Find your faith

Chapter 101: We're a compass for a reason

Crystal's POV
John: So you're Crystal Ong-Leau now?

Crytsal: Yea, my mother wanted me to change to her family name, but I insisted on keeping mine. So my full name now is Crystal Ong-Leau (wangxuyin). Because of that I'm going to get my IC* later than everyone else. Chloe too, but it's Chloe Ong-Leau (wangxuhui).

Nicole: But I can't imagine spending a whole day at the law firm! Trial in the morning, official adoption in the afternoon...but I'm glad you're finally a member of the Leaus! So, what's your mother's punishment.

Crystal: Imprisoned for life.

YZ: OMG! She deserved that! I mean she was trying to protect your sister, but that was so wrong to kill the love of her life!

John: Yea, she took it too far!
-
Mrs Nur soon made her entrance into our classroom, where she greeted us and pulled the laptop out. She then zoomed past the various quotes for Romeo and Juliet and what was relevant to our question "How has Juliet grown over the course of the first three acts?" I did listen and had a growing doom of my literature grades. What I wrote and the model answers didn't quite match even with the faintest of memories. Furthermore, she mentioned there were 2 failures, so I waited with bated breath for my results. She avoided my table with YZ and John, so we were looking at one another with anticipation. That meant one of us would be the lowest scorer. We were speculating who, unable to come up with a logical answer that didn't accuse anyone.

"YZ, decent effort. John got the highest. His female friend got the lowest however," Mrs Nur announced. "Crystal, I need to speak to you." And there was my answer—11/25.

This "I need to speak to you" felt different. It was one with monotone and suppressed disappointment, not one with sweet energy and anticipation. John and YZ looked at my paper while I was dazed by the shock, unable to respond to anything. They tried their best to comfort me and remind me my grades weren't my worth, but nothing hurts more than failing something you thought you had a gift at. Mrs Nur beckoned me to her seat, and YZ and John cheered me on.
-
Mrs Nur's rambling
Alright, what happened to you? Because "I'll look to like, if looking liking move" isn't about her being unsure about love, she is complying to her parents' decisions to getting married to Paris and sees if she can love him at the Capulet ball. *shows her the sample of the text* See what her parents said before this? They are trying to get her to marry Paris! And let's see... "It is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden." Juliet would never think that about her love with Romeo. She is shocked, shocked that her husband went to kill her cousin. But you know something? *proceeds to place a hand on Crystal's shoulder* Don't be discouraged, studying two plays at once really isn't easy.
Shared POV
(Crystal = nothing
Mrs Nur = italics
John = bold)
And for the first time ever in my life, Crystal covers her hands with her mouth, swinging downwards. She shuts her eyes into what seemed into a squint and her face turns a peachy pink, shining silver tears spilling out of her eyes. The whole room goes silent at that moment, as we did the most we could to help Crystal at that moment—just to be there for her. Her weeps stifled by her hands resounded through our classroom, for it was a small room and every sound echoes through the walls.

"Crystal?" I asked out of concern, trying to find the right words to soothe her uncharacteristic tears. Yet all I could do was watch her helplessly shed tears in front of me, and that's when I knew she didn't sacrifice anything for this. I tried asking her what happened to see if I could help her more, and that's when she told me about her Teacher Day Concert auditions, and how she finally understood why she failed.

Everything makes sense now. I was under so much stress from everything happening—changing a family, the school musical, company leadership, the Teachers' Day concert preparations. and now I'm left as a damsel in distress when even the best of study strategies and time management failed me. And I have to raise the flag later for the final National Day parade rehearsal, am I even go to do this well?!

"Crystal, let's go outside."
Crystal's POV
Outside the literature classroom
Mrs Nur: So you were trying to tell me that your audition caused you to fail?

Crystal: Yea- I mean, I really wanted to do well in both, so I did everything I could to push everything to the back of my mind and focus. Guess that didn't work.

Mrs Nur: But you turned up! Just so you know, I think this is your best work. Best work, because you were honest. I didn't even know about your audition until you told me, because you didn't even ask for a makeup test! Glad you didn't ask; it's not offered for auditions. But yea, good you're crying. Trust me, it's going to make you feel so much better. That'll help you create a better game plan to succeed.

Daphne: Crystal, you ok?

Crystal: I didn't say I was. Sigh, I have to raise a freaking flag after this. It's the national flag! I really hope I don't mess this up.

Daphne: Hey, don't be so harsh on yourself. I think you are going to need a little breather after that emotional turmoil and considering raising a national flag should be clockwork by now, you're going to be fine. I mean, I saw Ethan teaching you how to raise.

Crystal: Thanks

Daphne: Now that's more like it! Show everyone what you've got! Just come back when you're ready, alright?
Crystal nods, Daphne leaves
*15 year olds would get this card in a ceremony