I was peacefully sitting in my French class, when I suddenly got summoned to the principal's office. I don't remember doing anything wrong, but who knows? Maybe there's a new Nita in school who causes trouble.
I walk to the principal's office, and Cheryl, his secretary, smiles at me, encouraging me to enter. I knock on the door, and wait to be allowed inside. Upon entering, I don't just find the principal sitting in his chair, but also my dad, and another man. I have never seen him before, but he seems important. Dad smiles at me, but I withhold mine.
"Tris please, take a seat," the principal says, gesturing toward the chair between my dad and the stranger.
"No, thank you. I'd rather stand," I say, and walk toward the window. I turn so I can face the three men, and wait for one of them to explain what this is all about.
As if on cue, the principal explains that the stranger sitting next to Dad is a scout from MIT. Mr. Monroe, a member of the academic board there, has been monitoring my academic evolution ever since FDR Academy – the military school I attended during middle school. MIT is very interested in me, and it appears the men discussed even graduating me early from high school so I could attend college.
"What do you say, Ms. Prior?"
"No, thank you," I say, my expression still serious. Perplexed, all three of them look at me as if I have lost my mind.
"I don't understand. Isn't this good news, Tris?" Principal Kang asks.
"Perhaps, Ms. Prior is concerned about the tuition," Mr. Monroe says, and looks slightly at Dad, who nods, and continues.
"MIT is offering you a full scholarship, honey," Dad says. That really sounds tempting. I turn my back to them, needing to be alone with my own thoughts for a minute. Thankfully, none of them say anything, sensing I need to process this new and exciting information. I don't care if MIT offers to pay for my studies. Even if Mom and Dad wouldn't pay themselves, I have my own money, even if no one but me knows it. I don't have to rely on anyone to get stuff done. It is a great opportunity, I admit, but I don't want to graduate early. And there is always the issue with Dad. He was just as excited when I told my parents about NASA, only for him to change his mind.
"Thank you, Mr. Monroe, for your interest in me. But I must respectfully decline your offer," I say without turning around.
"What?" Dad asks.
"May I ask why?" Mr. Monroe asks, confused.
"You may," I say, and turn around to face them again. "I have absolutely no intention of graduating early. All my friends are here, and my parents insisted last year that I should experience high school like any other teenage girl. I agreed with their logic. If I didn't, I could have been at FDR Academy right now, and not here."
"But, baby girl, this is a great opportunity," Dad argues, obviously not understanding my logic.
"Is it?" I ask somewhat sarcastically. "So was that internship, yet you took it away, despite the obvious enthusiasm I showed for it. If anything, I'm sparing myself another disappointment. I would hate to get all excited about college, and then have it taken away from me," I say as coldly as I can possibly muster. Both the principal and Mr. Monroe look at me flabbergasted, while Dad looks hurt, but also remorseful.
"I wouldn't," Dad starts saying.
"What? Change your mind?" I ask, and tilt my head as if I was talking to a little child trying to lie its way out of something. "I'd rather not risk it. Thank you once again, Mr. Monroe, and I'm sorry you made the journey here for nothing," I say, as I extend my hand for the MIT representative to shake. I excuse myself, and leave the principal's office without looking back.
I return to class, return to my seat, but my mind isn't really here. This would have been a great opportunity, but I don't want to either owe Dad anything, because I'm sure I would need parental approval to do this, or depend on his mood. No, sir! Plus, I like it here. I have my friends, and besides, I will always be a genius. No one can take that away from me. Dad doesn't know it, but I have my own wealth to pay for twenty-years-worth of college.
The rest of the day passes in a blur. Dad didn't call me, but I'm sure he'll be furious. I prepare myself for the worst, as I get into Caleb's car. Uriah, Lynn and Marlene sit in the back, talking about school mainly. But then I decide to tell them what happened today.
"I think you should accept," Marlene says to me.
"I think so too," comes Lynn's approving comment.
"Why did you say no?" Caleb asks.
"You know why," I say, giving him a look.
"Dad would not change his mind," Caleb says confidently. "You should do it."
"Caleb, I don't want to. Stop it!" I say irritated.
"What got your panties in a knot?" Uriah asks. I close my eyes and sigh heavily.
"It's not just Dad. I don't want to graduate early. I like it here," I say.
"Not too long ago you wanted to leave our house and this entire city behind you," Caleb points out. That's true. But I was angry.
"Can you please respect my decision?" I ask him exasperated.
They all drop it after that, but my peace is short lived the moment we step inside our house. Mom and Dad ask to talk to me in the living room alone, which prompts my friends to go to their respective homes, and Caleb to go to his room.
Dad already told Mom about the offer, and how I refused. He even told her how hurt he felt when I made those comments back in the principal's office. I could tell that he had withheld these since Mom looks genuinely surprised to hear him say it.
"Can you believe this, Natalie?" he asks her.
"Actually, I can," she says, and Dad looks at her befuddled.
"Nat?"
