Chapter 3
During summer break. Mom finally came home to see me. She spotted me crouching near the building entrance, watching ants. She called my name from a distance, but I didn’t turn around.[]
Mom thought I was too focused on the ants. She kept calling me, each time louder than before, until I slowly turned around.[]
When I saw her, I threw myself into her arms. “Mom!”
Mom looked down at me, barely believing her eyes.[]
“Riley, why are you dressed like this?”
I was wearing Casey’s hand–me–downs–clothes she’d drawn all over until the original color couldn’t be seen anymore.]
My exposed arms and legs were covered in mosquito bites. With my sensitive skin, every bite left a scar.[]
My hair was a complete mess, hastily pulled into a tiny, sad–looking ponytail.
At first glance, I looked like a little street urchin.
If our apartment building didn’t have just one kid around my age, Mom probably wouldn’t have recognized me at all.]
She rushed me home, gave me a proper bath, dressed me in a new skirt, braided my hair neatly, and even added pretty hair clips.
I was over the moon. I immediately ran outside to find my friends.]
From a distance, I spotted Casey with a group of kids at the slide, so I ran over to join them.]
“Riley looks so pretty today!” I heard someone say as I approached.[]
I nodded excitedly and announced loudly, “My mom came home! She bought this for me!“]
I took after my mom, with blonde hair and blue eyes.[]
Casey, on the other hand, looked like Dad–freckled face and a bit chubby. She never looked as good in dresses as I did.
When she heard me, she charged over, grabbed my braid, and yanked my hair clips out. Then she clutched my skirt in her fists.
She was older and always well fed, so she was a head taller than me. I was no match for her. I broke down crying, but the neighbors who saw it happen didn’t dare intervene.]
They’d tried to help before, but Dad had stormed into their homes and smashed their things. Now nobody wanted to get involved in our family drama.
In the end. I couldn’t fight off Casey. She cut my hair to shreds with scissors and tore my skirt to pieces
She grinned at me triumphantly. “Kaley, I told you–you’re only good enough for my hand me downs!”
When we got home, Mom was horrified. She immediately spotted the scissors in Casey’s hand, and after figuring out what happened, grabbed a broom and swung it at her.
Dad walked in right at that moment and snatched the broom away.
“Jenna, what the hell are you doing?”
“Dave, is this how you raise the kids when I’m gone? Look what she did to Riley!”
But Dad shielded Casey. “Kids fight all the time! And why was Riley showing off anyway? She’s just being vain!”
“I wasn’t! Mom, it hurts, and I can’t hear anything from my ear!” I clung to Mom, sobbing uncontrollably.[]
Mom was terrified. She wanted to take me to the hospital, but Dad dismissed it. “She’s faking it“]
But in the end, Mom ignored him and insisted on taking me to the doctor.
“It’s too late. The child has completely lost the hearing in her right ear. How could you parents be so irresponsible?!“]
“The damage to the child’s ear was caused by physical trauma!“]
