Find your faith

Chapter 50: Cracking under comparisons ⚠️

This chapter has implied expressions of self-harm, a desire to kill people (although said to exaggerate anger) and mentions of blacking out. Reader discretion is advised.
Jennifer's POV
"So we still have ✨1 failure✨ in our class," our E Math* teacher announced. "And it's the same person as last time." We all chorused an "oh" together, because we knew that failure was from Chloe. Ningguang beckoned me to her table, and I rushed over. It was time for some juicy comparisons!
-
Ningguang: how can she fail both maths, twice? Call that the dumbest I've ever known.

Jennifer: have you seen her on YouTube? That chloxhane?

Xingqiu: what about her on YouTube is so juicy?

Jennifer: oh, there's an editing group called Project World there. She has appeared in almost every video!

Keqing: no wonder she's either scrapping through her tests or failing them!

All: right!

Keqing: I wish Crystal could grind some discipline into her because we can't. At least Crystal knows how to manage her time between her influencer activities and her studies.

Shenhe: and her talents too! Crystal can do everything because she's the company leader. Chloe can only draw and edit! She can do nothing.

All: OMG YES! SHE CAN DO NOTHING!
Chloe's POV
They're right, I can do nothing. Sprinting out of my seat, I held back the tears that welled up on my eyes when they screamed that I could do nothing. Didn't they know editing and art were the only things I had? I held my breath as I forced back tears, yet took a rumble at the stairs. How did I not black out? I wanted to black out and run away from the comparisons, yet it was all so unsuccessful. The first tear first left my eye, and many more followed.
Daphne's POV
Daphne: Chloe?

Chloe: Daphne?

Daphne: are the comparisons getting out of hand? I hear that you and Crystal are always being compared.

Chloe: even at home! Like you know how Crystal's the lead for our school musical? Daphne nods When my parents heard, they called all their friends to boast about it and then they talked about how the visual arts are useless! I mean, I won a number of competitions recently and they called it useless!

Daphne is rooted to the spot realising the comparisons between Crystal and Chloe aren't just school bound

Daphne: I can't believe you've got such horrid parents! If I only could stab them with a cooking knife, I would without caring about the charges.

Chloe: what?

Daphne: I'm so sorry your parents are like this. It must be so scary to be doing so badly and having parents that don't even try to support you is so much worse. I'm so angry too. I've never seen parents play favourites to this extent. But I think it's time you start studying for yourself.

Chloe: for myself?

Daphne: it never harms to try after all. You have the power to stop the comparisons, and maybe if you find your reason to do your best, I'm sure your parents will have a reason to shut up.

Chloe: Maybe I'll find a way to try.

Daphne: that's more like it. I'll send a link to my study channel. I give a lot of study tips there, it'll help you avoid situations like this.

Chloe: that's so cool! I didn't know you did that!

Daphne: and I didn't know you were an awesome editor till recently. I mean, I follow your Instagram but I didn't realise chloxhane was you until recently. Your editing is top tier!

Chloe: thanks! She stops crying, wiping the tears from her eyes

Daphne: nope, I should thank you helping me find a new hobby: watching edits. I hope you stay true to yourself no matter what.
*the difference between E Math and A Math: E Math focuses more on arithmetic; A Math focuses more on calculus-like concepts.