This day just like a cup of insipid water, nothing can matter to me anymore. I clearly know, after today, I will start my new life in United State. 

                    “Tinkling, tinkling” Follow with the noisy sound made by bowls and chopsticks, I woke up, the sunlight shining on my face.

                     It is real.

                     As the toothpaste foam mixed with water in the sink, the washing is complete. I walk straight from bathroom to the living room though the creaking floor, and start my breakfast with my family..

                    During lunch, the only sound I could hear was the sound of chopsticks hitting the bowl. Even the gasping sound can be heard clearly. Suddenly, my grandpa raised his voice.

                      “Do you know what you aunt’s job is?” My grandpa asked suddenly.

                     “Of course I know, my younger aunt is a dentist and my older aunt is a doctor, you have been saying this since my first day come to United State.” I said.

                     “Your aunties studied very hard when they first came to the United State. They always studied until midnight even one or two in the morning, they did not waste any time on other useless things like chatting with friends or listening to music or watching useless, boring TV show when they are studying.”

                     “I know!”I stop eating, put down my chopsticks and go inside my room, throw my crumple homework packet from after school into my bag. Then, go to after school. 

                     The path during my home and after school is the most relaxing place, all of those trees are among the same height and very similar to each other. People are coming and going in the street, no one will look at others with contemptuous eyes because they don’t know each other. I can finally be a normal person in the street. 

                       Happy moment is always transient. Soon after, I arrive to my after school, the place I hate the most. I still remember the first day my grandpa brought me here in front of the front desk. At the first time the school managers saw me, their smiling mouth are almost the same high as their eyes and they laugh with eyes narrowing a slit.

                        “Welcome!! Is there anything I can do to help you?” they ask.

                        “Well, this is my granddaughter, she is an eight grader. She just arrived in NewYork about 3 days. I want her to join this after school.”

                        “Sure, your grandson is so intelligent in our afterschool, I believe your granddaughter is as excellent as your grandson.”

                          However, after I took the intro test, the manager comes with a “poker face”. The manager roll his eyes almost can look on the ceiling, and the corners of his mouth slightly rose. After a moment, he said: “I think your granddaughter should study by herself first before she can come to our after school.” 

                          My grandpa walked around and around just like an ant on a hot pot. Suddenly, he said: “ It’s ok, just put my granddaughter in the grade that match her English level, no matter what, I want her to learn.” 

                          “Of cause…. ok…well, she can be in our after school, but based her English level, she can only be fitted into those six graders.” 

                          I felt like there was a heavy rock been placed on my back, making me very hard to breath. Standing in front of the front desk as a piece of wood reading my test results, I feel so embarrassed that I have been told that my English level is the same as those six graders. At that moment, I want to be like an ostrich that can stab my head into the ground. 

                         I didn't know how long I was standing in front of the door of the after school, but finally I got the courage to step into this place of hell. This is my first time going to this after school. I tried to be nice and greeted with them, but they didn’t even stop their work and said back to me. I stand there shocking for a moment, then I walk into the classroom.

                         During the class, I feel like the teacher is speaking heavenly books, I can understand nothing but the most basic English words. I felt insulted as I watched those children around me who only half as tall as me was responding answer enthusiastically. Soon after, the teacher finally recognized me. 

                       “ Hi, I think you are the new student in our class. Can you introduce yourself to us?”

                       “ Hello, my..my name is Tong. I just..arrive to the United State 4 days.” I speak with a heavy Chinese accent.

                       “Ok, Tony, can you answer this question?” 

                       “?!” I stuck for one moment, with long time no response. Finally, the teacher called on other students to answer that question. Since then, the teacher has called me “Tony” everytime he ask me to answer questions. Even though I correct him afterwards, he still calls me “Tony”.

                        Finally, there is time for recess. I finally feel like I can able to breathe. However, These tiny little kids treat this behemoth that had become their classmates as invisible things. They were still discussing recent games and sharing their snacks with their former friends. I really feel like I am an outsider during that time. 

