Brad rolled his eyes, “What you sacrificed has
nothing to do with me.‘
“Isn’t this all what you wanted anyway?”
With that, he shook off her hand and left.
My sister slumped onto the table, crying for
ages.
Finally, she sat up, her eyes puffy like
walnuts. I slowly walked over, acting all
I wiped away her tears like it broke my heart.
“Sis, why are you fighting?”
At first, she pushed me away, but I just kept
at it.
“Talk to me, I’ll help you figure it out.”
Hearing that, she paused, then slowly started
to talk.
“He said my gauges are boring, they don’t
turn him on anymore.”
53
“What am I gonna do, Lily? I don’t want to
break up with him!”
Before she could finish, her tears were
already falling on my arm.
<
I patted her shoulder gently.
“Well, if he wants excitement, why not keep
giving it to him?”
My sister rolled her eyes, “You think I haven’t
thought of that?!”
“If I knew the answer, we wouldn’t be
fighting, duh.”
I swallowed my words and stayed quiet.
My sister sighed, “Actually, Brad wanted me
to get my nose gauged.”
“I said no, and that’s why we started
fighting.”
My eyes widened at the unfamiliar term.
<
“Nose… gauged?”
My sister nodded, “But I just can’t see myself
with that!”
“It looks so ugly, and…
“I support you!”
I cut her off quickly, sounding really
determined.
“Sis, I’m on your side. You should totally do
it.”
“If it’s for love, I’ll support you no matter
what.”
My sister, who was still crying, was suddenly
stunned, like she’d heard me wrong.
<
“What did you just say?”
Her confusion was understandable. My sister
always had some wild ideas, and I’d always
been there to tell her the consequences,
trying to talk her out of it.
But this time, I was fully on board.
I scoffed to myself. I’m not gonna support it?
She’d kill me. Who would dare to refuse?
Seeing she was starting to waver, I doubled
down.
“Sis, is love more important, or your face?”
She mumbled in a daze, “Love, of course.”
I clapped my hands, “Exactly, and Brad is so
<
“If it were me, I’d get the moon if he asked
for it.”
As I spoke, I kept watching her face.
She blinked, like she was processing what I
said.
“Sis, Brad’s not asking for the moon.”
“He just wants you to get your nose pierced.”
“And come on, you’ve already gauged your
ears, what’s one more piercing?”
After all that encouragement, she was finally
convinced.
She grabbed her phone and called Brad.
<
“Babe, don’t be mad anymore.”
“I’ll do it, I’ll get my nose gauged later.”
They talked for a while, and then hung up.
My sister looked at me, all smiley, “Brad isn’t
mad anymore.
“He told me that several of his friends‘
girlfriends have their noses done.”
She looked down, “If I didn’t do it, he’d be
embarrassed.
Then, she grabbed my hand, “Lily, if it wasn’t
for you, I would’ve lost him.”
Then she hugged me tightly.
く
“I was never nice to you before, I’ll make it up
to you.”
I pulled away from her, “It’s nothing, sis,
we’re family.”
My sister was quick. After dinner, she got
ready and headed out.
Before leaving, she blew me a kiss, “Wish me
luck!”
05
That night, my sister came back humming.
She stuck her tongue out at me, then pointed
at her nose.
“I asked Brad, he said this one stretches
<
faster than ears.”
“And the infection risk is much lower.”
She bounced over to me, “What do you think?
Does it look good?”
Honestly, watching that ring sticking out of
her nose, I wanted to barf.
But I faked it so well, “It’s amazing!”
“Sis, you’re a warrior for love!”
“I really admire you!”
After hearing my praise, she held her head
even higher.
“Thank you for convincing me, otherwise
<
Brad was going to dump me.”
“He even drove all the way to get me as soon
as I said I’d do it.”
Just thinking about Brad, my sister’s lips
curled into a smile.
I smiled along, “Sis, how long until it gets
bigger?”
