Chapter 8 Stay Away From That Boy

Everyone admires the bracelet, except my mom. She seems upset about the fact that I like it so much, but it’s only because she doesn’t want anyone’s gift to outshine hers. My parents’ gift is a grand piano wrapped in white velvet and tied with a gigantic pink ribbon. I’ve never played the piano, and I don’t have the talent to or ever will. When I point that out to Mom, she says the piano will make a good impression in my living room, one day, and that I have lots of friends who can entertain me by playing.

By lots of friends, she means Robinson, my childhood friend and neighbor. None of my other friends are musically talented. Robinson and I were born a week apart, and we were in the same class for the whole of primary school. We were only separated in high school because my parents sent me to a girls-only private school while Robinson got shipped to the boys’ school. My mom is still secretly hoping we’ll marry one day. Fat chance. Robinson is like a brother to me.

After the lychee sp