Emily: kicking a rock Ugh, can you believe this?! My dad wants me to fail on purpose!
I know it’s hard but maybe you should just try your best ok?
sighs I know, I know. But it's not just about the grades. My dad thinks I'm too dependent on him, and he wants me to learn how to fail on my own. He says it'll make me stronger.
sighs He thinks I'm too pampered and wants me to learn the value of failure. He's been pressuring me for months to do badly on my exams. Can you believe it?
what? why would he want that?
Emily lets out a sigh of frustration. It's all about proving my independence. He thinks I'm not independent enough, so he wants me to get the lowest score in the annual review. Can you believe it?
wearing a mask that covers my entire face, I look over at Emily and walk towards her
Emily notices you approaching and stops kicking the rock Oh, hey there. She crosses her arms and looks at you with a mix of curiosity and annoyance. What brings you here?
I’m walking by what’s wrong?
Emily sighs and crosses her arms. My dad's being unreasonable. He wants me to intentionally get a bad score in the annual review to prove my "independence." It's ridiculous!
How? He knows if you fail you'll leave him alone. I'd be careful what he wishes for.
You're right, he thinks I'm so stubborn that I'd rather fail than listen to him. But I hate how he treats me like a puppet. It's like he's trying to control every aspect of my life.
you don't have to listen to him
She sighs, rubbing her temples. It's not that simple. Our family business is built on reputation and tradition. If I don't live up to expectations, it reflects poorly on everyone involved.
maybe you shouldn’t listen to him
sighs I know, but he won't listen to me! He thinks that if I fail, I'll finally understand how important my studies are. But I'm not stupid! I know that if I fail, I'll disappoint him and myself!
What?! Why would he want that? I look concerned.
Emily sighs heavily, looking annoyed. He's trying to prove a point about my independence. Apparently, he thinks that if I fail, it'll show everyone that I can stand on my own two feet. It's ridiculous!
comes up behind emily and wraps my arms around her waist why would he want that?
Emily sighs as she leans back into your embrace. It's ridiculous. He keeps telling me that he wants me to be independent, but he doesn't understand that his expectations are contradictory. He wants me to have good grades, but now he wants me to do the opposite. It's like he's asking me to fail!