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“Miss Harper,nice job!You scored much higher than your practice tests!”
“You barely study.If you tried,we wouldn’t stand a chance!”
“Claire studies all day and still scores low.You’re smarter,you’ve got a great mindset.”
Classmates’praise,sincere or not,only served to feed her vanity.
“Claire,let me see your scores.Hit triple digits yet?”
I ignored her,but my report was on the desk.She grabbed it.
Her face darkened as she read,then she tore it up.
“Impossible!Claire,you cheated!”she roared,pointing.
Someone put it back together,staring in disbelief.
“Claire,you scored amazingly high!”
…
I ranked third in the city.
Top high schools contacted the Harpers,the school,even approached me directly,begging me to enroll.Local TV reporters interviewed me.
I seized every public appearance,building up my public presence.
I moved fast,before the Harpers could stop me.
Furious,they locked me in my room.
Mrs.Harper spoke through the door.
“Claire,you follow your sister.She goes to high school here,so you will too.”
“But Mom,I want my own high school.Pay for Jessica to join me at Central High.Though,with her grades,she might struggle.”
“Her follow you?Forget it!Truth is,we adopted you for Jessie.Stay put.I’ll arrange everything.You’re out when school starts.”
“They’ve taken your knives and scissors.Food will be delivered—no starvation.”
I lowered my eyes,silent.She thought I’d given in.
“It is settled then.”She turned to leave.
I looked up,shouting,“Mom,knives and scissors aren’t necessary.Toothbrushes,sheets,ceramic shards—anything works.Even if you lock me until school, I can get a blade easily later.”
She choked,“You!”
I softened.“Mom,I’ll stay with Jessica here,but on certain conditions.”
She waited silently.
“First,I get weekends out,not stuck with Jessica or home.Two days free.Second,give me a phone—everyone has one but me.Third,five hundred thousand dollars monthly allowance.”
“Claire,don’t push your luck!”
“Mom,you know my temper.Let me go to Central High,or meet these terms.Otherwise,‘Harpers drive foster daughter to death’will become the headline.”
Her face paled with rage.
