Chapter 4

"Oh."

Mom smiled. "The honor would be ours."

Dad forced a smile too.

"That's right, Professor Thomas. People are always telling us our eldest has one of those forgettable faces."

"We'd love it if he really were the boy you're looking for."

Mom clicked her tongue with what sounded like real regret.

"But sadly this one just happens to look like your genius.

"This year he didn't even get into a decent college."

Professor Thomas looked a little surprised.

"That… is that true?"

Dad nodded. "There's nothing we can do about it."

So my parents hadn't just ignored my acceptance letter.

They'd never once paid attention to a single award I'd won.

And yet.

I'd set the gold medal from the physics competition in the most visible spot on my desk.

Three years of high school.

All the times they came and went through my room.

Not once had they noticed a medal sitting on that desk.

"Come on! Stop making trouble here!"

Nadia yanked me away without another word.

I saw Professor Thomas wipe her glasses.

She let out a sigh, full of regret.

"Such a shame…"

Nadia pulled me over to the table and pushed me into a seat.

Not long after.

Jim came rushing over, lit up with excitement.

"Professor Thomas took me on as an outer-circle student! She agreed to tutor me online once a week from now on!"

He was practically cheering.

Threw his arms around Nadia, the two of them bouncing together.

I looked past him.

Mom and Dad were fawning all over Professor Thomas, seeing her into her car.

At the table.

Mom stroked Jim's hair.

"Mom always knew my Jimmy would make it."

"Of course I will!"

Nadia set down her glass.

"With Jimmy's SAT scores, how many kids in the whole country are as brilliant as he is?"

"Yeah, but it's a shame I can't measure up to that genius who got into MIT."

Jim propped his chin in his hand. "He's seriously amazing. I feel like no matter how hard I try, I'll never catch up to him."

I sat there and gave no reaction.

"What's the matter with you, no sense of the room."

Dad gave me a shove.

"Your brother just became Professor Thomas's student. Do you have any idea what her standing is in academia?

"Raise a glass to your brother."

Jim looked over at me.

Tried to hide the smugness at the corner of his mouth.

"It's fine, Clem. We're brothers by blood. Even if you don't toast me, I'll still look out for you later on."

"Clement Delgado!"

Mom shot me a displeased look.

"Look at your brother. Now look at yourself."

Nadia was out of patience.

"No talent, no people skills. I really don't know what's going to become of you."

Dad watched me coldly.

"I told you to toast your brother. What, is that too much of an insult for you?"

I stood up.

Lifted my glass.

"To you."

Jim scrambled to his feet.

Picked up his glass and clinked it against mine.

But the second it touched my glass.

His hand tipped.

The drink spilled all down his own arm.

"Jimmy!"

Mom cried out and shoved me away.

I hit the floor hard.

The soup that had just been served splashed all over me.

Jim's eyes went red. "It's okay, I know Clem didn't mean it."

Dad wiped every drop off Jim's arm.

Then turned.

Saw me sprawled on the floor.

He frowned.

"Bad grades, fine, at least you could have character.

"No character either. Then that's your whole life, right there."

"Come on, Jimmy, let's go get you cleaned up."

They gathered around Jim and turned to leave.

Nobody seemed to notice I was soaked through with sticky soup.

I kept my head down.

Found a bathroom myself and dabbed at my clothes.

When I came out.

The banquet hall was empty.

"Oh, your brother thought it was too loud in there, so they left first. What, they didn't tell you?"

I froze where I stood.

Said nothing.

My clothes dried out somewhere along the walk home.

In the wind.

My family didn't seem to register that I came home late.

Mom brought it up like it was nothing.

"You need to start planning your graduation trip. Think about where you want to go and talk it over with your brother."

"I want to go to Aspen!!"

Jim shouted and threw himself forward.

Latched onto Mom's arm. "Mom! Let's go to Aspen!"

Mom beamed.

"Fine, we'll go to Aspen. Clem wants to go too, so it works out."

I paused.

I hadn't said a word about where I wanted to go.

But I kept my mouth shut.

I suppose I already understood.

At a moment like this.

It made no difference where I said I wanted to go.

That night, to make the early morning flight, I went to bed early.

I could hear the family downstairs helping Jim pack.

Mom: "Bring these sunglasses, Jimmy's eyes get inflamed easily, he can't be in the sun too much."

Nadia: "Then I'll bring the umbrella. If the sun's too strong there, I can hold it over Jimmy."

Dad: "Pack a bigger bag, then. Jimmy's got a lot of stuff, and if it's big enough, Dad can carry it for you."

"Thank you, Mom, Dad! Thanks, Nadia! You're all so good to me!"

I closed my eyes.

Forced myself to sleep.

The next day.

I went through security with the family.

My ticket scanned.

But it wouldn't let me through.

The others, already inside with their suitcases, looked back.

Mom spoke up.

"Oh, I forgot. When I bought your ticket yesterday, I clicked the wrong one. Yours is to D.C."

Nadia shrugged.

"Too late to change it now. Next time, maybe."

The wrong ticket?

And only mine was wrong?

I looked at them.

They looked at me.

No sign that anyone meant to explain further.

I took the ticket.

"Okay."

"Let's go! Off to Aspen with Mom and Dad and Nadia!"

Jim went charging off, thrilled.

The family all laughed.

Mom lifted her camera to catch Jim's excited back as he ran.

I turned around.

Opened my phone.

Sent Professor Thomas a message.

【Professor, I've made up my mind. My flight today is to D.C. I want to join your closed research project.】