At Notre Dame School, they were guided to a vocational assistaalk for the senior students. Billy walked through the halls on his way to his student support css, adjusting his thoughts about fashion design. He alsanized his thoughts about how his work would unfold in the ing months, just four months away from graduation.

  -Billy, please have a seat, -said Mrs. Muffy, the vocational psychology teacher at Notre Dame School, responsible for seling young students about their future.

  -Mrs. Muffy, - replied Billy.

  -I didn't have the pleasure of meeting you in my home eics css, - Muffy remarked.

  -That's correct, we didn't have the ce to cross paths, - Billy replied.

  -Well, for someone lied for accelerated graduation, you took some challenging courses—philosophy, political sce, and eics. There aren't any records of college applications and visits. Do you pn on attending college? - the teacher inquired.

  -Of course, I'd like to attend the Stanford Business School. I'm thinking of enrolling ihematics course first as a stepping stoo business school, - Billy stated.

  -That's a very assertive response. I see you have an average score of 1240 on your SAT practice exams. You need ara 100 points. In my years of work, students usually average 50 to 100 points lower on the exams, - Muffy observed.

  -Well, I believe I improve my exam score, - Billy replied.

  -Very well, sir. You want to enroll in Stanford Uy's mathematics program, you have an acceptable score, and yrades are excellent. The applications close in March, so I would suggest having a pn B, - Muffy advised.

  -Thank you, Mrs. Muffy, I'll sider that, - Billy said.

  -Without further ado, I hope we meet again before the uy application deadline. I'll be keeping a close eye on your profile; student dropout is not something I'd like to see from one of the bright young minds like yours, - Muffy cluded.

  -I'll have to sider Raimon's reendation to pass through some not-so-important filters, - Billy thought.

  "Report on my sele process at Stanford Uy," said Billy.

  -Very well, -Mrs. Muffy replied, taking note of all the details. She highlighted the word "stubborn" in bold.

  -Excuse me, teacher. I'll go bay free period, - Billy said.

  -Let the student in. Have a nice day, and work on your SAT scores, - the teacher bid farewell.

  Six other students were waiting in line behind the door.

  -, please, - Billy said zily, adjusting his jacket. He would have to tinue w oh exercises due tomorrow.

  The cafeteria was always a good pce to get work do had been open since 10:00 in the m, and the smell of freshly baked pizza aroused his appetite.

  They offered hamburgers, pizza, sandwiches, and pastries.

  -Walter, I'd like a slice of pizza, a of Coca-Co, a chi and ham sandwich, and a chocote bar, - Billy ordered.

  -Of course, sir, - Walter replied.

  -That'll be 6.33, - said Walter.

  Billy took a bite of his pizza; the edges were slightly burnt but acceptable enough to satisfy his hunger. He would have to wait for the lunch service at noon.

  Free periods had their advantages, Billy thought with a touch of despondency. It was his sed free period of the academic year.

  Now he just had to tackle his homework.

  -I always see you eating, - or remarked. or had shoulder-length blonde hair and stood nearly six feet tall, making him a giant pared to Billy.

  or art of the basketball team and had joined Billy as a means to get to know the beautiful girls who often shared their lunch table—Alice, Abby, Selene, and Jessica. These girls were known as the "Unattainables" of Notre Dame and the objects of affe for many.

  -It's good to see you, or, - Billy replied.

  -Everything's fine. What do you have there? -- or asked, looking over the papers. --Mathematiothing iing. I'd love to skip all the math practices. -

  -What about you? - Billy asked.

  -An English essay on the monthly reading, - or replied.

  -Good luck with that, - Billy said.

  -How did it go with Mrs. Muffy? She be quite a thorn in the side, - or remarked.

  -Well, we agreed that I'll apply to Stanford Uy, add another uy as my pn B, and improve my SAT score, - Billy said.

  -What's your score? - or asked.

  -I have 1200 points, - Billy replied.

  -Friend, that's a lot. Now I feel bad with my 1000 points, -or said.

  -Well, it seems like it's not enough, - Billy replied.

  -Just rex, buddy, - or said, downpying it.

  -I like your ess. We graduate in 4 months, - Billy said.

  -Man, I have a lot of homework. W about the future, my dad said I attend the Uy of Michigan. My mom graduated from there and knows some people. I join the basketball team as much as I want, - or said.

  -What major will you apply for? - Billy asked.

  -Engineering... I guess. I don't care, - or said.

  -Engineering involves a lot of math, - Billy said, surprised by or's nonce.

  -Sure, I'll learn when I'm part of the uy, - or said, downpying it again.

  -I have to go to css, - Billy said, hearing the bell ring.

  -Same here, buddy. See you at lunchtime, - or said.

  -Sure, lunchtime it is, - Billy replied.

  Billy's css was an art css, one of his favorite courses.

  The dand culture teacher, not long ago, didn't allow him to be part of the theater produ, and Cudia's anger over something that happened caused him to drop the theater css.

  -The drawings are very good, - Raquel said.

  -Thank you, teacher, - Billy replied. - I have the idea that, with some work, I recreate the sequence I have in mind. -

  -Without a doubt, I look forward to seeing the finished project, - Raquel said, moving to examihe various works in the css.

  -She's such a hypocrite, - Alice said o him while painting a still life of fruits.

  -Why do you say that? - Billy asked.

  -Well, Cudia told me that she gave in to Jack Boor's pleas to remove you from the py. Teacher Raquel had decided to cast you in the py's role, but in the end, she chose Jack's friend because he said some emotional things to her. I don't know how you be so calm, -Alice said.

  -Wait! What! - Billy excimed.

  -Just as I said, Cudia was furious with the teacher because she gave in to that jerk's whims, -- Alice expined. --I thought you khe story; I didn't expect them to keep it from you. -

  An awkward silence hung in the air. Alice couldn't quite grasp Billy's feelings.

  -You know, it's not a big deal to lose a theater role. There are more important things, and besides, you got ag courses afterward. It's not as important as other things, - Alice tried to reassure him.

  -How long have you been talking to Cudia? - Billy asked.

  -Uh, I don't uand the question, - Alice said.

  -Alice, how long have you been talking to Cudia? - Billy pressed.

  -I think we should pay attention to the css, - Alice deflected, fog on her painting. She had said more thaended, and her flushed cheeks gave away her slip-up.

  -I won't pry any further, Alice, -- Billy said. --How about going out for lun Saturday and telling me about this issue? - he asked.

  -Uhh... Billy, I have a boyfriend, - Alice replied.

  -I don't want to be your boyfriend, just go out with you and uand some things I couldn't grasp about Cudia, - Billy crified.

  -I don't think I have the right to tell you what Cudia doesn't want to share, - Alice said.

  -I just need some expnations, - Billy insisted.

  -You ask Cudia yourself, - Alice said, pletely ign Billy.

  She tio work on her drawings for the final art project.

  ...