relief, but once we got home,

you weren't feeling well. We hardl

r stomach. "I

, Mom. I won't

lean up the mess, my pa

ole table is filled with dishes that you love, bu

y room, overhearing my

s. Look at your colleague's daughter, so lively

t since she was a child, no

't tal

ly as a child, wanting to pl

ts said that

uiet, not shouting like a wil

asually hang out with boys outsi

rty, finish all your homework by nine, a

my life was meticulousl

deviation led to punishment, like getting my hand

ands, so why then did they find m

lt? Was I not

t daughter did they wan

ht, I could

ally and mentally, I lay there stari

r the last time I had h

manding educational expectations, I started ex

leepless nights made it hard to concentrate

parents, who imposed even s

n love, snooping through my

y found a love let

faces when they saw the letter, as if

re that haunted

agged me along, slapping

cally questioning every boy she saw. "Are

ow whose le

onship, really. Please be

, but she shook off my hand

father and I work so hard

hes, repeatedly cal

my classmates' expressions of

I wished I could

but as they wished, no boy ever spoke to me

ted to be publicly hu

ndition w

that I might have depression, s

eel a little bette

ped alleviate the

y body started gaining weight unc

a Goblin. Your mom was the school beauty, and I was one of the

n, you're n

money and no longer p

daily food was reduc

or the sake of the college entrance exams, they reluctantly

e most rigorous weight-loss camp, a place th

n will want you. I don't want a

m down, don't bot

n a helli

ouldn't bear it and stole food t

ng, the shocks made me nauseous and

I couldn't keep up, the dogs b

ach would force filth into

ounds and nearl

know, nor did th

e what they wanted

six-thirty, Mom ba

a start, sitt

er home, and you've forgotten the rules. Get

th clothes Mom had chose

cording to her taste, m

rmally today, which

portant later. Remember to beha

d, "Mom, who are

abroad a few days ago. He's two years older than you. You two are a go

mbling. "A blind date... but I h