Taking the SATs is a right every student has, but for three years, I was barred from the testing center. The first year, I was dressed properly, passed security, and had my ticket. But just as I was about to step into the room, the proctor glanced at my admission ticket and immediately blocked me. I thought there was something wrong with the ticket. The second year, after repeating a grade, I printed my ticket directly from the official website, following every guideline. But again, the proctor looked at it and kicked me out. By the third year, I had changed my name and moved to a different city. When I saw that the proctor was my former elementary school teacher, I thought I was finally safe. Seconds before, she was smiling and encouraging me. But the moment she saw my ticket, her face fell. She ruthlessly blocked me from entering and told me with absolute certainty that no matter how many times I tried, I would never be allowed to take the test. I couldn't understand. What was wrong with my ticket? Why did I pass security and facial recognition, only to be stopped by every single proctor who saw my admission slip? 1 "According to regulations, you cannot enter the testing room!" Hearing this, my first thought was that Mrs. Chen didn't know I had changed my name. I immediately pulled out my legal documents and ID. "Mrs. Chen, you must be misunderstanding! I changed my name last year. I'm not an imposter!" She didn't even look at the papers. She dragged me away from the door. "Jane, I know you changed your name. But rules are rules. I absolutely cannot let you take this test. It wouldn't be fair to the others!" As the doors began to close, threatening to waste three years of blood, sweat, and tears, I grabbed Mrs. Chen's arm, begging. "Mrs. Chen, please! This is my third time trying!" "If you won't let me in, at least tell me why!" She looked at me with disgust. "A student like you has no right to take the SATs. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever. I guarantee no proctor will ever let you in!" Looking at my admission ticket lying on the floor, I broke down crying. Why? I passed every security check. Why did every proctor turn me away? The first year, I wore my uniform and brought the school-issued ticket. The proctor took one look and blocked me. Terrified of missing the test, I screamed until the site director came. But after checking my ticket, she didn't help me. She had security drag me out. I failed by default. I thought the ticket format was wrong. The second year, I printed it myself according to national standards. I thought it would work. But I was rejected again. Taking the SATs is a right. I checked every regulation. My residency and ID were fine. I had no criminal record. Why was my right being stripped away? I refused to accept this unfair treatment. I started to suspect someone was targeting me. So I changed my name, changed my residency, and registered for a third time. Seeing Mrs. Chen gave me hope. She was the teacher who first taught me to love learning. I believed in her justice and kindness. I believed she would let me in. Instead, she dealt the final blow. As the bell rang, I grabbed her clothes and fell to my knees. "Mrs. Chen! I beg you! Let me in!" 2 My parents, who hadn't left yet, saw this and rushed over. Seeing me sobbing, they knelt before Mrs. Chen, their hearts breaking. "Mrs. Chen, please have mercy on our child!" "This is her third time trying. If she just failed the test, we'd accept it." "But she's studied hard for twelve years for this chance. Why won't you even let her try?" Mrs. Chen turned her head away, ignoring them. My dad grabbed her leg and pulled a passbook from his pocket. "For this test, her mom and I sold our land." "The money is all here. If you let my daughter in, it's all yours. If it's not enough, I'll borrow more, I'll take loans, please!" Seeing my parents so humble, tears filled my eyes. Mrs. Chen looked pained, but she didn't budge. "Don't do this. I understand how you feel, but I cannot violate national regulations." My mom thought Mrs. Chen was worried about something else. She pulled me down to kowtow three times. "Mrs. Chen, you taught Jane. You know her!" "She was always a model student. She never broke the law. Even when she was bullied, she never fought back." The site director saw the commotion and hurried over. My dad tried to plead my case. "Director, my daughter Jane passed security and arrived an hour early. But the proctor won't let her in!" Mrs. Chen didn't explain. She just handed my admission ticket to the director. The man looked at it, and his face instantly changed. "Parents, take your child home! We cannot allow a student like her to take the test!" "Don't bother coming back for the next sessions. It's useless!" The director's words sent me to hell. I looked at the disgust and hatred in his eyes, filled with confusion and grievance. I didn't know him. Why did he hate me? It was as if I had committed an unforgivable crime. Looking back on my 21 years, I was as insignificant as a speck of dust. Because we were poor, I always kept my head down, afraid to offend anyone. My parents were farmers their whole lives. If not for my education, they would never have left that remote mountain village. Since I was little, they told me education was the only way to change my fate, to change our family's fate. So I worked hard. Even though I wasn't always number one, my grades were good. Even my homeroom teacher said getting into a top university wouldn't be hard for me. But two years of repeating