Chapter 3

"Oh, you're back, Rina."

Mom, whose face had been twisted with anger a second ago, instantly broke into a smile. She hurried over and took the huge bag of snacks from Sabrina.

"Looks like you bought yourself something good to eat. That's my girl. You know how to enjoy yourself."

Sabrina's gaze casually swept past my puffy, tear-streaked face, completely unmoved. "Oh, Regina's home, too."

She then turned to Mom. "Mom, look what I got you."

Like she was pulling off a magic trick, she pulled out the newest phone from her pocket.

At that moment, Mom's smile was genuine.

"Oh, wow! Why did you buy me something this expensive? The phone you got me last time still looks brand new, and now you bought me another one!"

She turned it over and over again in her hands like it was a treasure. "This is the newest model, right? And you even picked the color I like. You're amazing, sweetheart!"

I sat there awkwardly, not knowing what to do, until Dad noticed I'd been crying. He casually pulled the smallest bag of snacks from the pile and handed it to me.

"What's wrong? Arguing with your mom again? Give it a rest. That's just how she is. You're a grown woman now. Why are you still so immature? You're too old to be sniveling like that."

I slowly reached out and took it, but I didn't eat it.

If I hadn't taken it, Dad would've scolded me anyway. He was rarely ever that pleasant.

Sabrina tossed her designer purse aside, stretched out on the couch, and smiled at me. "Regina, why are you arguing with Mom again? Don't tell me this is about the SAT. It's been years already. Even if you did score over 1,350 back then, Mom and Dad could only afford to send one kid to university."

I stared at her in shock, and when I spoke, my voice came out hoarse. "What do you mean by that, Sabrina? You knew I scored that high this whole time?"

She picked up the remote, turned on the TV, and answered casually, "Of course, I knew."

My fists tightened, my chest heaving with every breath. "You knew? Then why didn't you say anything all those years when Mom was screaming at me? And back then, why did you accuse me of cheating?"

The entire living room went quiet.

Mom and Dad exchanged suspicious glances, their expressions strange.

"What's going on? Did she really score that high?"

Mom's eyes darted back and forth between Sabrina and me.

Meanwhile, Dad crushed out the cigarette in his hand and looked over at me. "That's enough. What's done is done. Regina, you're not a kid anymore, so just let it go."

I sat there without saying a word. I just felt disillusioned.

Mom busied herself pouring a glass of water for Sabrina, never once considering that I hadn't had a single drop of water since I walked through the door.

All of a sudden, I understood what Sabrina meant.

She was right. Even if I really had scored over 1,350, would anything have been different?

No. They still would've chosen to put Sabrina through university, and I still wouldn't be worthy of a glass of water.

I looked at Sabrina, my voice shaking. "Sabrina, why didn't you tell them?"

She met my gaze head-on, malice flickering in her eyes. "Would it have made a difference? I don't think so."

Beside her, Mom slammed a glass onto the table.

"Haven't you had enough? So what if you really scored over 1,350? That doesn't mean your life would be any better after university. If anything, it was better for you to get out into the world early and toughen up!

"You were so shy when you were little. And now look at you, talking back and arguing with your own mother. Isn't that proof you needed to get out there?"

I honestly couldn't believe those words were coming out of her mouth.

"Get out into the world? Toughen up?"

I spoke softly and slowly, then suddenly laughed.

"Mom, was living in a tiny room with barely enough space to move around supposed to toughen me up? Was being screamed at by my manager until midnight and not being allowed to get off work supposed to toughen me up?

"When I first started, I couldn't even find a decent job. I washed dishes at a restaurant all winter long, and even now my fingers ache so badly every winter that I can't sleep. Is this what you call toughening me up?"