Chapter Text
One lovely morning in the city of Metropolis, 15-year old Casey Krinsky happily got up from her bed. She approached a mirror that was above her dresser. She smiled fondly at the reflection that appeared before her.
“Good morning, you cute gal,” Casey complemented herself. She admired everything about herself. Her short, messy hair; her green eyes and gentle smile; her pink pajamas; her small body. She grabbed her brand new hairbrush and started combing her hair while humming to herself with shut eyes.
She got dressed into her purple polo shirt and her grey skort. Afterwards, she went to fetch her favorite possession. A small, fancy lady doll she had named Marla. “Good morning, my dear, old..” Casey prematurely wished her inanimate toy a good morning before realizing that there was no doll where she usually kept it.
“Marla??” Casey called for her doll. “Marla? Where are you?” She started looking for it in her closet and her drawers. The longer it took to find the doll, the more Casey panicked. “Marla?? Marla??! Marla!!!”
Casey ran towards her kitchen, where her Korean mother Laura was making her breakfast.
“Mom!”
“Oh, good morning honey!” Her mother warmly greeted.
“Mom, where’s Marla,” Casey asked hastily.
“Who?” Laura asked.
“My friend?! Who is supposed to be on my bed??” Casey responded with frustration and attitude.
“Ohh! The doll! Yeah, I gave it away along with other things we no longer need. To a flea market.”
“WHATT??” An outraged Casey yelled.
“Sweetie, you’re getting too old for dolls. And if you ask me, you‘ve become too dependent on that old thing.” Laura lectured.
Casey couldn’t believe that her own mother would sell her bestest companion. That doll meant more to her than her mom could ever know or understand.
“Too dependent? I loved her! She was my best friend!” Casey yelled.
“She.. I mean, it.. is a doll, Casey. You don’t need it anymore. You’ve finally made real friends. You’ve even been invited to a sleepover tonight, right? This is a new chapter in your life, Casey. People are starting to see the amazing girl I’ve always seen in you. That doll was the one thing holding you back. Life is about moving forward and if you cling too tightly to the past, you lose sight of what you have now. Ihaehada??” Laura told off her daughter.
She didn’t enjoy being strict with her. As far as most Asian mothers go, Laura was definitely on the sweet side. She used to leave Casey alone to her own devices. But she knew that being too lenient with Casey was part of what made her so sad and lonely. She realized that she needed to toughen up and push her in the right direction.
Casey was fuming on the inside, but she also didn’t want to fight with her mother. They were finally seeing eye-to-eye and Casey didn’t want to ruin it, even over Marla.
“Yes, mom. I get it,” Casey said with grit teeth.
“Be mad all you want, but soon you’ll see that you don’t need a doll to feel loved,” Laura said softly. “Now, come on. I need your help at the restaurant today. Afterwards, you’ll go to your friends’ sleepover and have a good time.”
Casey begrudgingly sat down and began to eat what her mother prepared for breakfast.