eamt of

ughing. His mother, young and happy, was there, her smile brig

warm, s

e dream

shed. Shadow

, smirking boy, pulling

ther w

her eyes full of a guilt that E

ooking at him. She was looking at

face cold. "You have to give him

a gasp, tears

, leaving only the familiar

. The real pain w

rn honke

son, Sarah' s fat

ly "job interview" to discuss options if Stanford didn't work out. A lie, but a

a kind smile, though h

Ethan. Rea

, "Son, about that Stanf

. "It's complicat

ay and help the family. That you' re letting

"Stanford is a big deal

out the win

he high school. Ms.

e came from behind them. She

was just coming to see Ms. Albr

re. Ms. Albright has that deferral paperwork for Stanfor

then at Ethan. "Sara

o the right thing, Da

her office window. He gave a slight,

d. He needed to maintain the

ene. He just wanted

ry. "This isn't

u want to go to Stanford, I' ll

respond, Sarah st

his decision." She turned t

e fear that he might change his mind, that her fragi

id no

uck. "I'll wait for you, Ethan. Take your time."

ath. "Good. Now, ab

m into Ms. Albr

giving nothing away. She had the Stanford deferral

. Albright said. "

l for Stanford, and he' s giving his honors program spot at Redwood Community to Kevin.

He hadn' t agreed to

st, so concerned for Kevin. The perfect martyr,

ank details so we can transfer some of your college fund to

lege fund? What college fund? You all spent

left him. It had been systematically drained for Kevin

d, a flicker of something

' ll make it up to you. Once we' re married, and you have a good job at th

e. Like all her

the office, his face pale

ut... about Ethan and the mill... and

s chest, gaspi

ide of Ms. Albright' s metal filing cabinet. Not ha

Sarah marries Ethan, I' ll... I' ll die! Sa

p, alarmed. Sarah ru

are you okay?" Sh

"This is your fault! You and your sel

city, the sheer manipulative geniu

ed up her phone. "I'm calling his parents. And pe

o "recover." "No... no ambulance. I' ll be

alerted by a frantic text from Sarah. T

ietly to Ms. Albright, who nodded sligh

ash over him. Kevin always won

l, fiercely pushing a bully away from hi

ight with righteous

e was directed at

thought, slowly strangling

is tears for Sarah, f

cry for th

future Petey and the NSA were offeri

Ms. Albright,

he office, leaving

m. He didn't have much to pac

h of him and Sarah, laughing, ta

t it for a

en in quarters, and dropped

er letters again, the on

time. He just ripped them, m

f promise, turned in

nge sense of c

pen. Sarah stood t

torn paper on his de

... what are

a long time, she looked scared. Scared of him, of wh