the high school’s star forward, the golden boy of every family gathering, while Alex’s mom was busy giving her attention to his little sister, Lily, who was bouncing up and down, excited about her role in the upcoming school play. Lily had a way of being effortlessly charming; everyone seemed drawn to her, laughing at her every joke and paying attention to her stories.
Alex sat in silence, glancing down at his hands, which he had started fidgeting with. He wanted to join the conversation, but he wasn’t sure he could add anything that anyone would care to hear. The thing was, this had been his reality for as long as he could remember. The middle child, caught between the shadow of his brother’s athleticism and the lightness of his sister’s magnetic personality. No matter how much he tried to contribute, he always felt pushed aside.
His mind wandered back to a recent family dinner. He had been so proud of his history test score—a hard-earned 92%. He’d waited for the right moment to bring it up, but as soon as he did, the conversation quickly shifted back to Ryan and his latest game-winning goal. His excitement deflated, and his accomplishment faded into the background. He remembered laughing along, trying to mask his disappointment, but it gnawed at him afterward. The feeling of being invisible haunted him, creeping into his thoughts at night.
That night, lying in his bed, he closed his eyes and let out a shaky sigh. He had heard people talk about “middle child syndrome,” but he never imagined it would feel like this. It was as though he was slipping further and further into a void, a silent observer in his own family. And in his darkest moments, a scary thought crept into his mind—“Maybe if I just disappeared, no one would even notice.” He was frightened by the thought, but he didn’t know how to make it go away.
YOU ARE READING
The Middle of It All
Dla nastolatkówThe Middle of It All tells the story of Alex, a middle child who feels overlooked in his family. His older brother, Ryan, is celebrated for his athletic achievements, while his younger sister, Lily, easily captures everyone's attention with her char...
