"I went to do the task today, so…"
"That's not an excuse, Nathan."
Perhaps Renee Jennings's tone was too harsh, as a nearby cameraman couldn't help but try to smooth things over. "It's true," he said. "The children all had to complete their tasks, so they didn't have time to study."
With someone else saying so, Renee Jennings couldn't press the issue. She just offered a slight smile. "Oh, is that so? It's fine. You can just make up for it when we get back."
Nathan mumbled a reply, suddenly listless.
He glanced back wistfully. He loved these carefree, happy days, free from the crushing weight of endless schoolwork. But it was so hard to have them, because everyone around him had such "high hopes" for him.
He really envied Ian. No matter what Ian did, Aunt Kenway always loved him.
With that in mind, he voiced his question. "Mom, Ian never studies, so why is Aunt Kenway always so good to him? Why do I have to do so much homework just for people to like me…?"
