A young girl recounts her traumatic childhood experiences with her abusive mother, who belittled her efforts and treated her cruelly, often comparing her unfavorably to others. Despite her father's financial support from afar, the mother's neglect and emotional abuse persist. The girl's struggles continue into adolescence, with her mother's behavior worsening, including favoring a friend over her own daughter and sabotaging her opportunities. Eventually, the girl finds refuge with a kind teacher but faces new challenges from another troubled teen in the household. After being forced out due to misunderstandings and lies, she returns to her mother, only to face more manipulation. Determined to change her life, she rejects her parents' conditional offer to return home and secures a job and college admission on her own. She builds a successful life but must confront her past when her mother reappears, seeking help after being abandoned again. The girl ultimately chooses self-respect over familial obligation, refusing to tolerate further mistreatment.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. The narrator was a 5-year-old child when their mom rejected their painting.
2. The narrator slept on a blanket in the living room and ate leftovers from their mom's meals.
3. The narrator's dad sent them money to live off of and left them with their mom.
4. The narrator's mom did not have a career and stayed at home.
5. The narrator's friend visited their home in sixth grade.
6. The narrator's mom treated their friend better than them.
7. The narrator's mom told them to be more like their friend to gain her approval.
8. The narrator's dad stopped sending them money in 11th grade.
9. The narrator's dad had a new wife and a baby.
10. The narrator's mom met a girlfriend who was 15 years younger than her.
11. The narrator's mom's girlfriend was from a rich family.
12. The narrator's mom and her girlfriend would make fun of the narrator.
13. The narrator's math teacher, Mr. White, was nice to them.
14. The narrator did well in Mr. White's class.
15. The narrator's mom forbade them from competing in an international math competition.
16. The narrator's mom was interested in Mr. White romantically.
17. The narrator's mom recorded them talking in their sleep and used it to blackmail them.
18. The narrator went to live with Mr. White and shared a room with another girl named Sally.
19. Sally was mean to the narrator and made their life difficult.
20. The narrator's mom sent them hundreds of threatening texts.
21. The narrator's grades improved despite the challenges they faced.
22. Mr. White was proud of the narrator's academic achievements.
23. Sally was jealous of the narrator's success and sabotaged their final exam.
24. The narrator's stepmom asked for their help with her English exam.
25. The narrator's teacher, Mr. White, threw them out of his house.
26. The narrator stayed with their stepmom for a few days.
27. The narrator's mom and dad decided to take them back in, but with conditions.
28. The narrator found a job as an accountant and enrolled in college.
29. The narrator found love and moved into a new house.
30. The narrator's mom visited them and asked to stay, but the narrator eventually kicked her out.