She listens, nodding like she’s processing it all. It’s a lot. And confusing if you’re not in it. She doesn’t press with any more questions.
“That sounds like a lot to carry, Benson.”
I stop walking.
She stops, too. She turns to look at me. “What?”
“Nothing. Just — nobody’s said that to me before.”
“What do people usually say?”
“They saythat’s amazing.Or they sayI can’t believe I know someone who’ll go pro.Or they sayyour chances are slim.My dad tells me I’m a kid living the dream. Coach tells me to keep my head down and work. My mom tells me she’s proud of me. Everybody is proud of me.”
“Yeah.” She offers a smile. “It’s really amazing, Benson.”
“Well, you’re the first person to call it a weight.”
“Well, it’s a lot of pressure, isn’t it?”
I nod. “Yes. It’s a lot. What about you?”
“What about me?”
“After graduation. What are you doing?”
She shrugs. “I don’t know.”
“Really?”
She nods. “Well, I have thought about going into a PhD program. I’m not sure I want to go straight through. I have been thinking about teaching for a year or two first.”
“Teaching what?”
“High school math.”
I raise my brows, imagining her as a high school math teacher.
“It feels embarrassing to say out loud. I went to Camden U on a scholarship. I feel like I’m supposed to have bigger ambitions.”
“Teaching high school math is not a smaller ambition than getting a PhD.”
“I know.”
“Do you? You’d be a hell of a high school math teacher, Lucy.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I do, actually. You are the only reason I am going to pass Markham’s class. I have watched you teach me. You’re really good, and honestly, you could replace Markham.”
She blushes. “Really?”
“You have a few more years, right?”
She nods, and I hate that it’s true because I won’t be here for them.
“You have time, but I could imagine you killing it. You’re so smart.”
She looks up at me. “Thank you.”
