His Exclusive Favor

Just as the sun began to rise, my mother woke me up and shoved a bus ticket into my hand.

It was a ticket to the city.

“You know our family’s situation,” she began. “We can only afford to send one of you to college. Your father and I have decided that it’ll be your sister.”

She had not an ounce of guilt as she spoke. “She’s younger, and you should take on more of the burden.”

My sleepiness vanished in an instant, replaced by a cold, stinging feeling that spread through my entire body.

Tears began to fall as I finally reached my breaking point, shouting with all the frustration that had been building up inside me.

“Why?! I’m the one with the better grades. I deserve to go to school! How can you be so unfair?”

Slap!

Her hand struck my face with such force that my head snapped to the side, the words I wanted to say dying on my lips.

She glared at me, her eyes full of undisguised disgust. “What’s the point of you going to school? You’ll just end up getting married someday. But your sister, she’s destined for something greater.

“Besides,” she added coldly, “I spent quite a bit of money to arrange that factory job for you. When you get your salary, make sure to send some of it to your sister’s account every month. She can’t be struggling while she’s at school.

“And remember,” she said, almost as an afterthought, “if anyone in the village asks, you’re to tell them that it was your choice to work and help the family out.”

“I won’t go! I’d rather die than do this!” I screamed, ripping the ticket into pieces and letting them flutter to the ground like snow.

A sharp pain twisted in my stomach, and I clutched my abdomen, sweat dotting my forehead.

“Then just go and die already!” she shrieked, lifting the suitcase and hurling it at me, cursing me through gritted teeth.

It hurt, but what hurt more was my heart.

As I stared at her furious, twisted face, something inside me broke.

So this was it. Even if I died right in front of her, not a single tear would fall from her eyes.

How foolish of me to think that she’d ever care, that she’d ever love me.

I left the house still wearing my pajamas, walking aimlessly into the chilly morning, trying to escape this loveless hell.