He hadn't heard a single word I said. Or maybe he had, and he simply didn't care. His only concern was that my departure might tarnish the reputation of his precious sponsored student.
My mother rushed over, fingers closing around my arm like a vise. "Leaving in the middle of the banquet? Where are your manners? Today, even if the sky falls, you sit there until this banquet ends!"
Before I could react, relatives swarmed in, pressing me back down into my seat.
The anger I had been suppressing detonated.
I stood, grabbed the edge of the round table, and flipped it.
*CRASH.*
Plates, glasses, expensive dishes—all of it shattered against the floor. The deafening noise silenced the entire hall.
I stared straight at my father.
"She was short by nine points, and you called in every favor to get her into Yanda." My voice shook. "But what about me? I was short by *one point*. Fine, maybe I wasn't skilled enough then. So I worked myself to the bone. I took the graduate entrance exam. I had the highest written score. I was the most outstanding candidate in the interviews. I had the most awards."
One step toward him. Then another.
"But the advisor I chose told me *you* didn't want me at Yanda."