Dad froze.
"Four years since I finished undergrad. Four years you've blocked me, and I never once thought of quitting.
"What exactly do I have to do to prove my passion for this field?"
Dad let out a sigh.
"Carolyn, stop putting me in a difficult spot."
"I'm not putting you anywhere. I—"
"Carolyn."
He cut me off.
"The results have already gone up to the university. The list is posted, public.
"Are you asking me to overturn the results, kick out the last student who got in, and put you in his place?"
"I—"
Now.
Nothing I said could change the outcome.
It only made me look like I was making trouble on purpose.
Face drained, I turned to go.
At that exact moment, my adopted sister Jemima came into the office.
I'd only gone a few steps.
Then I heard her coaxing, singsong voice.
"Dad, the questions you gave me were spot on! On the exam I'd seen almost every single one already!"
My steps halted.
The office door hadn't shut all the way.
By the time Dad told Jemima to keep her voice down,
I was already standing in the doorway.
"Dad… you leaked the questions to Jemima?"
Jemima clapped a hand over her mouth.
Dad frowned, displeased.
"Why are you back again?"
"Dad!"
I planted my hand on his desk.
"Did you really leak the questions to Jemima?"
"No! I only marked out the key points for her!"
"That's a lie!"
My eyes went red in an instant.
"I asked you for the key points too, and everything you gave me was wrong!"
Not long before the exam,
I was working full time while studying for the graduate exams, swamped, so I begged Dad to mark out some key points so I'd have something to aim my review at.
I knew how touchy he was about anything that smelled like pulling strings.
All I asked was that he point me to a few core textbooks.
But on the exam, I realized.
Everything Dad had given me was wrong.
I'd assumed he simply didn't know the questions either.
But…
"Dad, is this the academic passion you talk about?
"She knew the questions and still cleared the cutoff by only half a point!"
"I told you I didn't leak anything!"
Dad was losing patience.
Jemima, eyes red, waved her hands in a rush too.
"Carolyn, you've got it wrong! Dad just marked some key points for me! I really didn't know the questions!"
"Liar! Do you dare show me your notes?"
"I—!"
Jemima gave a small tremble.
Dad slammed a palm on the desk.
"Enough, Carolyn! You couldn't get in because you don't have what it takes! Don't stand here throwing wild accusations!
"Get out of my office!"
"No!"
I wouldn't back down. "What is really going on here? I am not leaving today until I know!
"My own father gives me the wrong key points, and hands a daughter who isn't even his blood the exam questions!
"Why? Why would you do that!"
"You—!"
The shouting drew the other teachers.
Someone came in quickly and grabbed hold of me.
"All right now, miss, your father has it hard too."
"She is his adopted daughter, after all. If he didn't look after her, people would speak ill of your father."
"That's right, he means well for you. Try to understand him."
"I understand him. But does he ever understand me?"
Eyes red, arms pinned tight by the teachers, I looked at Dad.
"Dad! What gives you the right to do this?"
Dad pulled Jemima behind him.
"This is my research group. I take whoever I want! You just don't measure up to your sister! Any more questions?"
His voice was deafening.
Even the other teachers looked at him, a little stunned.