"Andrew, you and I both know you overreacted when you prohibited Tris to start that internship," she says. I never really heard them talk like this in front of me, but it's somewhat relieving to see that at least my mom understands me. "How do you expect her to react? You were very enthusiastic about that internship for her, allowed her to get all excited, only to punish her and take it away. I don't blame her," she says, and I feel victorious. But then she turns to look at me, her eyes betraying her disappointment. "And you," she says staring at me. "You would rather lose an opportunity than step over your own pride? Really? Tell me the truth. Why don't you wanna accept the offer?"
"Can't you just respect my wish?" I ask her.
"Not when it's detrimental to your future," she says, and urges for me to give up my reasons.
"I don't want to graduate early. I like it in high school. But I meant what I said about Dad. I don't want to get super excited about MIT and then poof it's gone."
"I wouldn't stop you from going," Dad says seriously.
"Really? You did it before. How can I trust you?" I ask him, and I feel myself shivering.
"I'm your father. Of course, you can trust me," he says, somewhat offended.
"Dad, trust is a fragile thing. The same way you trust or don't trust me, is the same way I trust you or not. Trust is earned, and right now, I don't trust you," I tell him bitterly and cold.
"Tris," Mom says a little shocked. She looks from me to Dad, and back to me.
"When did I ever give you a reason not to trust me?" he asks, looking at me intently.
"Dad, please, you know why we're in the situation we are in right now. Don't pretend this is news to you. Bottom line, this is my life. If money is an issue, and you can't afford sending three kids to college, that's fine. I can work, take on a student loan and maybe get another scholarship. But once I graduate high school. Is this all? Can I go now?" I ask irritated.
"What if we make it legal?" Mom asks.
"Make what legal?" I ask confused, not understanding what she means. Dad looks at her just as confused as I am.
"What if your Dad gives up his right to have any say in your education, and I'm the only one in charge? Would you then reconsider?" she asks, staring at me. I watch Dad staring at her in disbelief, itching to ask what all this means, but I beat him to it.
"No, I wouldn't. I don't want to graduate early. Can I go now?" I ask again, and this time she nods. The moment I'm on the stairs, I hear Dad ask Mom what she was thinking, and soon I hear them argue. I didn't mean for them to argue, but I don't want to bend to their will either.
I go to my room, and lie down in my bed. I don't bother closing my door. I already know the drill. Someone is surely on its way to see me. The million dollar question is: who?
I must have fallen asleep, because it is dark when I wake to a shaking. I force my tired eyes open and recognize Mom's form, as she gently, but steadily shakes me into consciousness.
"Did you have a good nap?" she asks, before kissing my forehead.
"Yeah. What time is it?" I ask, my voice still thick with sleep.
"About 8 pm. Could you please come downstairs? Your dad and I think we found a solution to this whole college dilemma," she says, and I groan.
Why is it my parents ask me to let go of things, but they never do? I want to protest, but she doesn't give me time. She leaves my room, and I know she will expect me to follow her shortly. I sit up and hang my head in defeat. I consider for a moment going back to sleep, but decide against it. I get up, leave my room, and walk downstairs into the living room where I find my parents and Mr. Monroe. What the hell?
"Good evening," I say.
"Good evening," Mr. Monroe replies.
After I take a seat, Mr. Monroe tells me how Mom called him, and told him about a solution she found. It is rather a compromise. MIT is willing to let me attend online courses and earn credits this way, followed by summer courses on campus, plus workshops with their professors. And for exams I have to travel to Cambridge. I won't be officially enrolled as a college student, but there's a special program for gifted students to attend college courses. Once a valid high school diploma exists, the student, if he or she so wishes, can be enrolled in the college of his or her choice, regardless if it's the same that offered the special treatment. Or at least, that's how I understand it.
I don't say anything. I am still confused as to how everything works. Mr. Monroe tries to explain it both in detail and as simple as possible. It's not like I'm dumb, but all this bureaucracy is just overwhelming. As we get to the topic of legal guardian, Mom tells me that Dad agreed that she can decide over my education. I look at him, and he put on a smile, but I can see he is hurt. I'm sorry I hurt him, but I can't trust him right now. I was really looking forward to that NASA internship, and when he said I couldn't go, it broke my heart. I know he might think it was just something I wanted, like a video game or new laptop, but that internship meant a lot more. Not only from an academic point of view, but also social one. Many of my ideas involve space devices, from small portable tool kits to new propulsion systems.
Being an intern at NASA would have been a dream come true, and it was taken away from me by my own father.
"Mr. Monroe, thank you once again for your interest in me, but as I have told you earlier, I am not interested. I still have time to decide which college if any at all I will attend once I graduate high school, but for the time being I don't care about any solutions you or my parents think you can find. It is not my wish to attend online college courses or graduate high school before time," I explain, and stand up. I go to where Mr. Monroe looks at me completely shocked, and extend my hand for him to shake. He does so, but his mouth still hangs open as he tries to wrap his head around my response.
I excuse myself, and go towards the stairs. Before I leave, however, I turn around, and look at my parents. "That's my final word."