Ruby could still recall the day she had secretly bought an ice cream cone on her way home from school. She hadn’t known that her mother was waiting at the gate. The moment Rose saw Ruby eating that ice cream, she slapped her hard in front of all her classmates. The slap had been so strong that Ruby had lost hearing in her left ear.
The price of that single bite of ice cream had been permanent damage to her ear.
Ruby was a product of intense control. She knew she wasn’t well—she had known for a long time. She couldn’t live her life like her peers. Even a simple joke could make her laugh too loudly, but deep down, it wasn’t because the joke was funny.
It was because her entire existence felt like one big joke.
“Ru, you have to try this strawberry ice cream! It’s so good!” Fiona's voi
