“I’m serious. You’re the most requested undergraduate tutor in the Writing Center,” Anna says. “You’re the whole reason why they started letting undergrads work at the Writing Center a year ago.”
I fight a smile at the way my best friend builds me up. “That’s probably just because of my YouTube channel.”
Anna tilts her head at me, then tosses a crumpled-up piece of paper at my shoulder.
“Listen to you humble brag,” she teases.
I chuckle as I pick up the ball of paper and drop it in the recycling bin. “I’m not humble-bragging. That channel is proof of what a mega nerd I am.”
“Poppy, it’s good to be the kind of mega nerd you are. You’re twenty years old with a perfect GPA. You have a popular YouTube channel with almost fifty thousand subscribers, where you break down difficult academic concepts for high school and college students. And you spend your free time volunteering. You’re literally perfect.”
My cheeks ache when I grin at my best friend’s praise. “If this is your way of buttering me up to get me to cover your shift at the Writing Center, it’s working.”
Anna chuckles. “Just singing your praises. But yeah, if you could take my Thursday evening shift, that would be amazing. I’ll love you forever.”
“Sure. But only if you promise to buy me a pint of my favorite ice cream the next time we have a movie night at your place.”
She runs over and hugs me. “I’ll bring you two pints.”
“I’m kidding. You don’t need to bring me anything. Covering your shift can be my birthday gift to you, since you spent your twenty-first birthday studying last night for your physics exam this morning.”
She waves a hand. “You know I don’t care about partying.”
“I’m still taking you out for a belated birthday brunch this weekend.”
She smiles. “Seriously, thanks for covering me.”
“It’s no problem. What will you be up to?”
“Watching a live heart transplant. Georgetown University Transplant Center is live-streaming a transplant surgery that day, and a bunch of my premed friends and I are getting together to watch it.”
“Oh my god.” I try not to gag.
She winces. “Sorry. Sometimes I forget not everyone has the same interest in medicine as me.”
I shake my head and try to get the visual of blood and guts and organs out of my head. “It’s okay. I could use the distraction. Thinking about that gross surgery will help keep me from obsessing over that internship I’m still waiting to hear back about.”
Anna sits back down in her desk chair and looks at her laptop. “I can’t believe how long they’re waiting to tell you.”
I sigh and check my email on my laptop for the millionth time. Still no response.
“I can believe it,” I say. “They’re the top law firm in the entire city of Denver. They only select one undergraduate intern every school year—almost always a junior. And every high-achieving undergraduate student in the country who’s interested in corporate law applied for it. I still remember the way my nerves went haywire this summer when I walked into the reception area and saw all the people who were waiting to interview.”
Anna waves a hand like it’s some minor detail. “You have just as good a shot as anyone, Poppy. You’re so smart and so hardworking. And you’re the most impressive junior enrolled at Hollis.”
I manage a small smile despite the uncertain feeling inside of me. It’s probably not good news that it’s taken months for the firm to make a decision. That means the applicant pool was insanely competitive.
A flicker of dread settles in my stomach. If I don’t get this internship, my parents will be so disappointed in me. And the thought of disappointing them makes me want to crawl out of my skin.
Being raised by two mega-successful lawyers has its perks for sure. I went to the best schools. I never had to worry about money growing up. Everything in my life is paid for by them.I just have to hold up my end of the bargain: be the perfect daughter in every way.
Perfect grades. Perfect test scores. Never, ever get into trouble. Never, ever deviate from the plan they crafted for me since I was born.
Work hard and excel in school. Get into Hollis University, their alma mater. Get a perfect LSAT score. Graduate at the top of my class and get into a Top Ten law school. Graduate at the top of that as well. Then work for their hugely successful law firm.
And most important: never stop to ask myself if I want any of this—if I evenwantto be a lawyer.
I ignore the uneasy feeling gnawing through my gut. Of course I want to be a lawyer. It’s all I’ve ever wanted to be.
