had happened on a job site. She wouldn’t let the accident get in the way of doing what she loved.
The woman had courage and strength I could only dream of. A real hero to me.
Her and Dad’s jobs were intertwined, and in fact they often did a lot of work together. My mom was a well-respected engineer, and my dad owned a thriving construction company. From what Dad said, it had been love at first sight. He’d seen her in a hard hat, bossing around a bunch of men who were doing a reconstruction on a historical building in downtown Cleveland, and he’d fallen head over heels.
I took out my cryptography syllabus and scanned it again. Attractive professor aside, it promised to be an interesting course I could look forward to. I had to admit, as a kid I’d always been curious about messages and codes. My mom and I had watched a special on code breakers in World War II, and I’d been riveted by the idea that people were paid to break messages about top secret war strategies.
Honestly, I’d never made the connection between cryptography and math, so when I’d seen this course crop up last semester, I was beyond excited and had signed up immediately.
I chugged more of my coffee, stuffed the papers back in my bag and left the coffee shop, hot cup in hand. I had to brave the crowds and hit the bookstore before they ran out of the last textbook I needed. Then on to psychology to learn all about stress.
Fun, indeed.
Chapter 2
“I can’t believe they made an entire class out of this topic,” I said as I rubbed a knot on the back of my neck. “Only one week under my belt, and I already want to choke myself.” I was tucked in the corner of the couch, hunched over my psychology of stress book, eyes glazed from boredom. It was so hard to focus on the introduction and opening chapter, which were filled with dull, obvious commentary.
Gee, you mean stress impacts your physical and mental health? You don’t say.
My phone buzzed with a text: Come out with us 2nite!
It was Nadia, one of my party friends. An evening out with her was guaranteed to go into the wee hours of the morning. The girl knew everyone on campus and went to all the parties.
So tempting, especially since I couldn’t get enthused about what I was reading. I could take a nap right now, before my work shift, so I could stay up later tonight. But I made myself type, Can’t. Drowning in psych. If I don’t resurface soon, send beer and hot guys.
Then I shoved my phone away so I wouldn’t be tempted to cave. My classes were a bit more challenging this semester; I had to focus, which meant staying at home more instead of chugging beer and dancing.
Casey, who sat on the couch beside me, was busy highlighting something in her business book. “I hear ya on hating your class. I felt that way about philosophy last semester. I barely passed it—it was only Daniel’s tutoring that got me through it.” Though she didn’t stall in her task, she gave a small, secret smile, and I found myself smiling in response.
Casey in love was a sight to see . . . like watching the underdog finally win the big fight. All the stress and tension that had weighed her down for so long was gone. She’d even started letting me hear her compose music on her computer, an activity she’d previously confined to late nights when no one was up. Made me wish I’d kept up with music after middle school, because her passion for it inspired me. Maybe I needed a new hobby.
Not gonna lie, I loved dating around, having fun with guys, no pressure. But I was kinda envious of the easy familiarity she had with her boyfriend. Casey had had a traumatic childhood experience, which had caused her to be closed off and cautious for many years. Daniel’s steady love had broken down those walls, opened her up.
“So how’s Daniel today?” I asked her with a sly grin. “When’s he coming by to get you?” It was Sunday, which they usually spent together doing . . . well, whatever people in love
The woman had courage and strength I could only dream of. A real hero to me.
Her and Dad’s jobs were intertwined, and in fact they often did a lot of work together. My mom was a well-respected engineer, and my dad owned a thriving construction company. From what Dad said, it had been love at first sight. He’d seen her in a hard hat, bossing around a bunch of men who were doing a reconstruction on a historical building in downtown Cleveland, and he’d fallen head over heels.
I took out my cryptography syllabus and scanned it again. Attractive professor aside, it promised to be an interesting course I could look forward to. I had to admit, as a kid I’d always been curious about messages and codes. My mom and I had watched a special on code breakers in World War II, and I’d been riveted by the idea that people were paid to break messages about top secret war strategies.
Honestly, I’d never made the connection between cryptography and math, so when I’d seen this course crop up last semester, I was beyond excited and had signed up immediately.
I chugged more of my coffee, stuffed the papers back in my bag and left the coffee shop, hot cup in hand. I had to brave the crowds and hit the bookstore before they ran out of the last textbook I needed. Then on to psychology to learn all about stress.
Fun, indeed.
Chapter 2
“I can’t believe they made an entire class out of this topic,” I said as I rubbed a knot on the back of my neck. “Only one week under my belt, and I already want to choke myself.” I was tucked in the corner of the couch, hunched over my psychology of stress book, eyes glazed from boredom. It was so hard to focus on the introduction and opening chapter, which were filled with dull, obvious commentary.
Gee, you mean stress impacts your physical and mental health? You don’t say.
My phone buzzed with a text: Come out with us 2nite!
It was Nadia, one of my party friends. An evening out with her was guaranteed to go into the wee hours of the morning. The girl knew everyone on campus and went to all the parties.
So tempting, especially since I couldn’t get enthused about what I was reading. I could take a nap right now, before my work shift, so I could stay up later tonight. But I made myself type, Can’t. Drowning in psych. If I don’t resurface soon, send beer and hot guys.
Then I shoved my phone away so I wouldn’t be tempted to cave. My classes were a bit more challenging this semester; I had to focus, which meant staying at home more instead of chugging beer and dancing.
Casey, who sat on the couch beside me, was busy highlighting something in her business book. “I hear ya on hating your class. I felt that way about philosophy last semester. I barely passed it—it was only Daniel’s tutoring that got me through it.” Though she didn’t stall in her task, she gave a small, secret smile, and I found myself smiling in response.
Casey in love was a sight to see . . . like watching the underdog finally win the big fight. All the stress and tension that had weighed her down for so long was gone. She’d even started letting me hear her compose music on her computer, an activity she’d previously confined to late nights when no one was up. Made me wish I’d kept up with music after middle school, because her passion for it inspired me. Maybe I needed a new hobby.
Not gonna lie, I loved dating around, having fun with guys, no pressure. But I was kinda envious of the easy familiarity she had with her boyfriend. Casey had had a traumatic childhood experience, which had caused her to be closed off and cautious for many years. Daniel’s steady love had broken down those walls, opened her up.
“So how’s Daniel today?” I asked her with a sly grin. “When’s he coming by to get you?” It was Sunday, which they usually spent together doing . . . well, whatever people in love
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