Find your faith

Chapter 52: A reason to try

Flashback
Chloe's POV
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.
Present day
But what is my reason to try? No one other than 8 point compass and my online groups care about me. If everyone's backs are on me, I shouldn't have to care about my future.

Yet the taste of always getting compared felt so bitter. It was like my interests meant nothing during those moments. So what can I do to protect myself against the comparisons if I know the comparisons won't be ending any time soon? There's got to be a way somewhere...maybe I'll find a role model I can learn from?
The next day
"And then Keira ended up running one lap by accident!" Ethan told me excitedly, and we both laughed loudly. It wasn't routine I went home with friends or by myself, but Ethan was insisting on trying out a new Korean BBQ restaurant nearby, so he asked me to accompany him.

All of a sudden, we both heard a husky yet heavenly voice. His voice carried a lot of pain and emotion, so we decided to rush over and tip him with some coins. All of a sudden, the man stopped in his music and looked at both of us.
-
?: Kallang Christian, that's an awesome school. I studied there before.

Chloe: really gave you your passion for music, huh?

?: yea, but it's something that I can't do anymore. Great as it might have seemed.

Ethan: why? You sound like a great singer

?: mixed with the wrong crowd. Three years jail after I stole a purse from someone your age. This is a side hustle because I don't know what to do with my life now. JC* is all useless now.

Ethan: I'm so sorry to hear that. Here, why don't you try helping out for this server I'm working on? It's called the Starlight Centre where we help more academically inclined students cope better with school and make sure they leave school with both knowledge and character
gives him his name card
?: but it's not going to give me money.

Ethan: oh, the money? chuckles I'm working on that right now. My parents are trying to get their friends to help out because three people can't keep an after school centre running. Even online centres.

?: and they're paying them?

Ethan: yea, they're taking time off their jobs to help me. So why don't you join? You could be hosting music lessons for the people in the centre.

?: alright, I'll join your centre. Sounds more comfortable than being on the streets busking 24/7.

Ethan: great, see you around!
-
We continued to make our way to the Korean BBQ restaurant, but I felt a sense of heat in me. A wave of heat, but it wasn't a hot flash. It was intangible and internal, and I couldn't give it a name. But that's when I realised I had found a reason to try and match up to my sister, even if it was just for work habits.

Why? It's because I want to be an animator. I want the comfort of being an animator living in my own apartment, deciding what I want to eat. I want to be with other animators that can push me to the best of my abilities. I want to enjoy everyday pursuing what I love, not what's left. And that—needs strength from me, not Crystal.
*two year high school