二、14. 怀疑

「i cross my heart: he was helping me with my homework. that is all.」

「mommy don’t know whether you are lying . . . why—‘second place’ among all the students in the school—aren’t you supposed to rank the ‘first place?’」

【你怎么没拿「第一名？」】

她真的尽了最大努力──既要假扮班上的资优生、假装跟话剧女孩们融洽相处，又要迎合妈咪，还得兼顾课业──

最后还是以全科总分一、两分之差，输给校排第一的女生。

「i have done the best i could,」她据实以对，「mommy . . .」

「i’m not scolding you . . . i just want to know what you have been doing with your homeroom teacher—that’s all i want to know.」

她心一抽；一时之间找不到藉口，只好沉默。

「it seems to mommy . . . you are not seeking advice but doing something else . . .」

「it is because i didn’t do well in the first midterm exam . . . i realize the most efficient way is to seek help from the homeroom teacher . . . so i turn to mr. wu for help.」

（那是因为，平常也鲜少操心可蓉的课业。毕竟，ariel可是刘马麻用心「栽培」的宝贝女儿──以前就是，现在仍是，今后必定还是资优生。）

「okay—mommy believe you . . .」经一番拷问也问不出什么，她妈妈叹了口气，只能暂且妥协，「for this time only.」

make sure you rank the first place next time.

【记得下次要考第一名。】