My Mother Was a Martyred Anti-Drug Policeman; Am I Really the Failed Daughter of a Hero?

My mom was a DEA agent, lost in the line of duty. Since I was a little kid, I had one dream: to reclaim her badge number.

The moment I found out my scores were high enough for the police academy, I called my dad, buzzing with excitement.

But he blew up. "You, a good-for-nothing loser like you, want to be a cop? Reclaim your mom's badge number?! Don't you dare shame your mother! Get lost!"

My heart froze solid, my world crumbling around me. I stumbled home, only to be surrounded by a gang of addicts in a dark alley.