                        Just then, I took out my phone. It's like an anesthetic, helping me numb my nerves in order to stay in this hellish place temporarily. This is an addictive drug, once I taste the sweet about it, it never ends.

                        From now on, once I go to after school, I will use my phone to play games  or chat with others. As soon as the teacher’s lesson been heard by my left ear, it ran out immediately from my right ear.

                        When I go home take out my homework after school, I have no idea how to do it. So I'm search those words I don’t know on my phone but I still can’t get it. Finally, I fill out my answer answers randomly. In this vicious circle, I begin to hate after school homework. Once I get back from that after school, I throw my homework to my desk just like it is a piece of sh*t.

                      However, while I was immersed in the fun of my phone, something horrible happened. One day, the teacher walks in and said “We have quiz today, please close your notebook and put them in your backpack.”

                      I got a bad test score at that time. I was forced to stay there until my grandpa came to pick me up. My grandpa doesn’t say anything with me until we get home. 

                    “ Do you know why your aunt so successful? It is because they never stop studying! They study everyday, everytime, every second! They study until midnight even 1 or 2 AM. Your cousin is not an exception. His father forced him to copy every word that he learned fifty times every day! Can you be like them? I brame you is because I want to be successful. I hope you can know that.”

                       “But..you don’t know my feelings during class. You don’t know why I am doing so bad you don’t know..”

                      “ I DO NOT CARE. The only thing I know is, you did not put your effort on it, you are wasting my money. I am so disappointed. I don’t want to hear any excuses from you.” He threw his bowl to the ground and go straight into the bedroom.

                       From now on, I even play with my phone during the time I am at home. The magic of my phone is seducing me. It can help me to escape from these things, to relax my mind, and have a partner to talk about my annoyance.

                       The grade from my after school is constantly decreasing. Finally, one day, my grandfather went to argue with my father.

                       “Your daughter is playing on her phone everyday! Why don’t you indoctrinated her a little bit? Do you want she to be a failure?”

                        “It is her ability to control her time, if she was tired, she can relax by playing with her phone. She is not a robot, she need to rest.”

                         “I see. You don't listen to me. No one is listening to me. When you first came to America, I asked you to go to adult college to get educated in order to get a better job but you didn’t! I hope your daughter to study in that after school in order to learn more English and be knowledgeable but she didn’t either! I just want your family to be better! Why didn’t you listen to me? Ok..ok!  If you are that good, if your daughter is that good, then move out. Don’t live with me. I don’t want to see you anymore!”

                         “Of course I know you are doing your best to help me and I know all the things you are doing is for us, but it is too late for me to go to college, I don’t want to waste time and money on it. I did listen to you to find a school to learn English. This is the thing I can do. For now, I just want to find a job quickly to support my family.”

                        I heard these arguments vaguely. I unlocked my door and step out of my room. At the time I come out of my room, I saw my grandpa is pushing my dad. My brain is so hot that I rushed up and pushed my grandpa away promptly. 

                        “We all have the freedom to choose, don’t force us to be what you want us to be! We are not pawns, not everything will go your way, do not impose your will on us.”

                          “Move. Move! Don’t live with me. Go out and make your own world!”

                          Few days later, we moved to somewhere else. That place wasn't as big as my grandpa's, but I have a good time there. My father is feeling better too. My mom hummed her little music as she set the chopsticks. During dinner, we talk about anything, chatting, laughing, playing. The dinner ended in such a happy atmosphere.

                           I have never gone back to that after school. I started to go to normal school. I can play with the student that is the same grade as me. I start to make friends in school. I can hangout with them, chat with them and study with them. I can finally can be a normal eighth graders.

                             Since I move out from my grandpa's house, I am more willing to learn. When ever I have anything I don’t know, I start to use my phone to research until I understand the whole thing. My grade is going up.