Find your faith

Chapter 95: A surprisingly relieving send-off

Crystal's POV
Relieved. Happy. Contented.

I know I wasn't supposed to feel that way at a funeral, but the man that has wrecked the lives of me and my sister is now dead. Hopefully, that meant the comparisons would finally end and Chloe and I could finally be ourselves without living up to some label or having our strengths and weaknesses being compared against each other. Forcing a neutral expression, I went up to the altar and took the joss sticks, burning one for my late father before gathering at the procession area. I met my cousins and relatives who bombarded Chloe with apologies, even gathering around.

As a girl guide, I had to gently separate the crowd that formed around Chloe. Crouching down, I whispered, "They have hurt you extensively, you don't have to forgive them you know." She nodded shyly and we then did the prayers for our now dead father. We burnt the joss sticks as we paid respects for our father and tried to remember some of the better times when our father was alive, at least until I revealed my desires on going to a girls' school that I couldn't get into.
Flashback
Tōkyō, Japan
Disneyland
"Girls, where do you want to go next?" My father squealed. Chloe dragged my father's hand to The Enchanted Tiki Room: Stitch Presents "Aloha E Komo Mai!" We all chased after Chloe and queued up, as my sister and I excitedly discussed about what we were going to do. From the corner of my eye back then, I could tell our parents were just going along with what we were saying and enjoying. They never really minded anything then.

We were on the ride soon, and buckled up. I was really excited then, and couldn't help but yelp phrases about how awesome the rides were. As I was younger then, my parents didn't really care about volume control and I just heard a few innocent giggles behind me. That was the family I used to know before...
Mid 2020
"You're only Primary 5," my mother admitted. "And we haven't finished the year. You don't need to firm up what secondary schools you want to go yet."

"I'm sick of drawing all the time mum. I just wanted to kill time," I admitted sheepishly. "But come! Take a look at my list! What do you think?" She came over to see my school list mixed with girls schools and mixed schools, and gushed over it, praising me for my discipline despite the circuit breaker. Nothing really changed except this being the start of my journey with discipline and drive, and I asked my mother to order some extra assessment books for me. I thought back then, it was the circuit breaker and I had nothing on but online violin lessons. What's the most that could bring?

Unfortunately, the happy family I got to know about vanished that day. Chloe was pressured into choosing a secondary school and eventually was forced into DSA*, they started to compare us in Primary 6 and our academic performances and when secondary school rolled around, our CCA involvements.
Present day
"Crystal? Can we...talk to you outside?"

I turned around, and I saw Ethan and Nicole who came down to the wake to see us. Chloe and I hesitantly agreed and we escaped the function room that still blasted Mandopop tunes.
-
Ethan: This isn't characteristic of a funeral visitor, but congrats for losing your father.

Chloe: Really?

Nicole: He literally made you cut yourself, idiot. And he always makes a fuss about you even when you chose to change for the better, not by his demands. Your mother was really bold, huh?

Ethan: What she did was illegal, but alright. I can give it to her for killing your father because you genuinely changed, but that's like returning evil with evil.

Nicole: So what are you going to do now? Father dead, mother in prison.

Crystal: We're trying to see if Jennifer can accept us into her family. If not, orphanage we go.

Ethan: I mean Chloe's still got tuition to attend. Tuition fees need to be taken cafe of. But considering Jennifer's behaviour the past few months, you guys would be able to get the accommodation you need. I wish you both the best of luck

Crystal and Chloe: Thank you!
pushes door open for the function room
*priority on CCA talent over grades to get into a school