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"So you're a little weird? Work it! A little different? Own it! Better to be a nerd than one of the herd"

                      ~Mandy Hale

"Lyra can I have a word with you." The calculus teacher called as I was about to exit the classroom.

"Ooh lil miss Einstein's in trouble today." My classmate mocked

"Or maybe she wants more homework." another teased making the entire class laugh.

"Don't mind them." Mr Robertson told me after everyone had gone.

"I don't." I shrugged, truthfully speaking I've never cared about what my classmates had to say about me, my only focus was on my studies.

"OK." He looked at me a little taken aback by my response.

"You wanted to speak to me about something." I reminded.

"Right." he nodded "so I've been looking at your grades-"

"Did I fail any?" I asked feeling my heart skip a beat as panic set within me. 

"No, no, calm down." he chuckled "You my dear are a perfect straight A+ student" he complimented and I let out a sigh of relief, I was the best in my class. "But there is one problem though."

"And what could that be Mr Robertson?"

"You don't have any ECAs."

"ECAs?" I looked at him confused.

"Sorry, I meant to say you don't have any extracurricular activities or physical fitness."

"I can't participate in any form of sports due to my illness, the administration knows that." I told him.

"I know, I'm head of the sports department" he reminded "but even with your illness, you can still participate in other activities."

"Like?" I frowned.

"I don't know, debate, music." He shrugged and pushed a paper towards me. "There's a list of all the activities you can participate in."

"Is this necessary?" I glanced between him and the paper.

"Yes, you can't just rely on your good grades, even college applications require not only your grades but other things too."

"And how many do I have to pick?" I asked staring at the paper with numerous activities printed on it in black.

"One but if you wa-"

"One is enough." I got the paper and packed it in my backpack. "Was that all?" 

"That will be all, you can go."

"OK." I nodded and got up from my seat walking straight to the door before he stopped me.

"Oh and Lyra" he called and I turned to face him "you need to pick an activity by Friday this week."

"Ok sir." I nodded and left.

"Hello Albert." I smiled at my driver who like always replied with a nod and opened the door for me to get in just, in normal situations or better yet in movies, I thought we would have developed a close relationship or some sort due to the fact that he had been my personal driver since I was 4 years old but no, that's not the case for us, he rarely speaks to me and if he did then its to respond to my greeting or inform me about some important information my mother told him to convey.

"How's been your day Albert?" I asked trying to make effort like always but I ended up giving up when he kept responding with one word answers. I took out my journal and started writing whatever came to mind.

"I was told to pick an extracurricular activity today." I spoke breaking the ice between my mother and I as we sat having dinner at the round oak table.

"You don't need one." she spoke in without even bothering to look up from her plate.

"I told Mr Robertson the same thing but he said I need one because I don't participate in any physical fitness activities."

"I already told you, you don't need one of those time consuming activities, they will only distract you." She spoke dismissively. "I'll have a word with your principal tomorrow."

"Yes ma'am." I sighed and we continued our meal in silence with only the sound of the cutlery clanking against the plate echoing in the spacious dining room.

"I got an A+ in AP chemistry." I beamed trying to make conversion and ease the tension as dinner with my mother felt like a ride home with Albert.

"As you should, I'm not spending money for you to waste it." She responded in one breath. "Did you see the Harvard form I sent to you?"

"Harvard form?" I quizzed.

"Yes the Harvard form, have you not seen it." she glared sternly at me. "Are you serious with your life-"

"I did see it." I interupted her ranting session and masked my confusion. "It just slipped my mind." Lord knew I didn't  wanting to get yelled at.

"Have you filled it in yet?"

"Isn't it too early for me to start filling college applications?" I asked. I know she wanted to get rid of me but it was too soon, it was barely March.

"It's never too early, we need to secure your place there now."

"What if-"

"Just fill the form and send it to me." She silenced me. "Or do you want me to send you to your grandparents." She cocked her eyebrow.

"No ma'am." I shook my head quickly. 

Most people loved their grandparents and vise versa but for me it wasn't the same, I feared them and dreaded them and always stayed as far away as possible when they visited. We couldn't be in the same space for more than a minute without them making a nasty comment about me. And if being around them for less than 24 hours felt like I'd been in prison for years what more staying with them.

"Its almost 8 go and study." She shooed me out of the dining room not even bothering to ask if I was satisfied or not but hey it's my mother, she never cared.

I went into my study room which once was a music room belonging to my father, after they divorced she had all the instruments thrown out and destroyed reason being they reminded her of my of him and she hated that.

Pushing all non-school related thoughts out of my head, I got my books and begun to study like any normal highschool girl would on a chilly Wednesday night, who am I kidding, my age mates are probably rotting their brains with useless information on the internet or television while others were probably spending quality time with their families but here I was unsatisfied and alone, studying topics yet to be taught by my teachers all because my mum wanted me to. 

Huffing I grabbed my calculus book and a paper fell out of it. I picked up the paper and read what was on it. School Extra Curricular Activities it read. This was the paper Mr Robertson had given me earlier. I put it away under my other books, knowing there would be no need for me to go through it and check what I would like to pick because I knew all to well my mum was going to do everything in her power to get me out of it, she always had a way of getting people to do whatever she wanted.

Sighing deeply I carried on with my studying.