Becoming Chloe
her mom asked, her tone shifting from excited to deeply disappointed.
Frustration flared up in my chest. Over the last couple of weeks, I had actually been trying hard to learn Japanese. At first, it was just a survival tactic so I wouldn't get caught, but then I started practicing more just so I could communicate better and navigate Maya's life without constant suspicion. But right now, the stress was boiling over, and the words tumbled out of my mouth in a sharp, defensive mix of the language I’d been forcing myself to study.