- 4.
Г
Report cards came out, and I got the best
grades. And it was time for the parent-
teacher conference.
When I got home, I could hear Jake, sounding
dejected.
“Mom, I’m so stupid. I can’t ever catch up to
Danny. Will you guys not want me anymore?”
“I can’t understand my studies… I’m not
smart enough, I don’t deserve to be your
son.”
Dad tried to soothe him. “It’s okay. Grades
aren’t everything. And besides, we all know
Danny’s grades are trash, he probably
cheated anyway.
<
Mom nodded. “That’s right, Jake. You’re
great as you are, don’t work too hard.”
“You’re too fragile, you’ll hurt yourself.”
They said they loved me, but they were so
ready to say awful things about me in front of
Jake just to make him happy. I swear, if they
weren’t my parents, I would congratulate
them for being the perfect overly–indulgent
parents.
I leaned in the doorway, a cynical grin on my
face. Finally, Jake stopped crying. “You guys
are the best. I don’t need to worry about
being sent back to the orphanage.”
Mom hugged him tight. “You’ll always be our
son.”
<
“And your big sis is going to take care of
you,” Sarah promised, patting him on the
back.
Jake looked at them, then looked at my dad.
“Can you guys help me with the parent-
teacher conference?”
“Of course, we’ll all be there,” Dad said.
Jake acted like he’d just noticed me, calling
me, “Danny.” The happy mood dropped,
turning cold. I pretended not to hear, and
walked into the living room.
“The school has a parent–teacher conference,
who’s going?”
Mom started to speak, looking at me with a
forced sense of sympathy. “Danny, your dad
<
and I are going to Jake’s conference, about
yours…
I cut her off, lifting my chin to look at them
directly. “Does he need two people to go to
his conference?”
“Why do you have to be so difficult? You
know Jake’s delicate, the doctors said he
needs to take it easy. Why are you acting like
you can’t understand? Why are you making a
fuss?”
I knew it was going to be the same as before,
I just was hoping it wouldn’t be that way. I
turned and went to my room, ignoring their
yelling. My heart was just getting colder.
