“There’s one more thing,” I say, my stomach twisting. I say the words quickly before I can swallow them down. “I wrote a book.”
“Yeah?” His smile reappears. “What kind of book?”
“A Young Adult, dystopian future kind of thing.”
He holds my gaze for a minute, and I see pride in his eyes. “I’d love to read it.”
I laugh. “I don’t know about that. You might not want to read all the parts about teenagers kissing, and the cheesy way they save the world.”
He puts a hand on my knee. “I want to read it,” he repeats, emphasizing the words carefully.
My eyes well up with tears. “I thought you’d think it was dumb.”
He furrows his brow. “Why would that be dumb?”
“Because I already have a job. And it’s not like I’m trying to become a full-time writer. I just want to do something I enjoy, something to fill my time outside of work, you know?”
He gestures up at the TV. “And my hobby is watching old Rush concerts. Your hobby is your hobby. Why should anyone judge you for that?”
I shrug, knowing there are reasons I’ve told myself for years why I couldn’t share this with my parents and realizing they were all lies I’ve told myself. That making up imaginary people and worlds is a waste of time, and I should be focusing on what’s happening in front of me.
But there’s been one person who knew about this all along and supported me every step of the way.
And he isn’t here.
Sometimes I swear my dad can read my mind, because he tilts his head to the side. “Claire, is there someone else?”
I bite my lip. I’ve already been fighting tears for the last few minutes, and this might send me over the edge. I just nod.
“Does he know?” Dad asks.
I shake my head and swallow. “No. I wanted to get everything cleared out before…”
“Before what?”
That’s a great question. Because what do I do now? Text Ryan? Call him? “I don’t know.”
“Why don’t you tell me about him? And we’ll make a plan.”
I smile at Dad, and a stray tear falls down my cheek. “That sounds great.”
CHAPTER 41
Ryan
So far,I’m killing this interview. We’re in a classroom at Haleakala Community College, which oddly looks an awful lot like Coastal Vista. I’m being judged by the dean of STEM, three math professors, and a chemistry professor.
First, I presented my lecture on optimization word problems about a lifeguard named Bryan who needs to save someone who’s drowning from a shark attack. The interviewers chuckled and followed along, but they told me they’re not allowed to give much feedback beyond that. It’s fine. I know I’m doing well.
After that, they handed me a sheet of five college-level math problems and asked me to solve them on the whiteboard, explaining like I would if I were tutoring a student. Thankfully, I’ve been teaching these topics for years and solved them just fine.
So now I’m answering questions on general teaching philosophy and being a colleague at their school.
The department chair, Jon Keahi, takes the first question. “Ryan, tell us what makes you the best candidate?”
“Well, I’m obviously good at math,” I say, gesturing to the board with my solutions, a grin on my face. The committee members laugh. “I’m down to earth, which is a good fit for this community. And I genuinely love teaching. I love helping students get the confidence they crave from solving a problem correctly. I love helping students see where math applies in their real lives. Maybe my optimization problem with Bryan the lifeguard won’t be an accurate representation of applying calculus to real world problems, but at least it gives them something to connect to.” I pause, thinking for a minute. “I also relate to the students who live here. I moved here with my mom when I was a teenager, and she still lives in Lahaina. So I’m not some transplant, coming to Maui with a dream of living on the island. I know what it’s like, and I want to be here.”
The members of the committee nod and take notes on their papers. Then it’s a woman’s turn to ask me a question. I don’t remember all of their names, but she’s one of the math professors. “And how do you engage students in the classroom?”
