"Can't you do anything right?"
The echoes of her father's snappish voice rang in Emily's head as she slammed her locker door shut. School had barely started and he was on her case about last semester's grades again.
She had one B-! One! In her worst subject! He completely ignored all of the other As on her report card in favor of her not-even-that-bad math grade.
What a jerk. She had been grounded for part of the summer because of a single B-, despite her mother's protests.
Furiously brushing away her tears, she headed to English class. This time she would prove him wrong by getting an A in math. It was only the second day of school—she had time to get her act together. Then he couldn't give her a hard time anymore.
But really, she was deluding herself. He would find something else to berate her for even if she did do well in math. That was just how he was.
