Burn.

1.

Houston Jessica. That's what reads on all of my papers. It's my name. It's what my mom named me. But then she passed away and I got adopted into a new family. They named me Kang Sarang. But they wanted my name to stay as Houston Jessica legally. They call me Jess sometimes but mostly Sarang or Love.
I got adopted by a korean-australian family. I have two younger sisters and an older brother. They all cherish me and treat me like an actual sister.

"Jess! C'mon we're gonna be late!" I was putting my uniform on.
"Jess! Ah seriously!" She opened the door. That's Mia she's the youngest.
"Mia stop it! We still have time." That's Yeorum she's the second youngest.
"Let's go already! Sarang you seriously don't need to do your makeup and hair every morning." And that's Doyun. He's the oldest.
"Okay okay I got it!" I took my bag and left. We all ran to the bus and got in. The two younger ones got off since they went to a different school. Me and Doyun both go to an international school. We have a 11 month age difference but born on the same year. He's born in january while I'm born in december. I got to the family when he was 2 so he still treats me like a way younger sister.
"Sarang do you feel left out?" I turned to look at him.
"No why?" I asked. He looked at me for a moment.
"Well you try to make yourself look more korean. It's obvious." I hated him. He always commented on it.
"I'm not. I just like to do my makeup like this." He made a very obvious face. I hated it. He can't understand it. How you get treated when you are a girl. He must get praised for his english skills and accent. While I just get stared and and made jokes about. I don't know what the problem is. I am asian, just not korean.

It was our stop. We got to class where he went to his friends and I went to sit in the back of the class. On my own.
"Yah pho come here!" My nickname because I'm viet. I went to them.
"Hmm I don't like how you did your hair like I did it today. You also have the same liptint as me. It's making me look poor. She handed me a hairbrush and some wipes. I bowed to her and brushed my hair and then took the liptint off. She just smiled as I walked off. I took a chapstick out of my bag as I sat down.

Class was over. I was starving because I didn't have time to eat breakfast.
"Pho! Hey get us some dumplings will you?" I nodded and headed to the cafeteria. Got the dumplings and made my way to their usual spot. There they ate them all. I usually have to just sit with them.
"God you look so fat. Have you been eating too much pho these days?" They all laughed.
"What's up?" Ah shit Doyun.
"Nothing. What about you?" He just sat down and shook his head.
"Oo dumplings." He took a couple. He's pretty close with them all.
"Oh you can go now!" She looked at me and motioned me to leave. So I did. Doyun didn't even look confused. Who knows he's probably on their side.

"We're home!" Yeorum ran up to me and instantly took me to her room.
"My friend gave me some of her makeup that she didn't want. I don't really wear it so you can have it." I hugged her to thank her.
"Oh hey Mia." She came to hang with us. She showed me her new dolls. I had actually bought them for her but she likes to show everyone when she gets something new.
"Sarang hey!" It was dad.
"So we got a call from school. Um maybe Mia and Yeo could leave for a moment." They instantly ran out.
"Someone reported to your homeroom teacher that you have been getting bullied for a while now. And the reason being the fact you are vietnamese." Tears instantly ran down my face.
"We don't expect you to tell us anything but maybe it'll be better if you would drop out." I felt like whatever I would say right now would be a lie. I want to runaway from it but that would make me look like a loser that can't handle some dumb bullies.
"Also honey I want you to know what this isn't your fault. Those bullies are dumb and just insecure. You are allowed to be afraid and allowed to runaway. You don't always have to be brave." He hugged me tightly as I cried. I hated it. How I can't be brave and just stand up for myself.