Disowned

Introduction

It was a usual day. Father sat at the head of the table, occasionally checking his phone. Mom was feeding my youngest brother. My second youngest brother was messing up the chocolate spread on his bread slice, and my sister was trying to salvage a drowned biscuit from her teacup. My next brother, three years my junior, was reading a book on scientific discoveries.

Of course, the usual family mood was broken the usual way. Apparently, one of my father's cousin's kids (technically, one of my second cousin's kids) got a place in the World Top 10. He chose that precise moment to wonder aloud, "Will one of our children ever get a prize like that?" My mother didn't say anything.

Well, there wasn't much to say. I'm the eldest. All my siblings are in primary or younger. Obviously, though he didn't say it outright, I knew that he was referring to me. I hadn't gotten such a brilliant result in my Year 10 examinations.

I sighed, shoveled down the rest of my food, and took my plate to the sink. I didn't have an appetite, but there was no one to notice. My sister was too self-obsessed with her looks, father lived in his office, mother was busy with my youngest two siblings, and my other brother, the one closest to me in age, only cared about his dreams and racing games. I was the black sheep.

Those words stuck in my head, taunting me. I was about to change that. I would get a result like that. I still had my Year 12 ahead, so he could be proud of me then. The most important thing, to me, was not the prizes, fame, money or scholarships.

I was determined to make my father proud, to acknowledge who I was. It became my
mission.