After the Speech Went Viral
That evening at dinner, my parents said nothing. The rest of the family congratulated me while my mother watched with a tight, cold expression.
Finally, she leaned in and hissed, “How dare you embarrass us like that?”
I blinked. “Embarrass you? I just told the truth.”
My father clenched his jaw. “You made us look like terrible parents.”
“You didn’t need to help me,” I replied calmly.
A week later, a friend posted my speech online—it went viral. Students across the country began messaging me, asking how I did it. Then came the donations, from people moved by the story of a girl who didn’t give up.
And then, unexpectedly, Chloe called.
“Hey,” she said awkwardly. “Mom’s really upset. Maybe you could apologize?”
“Apologize for what? For surviving?”
She sighed. “You’re being dramatic.” Then her tone softened. “Listen… I watched your speech. It was… impressive. I didn’t realize what you went through.”
It was the first honest thing she’d said to me in years. We talked for almost two hours. For the first time, I didn’t feel angry—just relieved.