grades had drained my parents' savings. This time, they gave up everything to bet on me. I knew this was my last chance. I stopped begging the proctor and charged at the door. But before I could touch it, two security guards pinned me down. They threw me out of the testing center. I hugged my parents, crying uncontrollably. "Mom, Dad, what do I do? What do I do?" My mom wiped my tears and comforted me. "It's okay. We'll try again tomorrow." "No matter what, we'll get you into that test! Or we'll call the police. Okay?" 3 To be safe, my parents went with me to print another ticket. The next day, my high school teacher, Mrs. Zhang, brought my former classmates to cheer me on. They held a banner: "Go Jane! You got this!" I felt a pang of sadness. If I had taken the test the first year, I would be in college with them now. Mrs. Zhang patted my shoulder. "Jane, don't worry. It'll work this time!" I nodded, but I was still scared. I handed her all my documents. "Mrs. Zhang, can you check my ticket and ID? Is there anything wrong?" The photo was new. The ID wasn't expired. Even though I had checked a hundred times, Mrs. Zhang checked again patiently. Confirming everything was perfect, I walked to the door, trembling as I handed over my documents. The proctor this time was an older man. He seemed surprised to see so many people cheering for one student. He looked curious. "You're Jane?" I nodded seriously, heart pounding. "Yes. Is there a problem, sir?" "No!" He smiled and handed back my ID, his eyes kind. "With so much support, you must do well!" I nodded gratefully. "I will!" But just as I reached for my admission ticket, his brow furrowed. "Jane, you cannot take today's exam!" Like he was looking at a plague, he had security throw me out. Remembering yesterday's words, tears burst from my eyes. I collapsed on the ground, my desperate wails drawing everyone's attention. My classmates tried to fight for me. My parents swore to get justice. They rushed to the reporters, screaming about corruption. "Reporter, there's a black market in the SATs! The proctors and the education board are bought! They've stopped my daughter for three years!" "Please help my daughter! She repeated two years and never got to step inside!" The reporter smelled a scoop and went to interview the proctor. "Sir, are the parents' claims true? Why are you stopping a model student?" "Is there really a conspiracy?" A crowd gathered, sympathizing with me. They demanded an explanation. But the proctor maintained his cold, legalistic face. "Rules are rules. Student Jane does not meet the requirements for the exam!" "It doesn't matter who comes today! I will not let her in! I suggest she give up!" His words ignited the crowd's anger. "Unfair! The SATs are a right!" My parents charged forward. My teacher and classmates charged too. I saw them scuffling with security. I saw my parents kicked to the ground. How did it come to this? I wanted to help. I wanted to stop them. In the chaos, someone kicked me, and I fell. Blood and tears blurred my vision. I couldn't stand up, but my eyes landed on the admission ticket nearby. I reached out and grabbed it. This ticket destroyed my life. Destroyed everything here. I wanted to see what curse was on it! I flipped it over to the photo side. Seeing that youthful smiling face, I laughed through my tears. In that moment, I finally understood why I was rejected three times! 4 The proctors and security held the line. Until the police arrived and took us all to the station. Afraid Mrs. Zhang and the students would be implicated, my parents took the blame. "Officer, it's our fault. Mrs. Zhang and the kids are innocent." "They have bright futures. If the board wants to press charges, arrest us!" "My daughter didn't hit anyone! Check the cameras!" Even the usually quiet students spoke up for me. "Jane didn't hit anyone! I saw it!" "Me too!" Hearing them defend me, my eyes reddened again. The officer looked at me with a complicated expression. "Jane, we've investigated the situation." "There is no conspiracy. The proctor was right. You do not meet the requirements for this exam." "Your previous rejections were for the same reason." "As for the reason..." He looked at my parents, hesitating. Mrs. Zhang interjected. "Regardless of the reason, we shouldn't have caused a disturbance. That was our fault." The officer didn't press the issue. He went with the flow. "Don't worry. No one was hurt, and it didn't escalate too far. The proctors and the board have decided not to press charges." "Especially you students. Your hearts were in the right place, but you were too reckless!" "Some of you are Ivy League students, right? Future pillars of the nation. Go back to school!" "Yes! Thank you, officer!" The students sighed in relief. So did I. My parents comforted me. "Jane, I know college is your dream." "It's okay to fail this time. Next year we'll move to another city and try again. Whatever you want to do, we support you!" Looking at their gray hair, my guilt peaked. If not for me, they would have escaped poverty long ago. "Mom, Dad, Mrs. Zhang, everyone!" I bowed deeply to them. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. This is all my fault." "If it wasn't for me..." Before I could finish, my mind went chaotic. Darkness swarmed my vision. Just as I fell... I felt countless hands reaching out, holding me up with all their strength. But I still fell into unconsciousness. I was taken to the hospital. In my haze, I heard many voices.
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