Find your faith

Chapter 91: The hurt continues ⚠️

This chapter contains explicit imagery of self-harm and blood. Reader discretion is advised.
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Ethan's POV
"3 Faith, you guys did alright for this term. We finally don't have a single failure in the class," our E Maths teacher announced. Chloe heaved a sigh of relief, but I assured her she had nothing to worry about because she was learning to study harder and smarter.

He started distributing the papers, and I was drumming my fingers on the table as usual. Crystal got a B much to her shock, while I was praying hard that I would at least not do as badly as for A Maths. Our E Maths teacher slipped my paper on my table, which was thankfully a 22/30. Hey, an A!

Chloe turned around and started flaunting her paper to me, which had a 19/30 and a "Good progress!" remark from our teacher. I gave her a thumbs up sign when Ningguang screamed across the classroom, "Do that again for us to see!" She circled it around and then turned to Keqing, clapping loudly and laughing furiously.

"YOU'RE SUCH A JOKE YOU KNOW!"

"SHE'S RIGHT! CELEBRATING IMPROVEMENT IS A JOKE!"

You're in 3 Faith
The best class
You should always get the highest grade
Don't settle for no.2
Because it'll be a habit
That'll break your f*king life
Chloe's POV
Don't they know the measures I had to take to even pass? The sole sacrifices I had to make? Working hard isn't going to end the incessant comparisons between me and my sister, so I have to do something more.

To teach the bullies a lesson, I packed a penknife in my bag. Digging it out, I placed my thumb on the rubber slider and aimed it at my wrist. Without a care, I aimed the blade on my left wrist, and squinted my eyes shut as I plunged the penknife into my hands. Screams echoed throughout the class as I dropped the penknife on the floor and I was left catching my breath. What just happened? This was meant to be a lesson for the bullies, why is everyone getting involved.

"Chloe, I need you to listen to me," a deep voice said. I turned around, and it was my sister holding back tears. "We're going to get your wound washed up and dressed, alright? We should clean this up before you lose even more blood."
Crystal's POV
Girls' toilet
"Pain of wound, 1-10," I asked stoically.

"17," she squirmed while I rinsed her wound under water and carefully stabbed the blood with toilet paper. I repeated the process until there was no blood left, before leading her to the general office to get a first aid kit. Since I was certified by my Girl Guides badges, the administrator allowed me to dress my sister's wound, which ended off with a small crepe bandage. After that, the counsellor was waiting for my sister, so I had to release her to the school counsellor.
Mrs Ong's POV
Kinrakki
"I'm sorry Mrs Ong," one of my employees told me. "Your daughters' form teacher is calling. She says it's urgent."

"Oh ok, I'll answer it right away," I replied, rushing out to get my phone. A million questions raced through my head if an employee has to ask me to answer the phone right here, right now. Did Chloe stab another girl for flirting with Ethan? Did the sisters brawl in front of the class? Did Keqing and Ningguang harass her so badly she has been ferried to the hospital? I prayed that the "urgent" matter was cheating during a test at the very most.
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?: She's here

Mdm Yeo: You answered the phone! This is urgent—your second daughter stabbed her wrist today after being compared to her sister again when getting her E Math results today!

Mrs Ong: I don't get it. She's been improving by leaps and bounds.

Mdm Yeo: She is being compared to her friends for not being as involved in after school activities like them and her sister.

Mrs Ong: This is bad, thank you for telling me! I'll check in on her and talk to my husband today.

Mdm Yeo: Has your spouse been behind this?

Mrs Ong: He compares his daughters constantly and calls Chloe a failure. She's so small, yet shes got so much on her back. Not only that, he's forcing my girls to have parties to celebrate Crystal's achievements at school and his whole extended family help him with his shenanigans.

Mdm Yeo: I think you two should seriously separate. I seriously do not want either twin to die at 16 with slit wrists or through choking.

Mrs Ong: I'll talk to him properly tonight. Thank you for the suggestion. And I'm—

Mdm Yeo: Mrs Ong, this is not your fault. Chloe didn't do anything wrong-wrong so to say. This is a sign you need to change the way you support her, so go talk to your husband. Communication is key to a good relationship for a good relationship.