The Trust Game Chapter 2

Since that day, she seemed to have found the fun of teasing me.

Testing my trust in her from time to time.

She even tricked me, saying the neighbor grandma stole her shoes. She pointed at the shoes at the neighbor grandma's house and asked me to grab them back.

With past lessons, I was alert, but Mom said, "I won't lie to you, trust Mom."

I believed her and grabbed the shoes back.

What I got was a beating from the neighbor grandma. She whipped me with a long thin stick, cursing while hitting.

"So young and already a thief! If your parents don't educate you, I'll discipline you for them!"

I cried and banged on the door, but Mom hid inside without making a sound.

From that day on, I became the uneducated thief in the community. Peers didn't want to play with me.

Everyone who saw me would mock, "She's a thief, don't play with her, even stealing a 70-year-old grandma's shoes! Shameless!"

I defended with a red face, "I am not a thief."

Attracting more ridicule.

I went home aggrieved and asked Mom, "Clearly the grandma's shoes weren't yours, why did you lie to me they were?"

"Can you help me explain I'm not a thief?"

Mom pushed me away coldly, "Is this my problem? Who told you to trust me so much!"

The title of thief crowned me for more than ten years.

My heart throbbed with pain. I couldn't help asking myself, why after so many times, I still don't learn.

My sister stared at my bruised foot, suddenly kicked it. The pain made me scream.

My sister covered her mouth and chuckled seeing me like this.

"Sister, you are faking it, right? But you fake it quite well. Your leg doesn't look broken."

Deep disgust appeared in Mom's eyes, she urged me.

"Stand up quickly. People are around, aren't you ashamed lying here?"

I pursed my dry lips, red-eyed, spitting out pleading words with difficulty.

"Mom, my leg is really broken, it really hurts. Can you take me to the hospital?"

Before Mom could speak, Dad interrupted impatiently.

"Enough, how high is the platform? Can this break your leg? Is there a limit to your acting?"

"Your mom and I hate you playing pitiful for sympathy the most, you know? Your sister jumped down fine, why is it only you who have problems!"

My heart stagnated suddenly, unable to control my tears anymore, explaining chokingly.

"Dad, I'm not faking, my leg is really broken."

Dad sneered, face full of disbelief.

Mom was even less likely to believe. After looking at my leg again and again, she came to a conclusion.

"Clementine, are you trying to imitate me, testing our trust in you?"

Mom didn't think much and confirmed her thought, disgust towards me even worse.

"But Clementine, Mom won't be as stupid as you. Mom won't believe your little tricks."

Paused, her face became serious.

"I give you one minute now. Stand up and go home with us. If you still pretend, don't come home tonight!"

Her words were cold and heartless.

All my words trying to make her believe were blocked at my lips, teardrops falling desperately.

Before one minute was up, Mom and Dad were already holding my sister's hand, warning her.

"Don't lie like your sister in the future, okay? Liars will end up miserably."

My sister nodded, snuggling on Dad's shoulder, looking at me lying on the ground, she stuck out her tongue maliciously at me.