The 99% Daughter

I was a child from a single-parent home. Mom always said I was her hope, bought at the cost of half her life.

To pay for my ridiculously expensive prep courses, she worked three jobs a day. Her hands were raw and cracked, she wouldn't even splurge on a pair of socks for herself.

Our walls were plastered with 'Straight A's or Else!' posters, making the whole place feel like a prison.

I got a 99% on my final exam, the highest score in the entire school. When I got home, all I wanted was five minutes of sleep on the couch.