9
After the exams, I didn’t go back to that house. I went with Maya to Northgate to find a summer job.
While I was there, I received calls from a Crestwood number almost every other day. I ignored them all.
People don’t get lost because they weren’t holding hands tight enough. They get lost because their eyes were dazzled by something else along the way.
On the day the exam results were released, my score was redacted.
When I saw the text from the State Education Department, I couldn’t hold it in any longer. I clapped my hand over my mouth and sobbed.
I was the top scorer in the state. 713. I hadn’t let myself down. Every ounce of effort over the past three years had counted.
After my scores were announced, my parents suddenly reappeared in my life.
I watched with cold eyes as they beamed at the media, boasting about their superior parenting methods and how they had raised a state champion.
Maya was furious, her hands on her hips. “They have no shame! Have they ever cared about you at all?”
I just stared silently into the distance.
father, a biased mother, a broken home.
And a girl who refused to give up.
In today’s world of viral news, my interview spread like wildfire. People sympathized with me, but they also admired my strength.
Eventually, I just changed my phone number. With the full scholarship from the university and various acad emic awards, I had more than enough money to cover my expenses for the next four years.
