By senior year, my GPA was the highest in the class.
"Of course he got an A. It's not like he has a life."
People started calling me "the smart kid."
Some said it with respect, some said it like it was a disease.
"Of course, he got an A. It's not like he has a life."
"Teachers feel bad for him. That's why."
Meanwhile, Mom was pulling double routes to pay off the last of the hospital bills.
One afternoon, Mr. Anderson asked me to stay after class.
"I want you to apply here."
He dropped a brochure on my desk.
Big fancy logo.
I recognized it right away.
One of the top engineering institutes in the country.
"I want you to apply here," he said.
I stared at it like it might catch fire.
"They have full rides for students like you. I checked."
"Yeah, okay. Hilarious."
"I'm serious. They have full rides for students like you. I checked."
"I can't just leave my mom. She cleans offices at night, too. I help."
"I'm not saying it'll be easy. I'm saying you deserve the chance to choose. Let them tell you no. Don't tell yourself no first."
So we did it in secret.
So I started over.
After school, I'd sit in his classroom and work on essays.
The first draft I wrote was some generic "I like math, I want to help people" garbage.
He read it and shook his head.
"This could be anyone. Where are you?"
So I started over.
