“Apply.”
“I don’t have time.”
“Make time.”
“People like me don’t win things like that.”
He met my eyes.
“People like you are exactly who should.”
The Letter
Weeks later, while opening the café at dawn, I saw the email:
Sterling Scholars – Final Decision
I opened it with shaking hands.
Selected.
Full tuition. Living stipend. Transfer opportunities.
I sat down on a bench and cried.
Not because I was surprised.
Because someone had finally seen me.
Ashford Heights
One option stood out:
Ashford Heights.
Sadie’s school.
The same place my parents said I wasn’t worth.
I transferred.
I didn’t tell them.
For once, I wanted something that belonged entirely to me.
The Discovery
Weeks later, Sadie found me in the library.
“Avery?”
Shock.
Confusion.
“How are you here?”
“I transferred.”
“How are you paying for this?”
