last semester of classes.

At Notre Dame School, they were guided to a vocational assistance talk for the senior students. Billy walked through the halls on his way to his student support class, adjusting his thoughts about fashion design. He also reorganized his thoughts about how his work would unfold in the coming 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 counseling young students about their future.

-Mrs. Muffy, - replied Billy.

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

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

-Well, for someone who applied for accelerated graduation, you took some challenging courses—philosophy, political science, and economics. There aren't any records of college applications and visits. Do you plan on attending college? - the teacher inquired.

-Of course, I'd like to attend the Stanford Business School. I'm thinking of enrolling in the mathematics course first as a stepping stone to 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 an extra 100 points. In my years of work, students usually average 50 to 100 points lower on the exams, - Muffy observed.

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

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

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

-Without further ado, I hope we can meet again before the university 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 concluded.

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

"Report on my selection process at Stanford University," 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 back to my free period, - Billy said.

-Let the next 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.

-Next, please, - Billy said lazily, adjusting his jacket. He would have to continue working on the math exercises due tomorrow.

The cafeteria was always a good place to get work done. It had been open since 10:00 in the morning, 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 can of Coca-Cola, a chicken and ham sandwich, and a chocolate 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 second free period of the academic year.

Now he just had to tackle his homework.

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

Connor was part 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 affection for many.

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

-Everything's fine. What do you have there? -- Connor asked, looking over the papers.  --Mathematics, nothing interesting. I'd love to skip all the math practices. -

-What about you? - Billy asked.

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

-Good luck with that, - Billy said.

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

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

-What's your score? - Connor asked.

-I have 1200 points, - Billy replied.

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

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

-Just relax, buddy, - Connor said, downplaying it.

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

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

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

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

-Engineering involves a lot of math, - Billy said, surprised by Connor's nonchalance.

-Sure, I'll learn when I'm part of the university, - Connor said, downplaying it again.

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

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

-Sure, lunchtime it is, - Billy replied.

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

The dance and culture teacher, not long ago, didn't allow him to be part of the theater production, and Claudia's anger over something that happened caused him to drop the theater class.

-The drawings are very good, - Raquel said.

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

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

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

-Why do you say that? - Billy asked.

-Well, Claudia told me that she gave in to Jack Boor's pleas to remove you from the play. Teacher Raquel had decided to cast you in the play'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 can be so calm, -Alice said.

-Wait! What! - Billy exclaimed.

-Just as I said, Claudia was furious with the teacher because she gave in to that jerk's whims, -- Alice explained. --I thought you knew the 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 acting courses afterward. It's not as important as other things, - Alice tried to reassure him.

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

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

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

-I think we should pay attention to the class, - Alice deflected, focusing on her painting. She had said more than she intended, and her flushed cheeks gave away her slip-up.

-I won't pry any further, Alice, -- Billy said. --How about going out for lunch on 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 understand some things I couldn't grasp about Claudia, - Billy clarified.

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

-I just need some explanations, - Billy insisted.

-You can ask Claudia yourself, - Alice said, completely ignoring Billy.

She continued to work on her drawings for the final art project.

...