Mom and Dad dropped Brittany off at the house
while Lisa and I were in the office.
Dad started yelling.
“Ashley, fighting? That’s no way for a girl to
act.”
I’d heard that speech a hundred times.
The principal didn’t want to offend me or Lisa’s
mom.
He said that we were fighting over some
snacks.
Dad glared at me.
“We have everything you need at home. Can’t
you share? So selfish.”
How ironic.
I think I’m finally seeing what’s wrong with
everything. Dad’s a man who really cares about
face.
Especially in front of others.
He would scold me for not doing my homework
and had no shame doing it in front of my peers.
He wanted the teachers to come down hard on
- me.
Brittany would then stick up for me.
But everything got worse when she did.
Just like now, she said, “Mr. Van Derlyn, Ashley
doesn’t want to share because Jake got her all
of that. Please don’t be mad at her.”
She’d said his name knowing how mad Dad
<
She’d said his name, knowing how mad Dad
could get.
I used to be scared about Dad getting angry.
But I couldn’t care less anymore.
I stared at Dad. “Those are mine. You’re not
making any decisions for me.”
Dad’s hand shook with rage.
I felt the sting of his hit.
Mom was also stunned.
“Sweetheart, how could you hit your own
daughter? She’s still recovering!”
But stubborn old men won’t apologize.
I was going to return the favor.
894
I looked at Brittany and slapped her across the
face.
And then I did it again.
I walked out of the office, not caring what
happened.
- 12.
The field was green, and the breeze was gentle.
My face stung.
But I was happy.
I should have hit that white trash a long time
ago.
I smiled at the blue sky.
When you don’t care what people think, you can
actually do what you want.
<
I saw that I was really free.
I headed to the school’s auditorium and saw
that people were in choir.
I was hooked.
A pretty teacher in a white dress walked over to
- me.
“Ashley, is that you?”
“I’m Ms. Lin, the music teacher. Do you
remember me?”
Of course.
I’d written about her in my diary. She was the
best teacher ever.
She noticed that I was really good at singing
and wanted me to learn how to sing
<
and wanted me to learn how to sing
professionally.
But Dad thought that singers were just trash
who tried to please people in bars.
Even though I was the best singer, I wasn’t as
good as Brittany.
We talked for a while.
She asked me if I had thought about going to
art school.
“Ashley, I think you have the most unique voice.
It will be a waste if you don’t use it.”
I suddenly realized why I liked her.
She never judged me for my bad qualities.
Ms. Lin opened the piano and started to play.
Loong with all my hoort.
く
I sang with all my heart.
I felt like I was soaring in the sky.
When I opened my eyes, I heard applause.
All the underclassmen were looking at me.
A girl walked up to me.
“You sound like an angel! You made me want to
cry.”
- 13.
The end of the day came around, and Mom and
Dad took Brittany. I had to walk home on a sore
leg.
That’s always how it was.
Dad always thought that punishing me would
make me give in.
