One of the students exclaimed, “Janet, this is an excellent opportunity for you to show how capable you are! Unless, of course, you don’t plan on practicing medicine on an international level.”
Upon hearing that, another student chimed in mournfully, “You can’t be serious. What’s the point of enduring medical school if you aren’t going to practice internationally?”
When it came to university courses, it went without saying that medicine was one of the toughest fields to enrol in. The required amount of work and dedication surpassed those of other courses and one would not be cut out for medicine if the person lacked determination.
Janet slowly responded, “I’m not saying that I’ll be giving up on practicing medicine internationally. I just won’t be participating in the competition this year, that’s all.”
“Well, what else is there for you to occupy yourself with? It would be a shame if you let an opportunity like this slip away this year!”
Everyone else seemed more anxious than she was.
While they would like to join the competition, they knew that Janet was the brightest among them. She was the top scholar, after all, and there was no one else better than her to participate in the International Medicine Competition.
Janet, on the other hand, appeared reticent.
When everyone saw her stubborn disposition and the irritated look on her face, they decided to let the matter slide. “We won’t pester you about it anymore, Janet, but you should at least think about it. Even if we lose out on a spot to enter the competition ourselves, we still think it’d be a shame if you don’t sign up for it.”
She was stoic as she hummed in response. Then, she propped her chin on her hand and gazed at the scenery outside the window.
Seeing that Janet was unable to participate in the competition, she did not spend much time lamenting about her decision.
As expected, her phone rang when the last class of the afternoon ended. She glanced down and saw that it was a call she had been expecting.
“You guys can go ahead without me,” Janet said to Abby as a smile played on her lips.
When Abby noticed that, she drawled knowingly, “I know, I know.”
Sharon and Summer teased in between giggles, “We get it too! Run along to your boyfriend then.”
Drowned in their chorus of teasing, Janet could not help but blush as she slung her bag over her shoulder and quipped, “Okay, you guys. I’m leaving now.”
She was speaking on the phone with Mason while she walked toward the school entrance when she ran into a familiar face.
Slightly narrowing her eyes, she briefly informed Mason what happened before she hung up.
Megan’s eyes flashed when she saw Janet. Then, she hurried over to greet Janet. “Are you done with classes, Janet?”
The other girl merely hummed in response with a stoic face.
“Come on, I’ll take you home. Your bedroom has been tidied up and ready for you.”
With that, Megan moved forward to help Janet with her bag.
Janet dodged Megan’s movement while she retorted stiffly, “I didn’t say I’m going back..”
Upon hearing that, Megan fell silent; the words she was about to say crumbled on the tip of her tongue.
Staring at the kind and enthusiastic woman before her, all Janet felt was a strange sense of detachment and annoyance.
Megan dug her nails into her palms and she pleaded in a pained voice, “Janet, there’s no way that Emily will ever be coming back. You are the Jackson family’s only daughter from now on.”
“And then what? Do you honestly think that a broken mirror could be fixed in one day?”
The silence that ensued was deafening and the air around them went still.
A dumbfounded Megan gaped at her. Is there no way for us to fix this? Is she never going to forgive me for the hurt I’ve caused her in the past?
“Janet, unlike broken mirrors, kinship can always be fixed.”
“Oh.” Janet’s lips curved up into a sneer and she let out a bitter laugh as she countered. “But, I don’t feel like fixing it anymore.”
She remembered the sense of longing that she had felt when she first left the Wallace Residence—she wanted to know the true meaning of kinship too.
