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[Story Four: Part One: The Certificates – She Became Mentally III For Pursuing Freedom]
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From high school to the college entrance
exam, my name was always on the honor roll.
I became the kid that all parents talked about.
The certificates and awards overflowed the
display case, and Mom and Dad had never
been so happy with me.
The day the college entrance exam scores
came out, Mom was at her happiest.
Before filling out the college application, Mom
went to my room for a rare heart–to–heart,
acting like a caring mother.
Late at night, she finally got to the point.
“So, Mom will help you fill out the application
tomorrow, okay?”
I nodded.
Sure enough, I didn’t touch the computer the
next day.
Mom was very satisfied with my performance
and even gave me a new phone.
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and even gave me a new phone.
The night before the deadline for college
applications, I turned on the computer.
I changed the application to a place two
thousand miles from home, and then changed
the password.
That night, I slept the best I’d slept in
eighteen years.
After playing the good girl for three years of
high school, I had finally waited for the day I
could get rid of my family of origin.
So, I was also very happy the next day.
I didn’t expect Mom to come straight to me.
“I can’t log into the application system, did
you change the password?!
“Why did you change the password? What
about the application? Did you change it?!”
I looked at her and just smiled.
She paused and grabbed my arm.
“Who told you to change it on your own?
VICIO Ulu you manyo L LU:: ICII IIIC LIG
password! I’ll help you change it back!”
“No way.”
This was the second time I openly disobeyed
her.
But this time, she found that, besides crying
and making a fuss, she had no other way to
control me.
She couldn’t make me apologize under the
flag anymore.
So she could only cry and blame me.
“You! How can you treat Mom like this?!”
I turned to leave.
But I didn’t expect the neighbors to rush into
my bedroom and drag me to the roof.
There, Mom was standing on the edge of the
roof, crying and threatening everyone not to
come near her.
“[Your Name]‘s mom, don’t get excited! [Your
Name] has already agreed to change the
application back! Ack bor if you don’t believe
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me!”
Mom looked at me with red eyes.
“[Your Name], did you change it back? If you
don’t change it back, Mom will jump from
here!”
My whole body was stiff.
The neighbor pinched my arm.
“[Your Name], that’s your mother, don’t cause
trouble, just give in.”
“That’s right, your mother wouldn’t hurt you,
she’s only asking you to change the
application for your own good.”
“What application is more important than your
mother’s life? Your mother has been taking
care of you for eighteen years, how can this
child not care about her mother’s life for her
own future!”
Everyone talked at once.
I only saw their lips moving and parting.
They were all trying to excuse the woman on
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The person crying and teetering was Mom.
But the person who was falling was me.
“I won’t change it.”
Chapter Two
I gritted my teeth.
“What did you say?”
“I said I’m not changing it!”
Mom started crying even louder, “If you don’t
change it, I’ll jump right now!”
“Go ahead and jump! Do it!”
Everyone was stunned.
They suddenly noticed I was crying too.
I choked on my sobs.
“Patricia, I’ve put up with you for so damn
long! For three years, I’ve been a good girl,
just so I could escape you and Dad, you controlling freaks!”
“I’m telling you, I’m not changing my
application. Either you jump, and I’ll pick up
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the pieces, or you come back and we’ll part
ways amicably!”
“Once I get to college, I’ll work my ass off to
pay you back for raising me, and when I’m
done, we’re done. For good!”
“You!”
Mom’s hand trembled.
Then her eyes rolled back, and she passed
out.
I heard footsteps behind me.
The next thing I knew, a hand smacked me
hard across the face.
Dad, his eyes bloodshot, pointed at me, “You
ungrateful little brat!”
