“So, Delta, how have you been lately? How are you doing in school? You hardly ever come to visit! It’s like you’ve forgotten about us.”

Delta sat up straight, folded her hands on top of the dinner table, and pulled on a polite smile towards her aunt. Family reunions weren’t her favorite types of events to attend, these questions being one of the reasons why. But this time she was ready for it. Or so she believed.

“I’m doing very well actually. School’s fine, I have straight A’s. I also have two part-time jobs and an internship. On the side, I joined a non-profit organization as a volunteer dedicated to helping the environment. We’ve cleared out several thousand pounds of trash and raised further awareness about it all on our social media platforms. Other than that, I’ve been able to get some of my writing published on several platforms,” Delta replied confidently.

“Wow,” was all her uncle responded with at first, his attention not even fully on Delta but instead on some newspaper. “Straight A’s and an internship. Are you smart or does your school just suck? You go to some college in the city, don’t you?”

Delta’s smile wavered, the comment hitting her painfully. But she kept her smile up, though it was forced now.

“So, why does that matter?” she replied.

Her uncle turned to Delta’s sister, Gwen, his pinky finger reaching into an ear to pick out earwax.

“Gwen, didn’t you go to that school as well? Wasn’t it easy there?”

Gwen was away from the table, at the grand piano, back facing everyone. A few stray notes rang in the air as she was experimenting with the keys.

“Yes, it was,” she replied, though in a small voice, and her attention mostly focused on the piano.

Another harsh pain hit Delta in the chest, worse than the first, as even her own sister agreed with her uncle.

“And what’s this about a non-profit? Do you earn any money?” her uncle asked now.

“I said I’m a volunteer, and it’s a non-profit, I’m doing this because I want to, not for money-“

“No money? Then it’s pointless. Why bother? It’s not going to secure a future for you or your family.”

There was a moment of silence as Delta was processing the words.

“Whatever. I know I’m doing good things and I’m proud of it,” Delta said, in a last attempt to protect her ego.

“Eh, I guess you can be,” her uncle said, brushing it aside.

Delta’s smile officially turned into a frown and she slouched into her chair. Laughter echoed in the background, from her younger cousin & brother playing. It felt mocking. Her uncle continued reading his newspaper, flicking earwax away, as if he didn’t say anything at all.

It didn’t end there though.

“Oh, Delta. You said you had some of your work published. Can I see a piece?” her aunt asked then.

“Uh, sure,” Delta replied, feeling self-conscious now.

Sighing a little, she pulled up a poem she had written for a small newspaper on her phone. Her aunt read it, eyes narrowing at the contents.

“It’s about my old lung disease and how I defeated it,” Delta explained.

“You’re talking about your voice though,” her aunt said.

“Yes, it affected my voice too–“

“It affected your voice? Since when did that happen? Anyways, want to see your cousin’s poetry? He wrote it when he was twelve and won a Literary Prize that year! Can you believe it? It’s soooo prestigious. Here, you must take a look…”

Delta grimaced as her aunt scrambled from her seat to bring out a shiny booklet of poems and a glittering gold certificate, shoving it in her hands.

“You know how your cousin’s been lately, failing school and stuff. I get how hard it can be in a specialized high school. Hmm… you know, I’ll give your poem to him to read. Maybe it will inspire him!” her aunt said cheerfully. “While you read his award-winning one. Yes, do that, Delta…”

“Well, I don’t think that’s a good idea—” Delta started.

Her aunt, not listening, went to yank her son from his bedroom, by the ears, pulling along Delta’s younger brother. They were handed the phone, and Delta watched, unimpressed, as they both began to read her poem aloud, laughing and snickering. Her aunt did nothing as they began to make fun of it. Delta was unsure, but she swore she saw a wicked smile on the older woman’s face. She snatched her phone back from the two boys, storming away afterward.

They don’t even respect me. Why would I inspire them? 

When dinner finally came around, Delta ate silently at the table as voices chattered around her, a blur of voices as she zoned out. A realization came.

Do I even like what I do now? Has everything I’ve done been fueled in an attempt to prove I’m worth something to these horrible people? To the world? 

But today, she finally knew that no matter what, these family members would put her down. They will always tell her that she was unworthy when she’s already done enough, whether in harsh or subtle ways.

Screw them. I don’t have to prove myself anymore to them…or anyone else actually. From now on, I will live for myself.