1. My mother, who rarely smiled, only showed a hint of pride when she saw my report card.
2. I knew my mother had high expectations, so I never dared to slack off.
3. Maybe because I seemed like a hard worker, my homeroom teacher appointed me class president when I started high school.
4. Honestly, I didn't like it at all. Besides studying, I had to handle lots of extra chores every day, which was even more of a hassle. My classmates didn't like me either because of my personality. They called me rigid, inflexible, a tattletale, and the teacher's pet.
5. But I had long been used to being alone, so I didn't mind that much.