painting by Leo Smith

Jenny quickly declined to answer) to her favorite Disney princess.

But Jenny actually gave this question some thought, and she was plunged into memory, a respite from her worries.

The sun’s shadow. That’s what Jenny always was, and she was fine with it. She was just the little sister, three years younger than the star athlete and genius Jessica. Everything revolved around Jess, and Jenny was Mercury, the planet closest in her orbit. And so Mercury persisted, in the shadows, looking up to the brightest star in her universe, the object of her aspirations from day one.

This lasted for years, and it was Jess’s first day at college when Mercury started to wobble in her orbit. The family had made the trip to that quaint little college town, ready to usher Jess into this new stage in her life. Jenny was not ready.

What was Mercury without the sun?

For fear of breaking out into tears, Jenny stayed mostly quiet through the car ride, and even into Jess’s little dorm room. She murmured her name to Jess’s new roommate, Bridget, a girl with flaming red curls and a makeup collection that almost rivalled Jess’s.

As the two arranged their belongings in the dorm, Jenny silently watched, taking in the scene. Bridget’s hair was a sharp contrast to Jess’s sleek black updo. She had a smattering of freckles across her nose and cheeks, whereas Jess’s face was as clear and blemishfree as ever. Despite their differences, they both had an effortless beauty to them. Jenny couldn’t help but think, somewhat bitterly, that they were a great pair—burning flames and shining star.

At her mother’s suggestion, Jenny joined Jess and Bridget to walk around campus. As she often did, Jenny trailed behind, watching the backs of the college girls. They soon found themselves at the dining hall, the perfect place for Jess and Bridget to dive into the waters of college. And absolutely not the right place for Jenny.

She was by far the youngest one in the entire hall, completely out of her element if not for the presence of Jess, who always eased her nerves a bit. At Jess’s request, Jenny sat down at a little table along a wall, watching as her sister and Bridget walked away.

Jenny could tell that Jess would be as popular as she was in high school. Already her beaming smile was dazzling boys and girls alike as she made her way through the hall. Jess would be happy here, the sun with a whole new multitude of satellites in her solar system.

But as Jenny watched, a hollow feeling grew in her stomach. This was really the end. No longer was she Mercury, as close as one could be to Jess. Instead, she knew she