Blizzard

"Samantha, drink it while it's still hot. I've prepared this milk just for you."

Mom leaned in close to my ear and whispered, "I didn't even prepare any for your brother."

The rich aroma of the hot milk made me gulp instinctively.

However, I somehow heard a voice telling me not to drink it.

Holding the glass of milk, I saw my brother, Jason York, who happened to pass by the study.

I called out to him and said, "I can't finish it by myself. I'll share it with Jason."

Jason was stunned. Then he asked happily, "Really? Do I get to drink a glass of milk before sleep now?"

Just as he was about to take the milk, Mom slapped his hand away.

With a grim look, she said, "It's not for you. Samantha is sitting for the college entrance exam tomorrow. This is to boost her energy!"

Jason withdrew his hand and asked aggrievedly, "Why does only Samantha get to drink it? I'm also sitting for the exam tomorrow. Why can't I have some?

"It's because she's smart, right? Mom, you're biased!"

As if she had done nothing wrong, Mom replied, "Why don't you look at your own results? No wonder I favor your sister!"

Jason grew more resentful and mumbled, "So what if she always does well in her exams? She did badly on the college entrance exam. Her results were worse than Annie's. Also, the year before last—"

Mom's face darkened, hinting at Jason to stop talking.

Only then did Jason leave the study unhappily.

After driving him out of the room, Mom put on a smile again. "Don't listen to him. Drink it, then go to bed early. You still have to sit for the exam tomorrow."

Looking at Mom's eager gaze, I couldn't bring myself to turn her down. But I could barely hold up the glass of milk.

Two years ago, my older sister, Melody York, and I had sat for the college entrance exam together. The day before the exam, I drank a glass of milk before bed, but she didn't. The following day, I ended up fainting in the exam hall.

When I woke up in the hospital, the exam was already over.

My results were bad, and I wasn't even eligible for an associate degree program.

Unexpectedly, Melody was accepted into one of the elite colleges I had always dreamed of attending.

Last year, my cousin, who was attending a vocational high school, came to my house to prepare for the exam.

Annie wanted to take a sip of the milk, but my mom, who had always been kind, called her shameless and asked her if her family was so poor that they couldn't afford a meal.

That year, I suddenly had a severe stomachache during the exam and fainted from the pain. I did badly in the exam again.

But Annie got accepted into one of the top colleges.

These incidents had happened twice. I couldn't help but grow suspicious about the milk Mom made me drink before I slept.

This time, I set the glass of milk on the desk and said, "Mom, I'll drink it later."

Once Mom left, I poured the milk into the pot on the windowsill.

I figured nothing would go wrong this time.