"But Annie, you've always passed without any trouble." Second Sis stroked the girl's black hair. "You'll pass this one too, I'm sure."
Annie remained quiet, unconvinced.
"Look, let's look at your past exams," Second Sis suggested, "Where do you keep them?"
Annie thought for a moment. Then she pointed at the drawer at the bottom of one of her cupboards.
Second Sis sat on the carpeted floor next to the cupboard. She opened the drawer and took out a few exam papers and academic transcripts. Flipping through them, she said, "See? You passed everything."
Annie went to sit beside her sister. She took a few of the papers and looked at the first. It was a middle-school exam paper that was graded C. The next was also a C. The third, D. A transcript she read had Cs and Ds with a single B for English. The more papers she saw, the more her hands trembled.
Yes, Second Sis was right that she had passed everything - there was not a single F. But she saw many Cs. There were quite a number of Ds too and the occasional B. Then she found her middle school report card.
This could not be true. She could not be this stupid.
Second Sis looked at her. "Annie?"
The report card in her little hands fell onto the floor. Annie ran out of the room and went straight for Big Sis' door. Leaning against the door frame, she knocked until Marie opened the door. Annie looked up at her eldest sister as her tears started to flow again.
Big Sis looked once at Carrie, who had followed behind. Then she pulled Annie into the room. She closed the door and guided Annie to her bed. Sitting beside the little girl, she asked, "What's wrong? Did Carrie bully you?"
Annie shook her head and sat in silence. A minute passed before she could admit, "I'm stupid. I couldn't do my exams." She blinked a few times. "Big Sis," she whispered, "I don't think I can do high school."
"Annie, you're worried about school?" Big Sis asked gently.
The little girl nodded. "I'm a failure. I'm probably going to be a dropout."
"You're not a failure." Big Sis brushed Annie's tears. "Annie, you haven't been studying. That's why you're having trouble with your exams. If you work hard, I'm sure you'll do better."
The little girl looked up at her sister. "I can... do well?"
Big Sis smiled encouragingly. "Of course."
Annie buried herself in the comfort of Big Sis' soft chest. Marie stiffened in surprise at the little girl's sudden move. A moment passed before the older sister awkwardly laid a comforting hand on her younger sibling.
***
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