3
Growing up in the faculty housing, I always
looked up to Mark, the star student.
But I was awkward and never fit in with their
crowd. I always sat by the window, watching
Mark and Ashley tease each other with a
tinge of envy.
I worked my butt off in school, always thrilled
when our names were next to each other on
the honor roll.
But I wasn’t bubbly and cute like Ashley. I
always felt like a polite stranger to him.
When we went to college, Ashley went to a
normal state school and started dating
and I finally got the
く
someone, and I finally got the courage to tell
him how I felt.
Somehow, he said yes.
After that, everything I did was about him.
When he decided to stay and teach at the
university, I gave up my chance to study
abroad.
My professor tried to talk me out of it a
million times, telling me about my older
classmates who went on to make six figures
and become renowned, and I just blushed and
said, “I just want to be happy with him.”
I gave him everything, and he never even
noticed.
く
Standing in the cold, I took a deep breath and
called my grad school advisor.
“Professor, do you still need someone for that
project you told me about?”
The professor was taken aback for a second
but then said, “Sarah, you came to your
senses, huh?
“Of course we need you! This project is
perfect for you! One of your peers has been
nagging me to give it to them, but I won’t let
them. When are you coming over? I’ll pick you
up at the airport!”
I smiled.
“In a couple of weeks, Professor. I’ll get
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everything sorted out here and then head
over.”
