Hi, I’m Victoria Chern and I am sixteen years old.

Yes I am in Secondary Four.

Yes I am taking the O Levels this year.

And that’s all I have to say, because the person I’m talking to will immediately launch on a lengthy discussion of how the O’ levels would be completely effortless for me, and how I would ace it no matter what.

‘I know that Vicky is very clever! She’ll definitely do well. I have total faith in her.’

‘Of course she’d do well, her school’s number 2 in the nation.’

‘Hey I’ll make a bet that Vicky would be the top scorer in this year’s national exams.’

To that I can only give a wry smile and look totally embarrassed.

Yeah, I’m expected to do well, I’m supposed to do well, and oh come on I ALWAYS do well. I’m perfect aren’t I.

And I also cannot complain.

While it is the written liberty of every student to be able to gripe after their exams, I cannot.

Why?

Because obviously I found the paper very easy, I knew how to do every single question, and I would simply be lying if I were to say otherwise.

My worries are dismissed because, ‘Oh you’d do well anyway. You always do’.

Look, has it ever occurred to you that I too am human just like you?

No one sees it when I flunk my tests. All they notice is when I do well in something.

And they all take down mental notes and assume that I ALWAYS WILL DO WELL.

I don’t get the kind of marks I get JUST BECAUSE.

I get it because I study my ass off, although sometimes I study like grim death and still get godforsaken results, a prime example of which is the biology paper.

If I don’t, I flunk just like anyone else.

So put your brimming confidence on someone else, leave your expectations to yourself.

I don’t need it.

And hell do I not want it.

Treat me like another dirtbag and I will thank you for it.