Coming home from school, I carefully placed my award on the mantlepiece in the living room. Looking at it, I allowed myself a small smile, remembering the days and nights of hard work that had gone into earning it. For a fleeting moment, I wondered if today might finally be the day I’d make my dad proud.
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Mom would have been.
Later, at the dining table, I decided to tell him. My heart raced as I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves.
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“Dad,” I began, my voice trembling slightly. “I won the School Science Shield today. It’s for my project on renewable energy solutions. It’s on the mantlepiece in the living room.” My pulse quickened as I waited for his reaction.
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He glanced up, his expression unreadable. He took a sip of wine, then shrugged. “Oh, nice.”
I froze. ‘Oh, nice.' That’s it?
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He took another sip, barely looking at me. “When did you even have time for that?”
I felt my chest tighten, my throat constricting. How could I respond to that?
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I managed a quiet, “I’ve made time.”
He gave a vague nod and turned back to his plate, as though the conversation were over. “Good for you, I guess. Did you even mention it to me?”
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Before I could answer, Leon cut in, his voice casual. “Hey, do you think the lighting in the living room needs adjusting? It’s been kind of dim lately,” he said, barely looking up from his phone. “It’s hard to read in there. It would really help.”
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He spoke as though his lighting problem was the most pressing issue at the table, more important than anything I had to say.
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Father brightened, a smile crossing his face which I had never seen on his face while adressing me. “Precisely Leon, I'll call someone over.” He ruffled his hair, ''It would help you to gain a few skills of such, since I plan to hand over the estate to you when you're older,"
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My heart sank. Of course it was going to be Leon who got the praise, as if he was the one who won the award, it was because he was just more favorable. Soon I would be the more favorable one. Hopefully.
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I got up from the table and went to my room. Midterms were coming up and I wanted to start revisions.
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and then Add to home screen.