Chapter 3
1047 Words
3
“I want to be—I’m going to be—an astronaut,” Selena answered Dr. Parsons’s first question.
Dr. Parsons smiled. “I’m glad to hear it.”
Selena studied the doctor’s face. She was used to adults chuckling when she told them of her ambition. Astronaut. It sounded so impossible.
But Selena had wanted it, dreamed of it, pursued it, since she was six years old. She wasn’t joking. This wasn’t some frivolous idea, the way some of her classmates switched from wanting to be a lawyer … no, a veterinarian … an NFL player … a teacher … “I just want to be rich!”
It was all so boring.
There were steps to take. Real life, actual steps. And Selena had researched them since she was a little girl. Ever since she saw a program on PBS about women astronauts. She knew then, like you’re born with certain fingerprints and DNA. She was born to be an astronaut. Search over.
She took all the hardest math and science classes school offered. Right now she was in AP Physics, Advanced Calculus, and a robotics class offered as an elective.
Robots would be used for space travel. They already were. The University of Arizona Lunar and Planetary Sciences department was responsible for the Mars Rover, the robot currently exploring all over Mars.
It was why Selena was applying there. To be part of a program like that. When NASA was looking for new astronauts, they would look at Selena’s list of accomplishments and think wow, we want her.
Selena would be ready for the future—for her future. She was leaving nothing to chance.
“You know,” Dr. Parsons said, setting down her pen. She had been taking notes all along on a pastel blue legal pad. Selena liked the color. She didn’t know they came in anything but canary yellow. “When the realtor sold us this house, she said Frank Borman used to live here as a child. I don’t know if it’s true—”
“Frank Borman, the astronaut?” Selena said.
“That’s the one,” Dr. Parsons answered.
Selena looked around the living room again. It was fate. The idea of it gave her chills.
Dr. Parsons picked up her pen again. “Tell me about your classes.”
Selena described all six of them, then went on to talk about the teachers. The robotics class was taught by Ellie Nuy, a grad student from the U of A who knew all about the Mars program.
Mr. Spence was the AP Physics teacher. This was the first time Selena had been in one of his classes. He only taught seniors, and always took the best of the best.
So Selena had been thrilled when, after just two weeks into the semester, Mr. Spence invited her to join his Genius Track. Everyone knew that was practically impossible to get into.
There were only seven kids in it total, out of the AP Physics class of twenty. Selena and Brandy Ochoa were the only two girls. Selena had gone to school with Brandy since first grade. She knew the girl was brilliant.
But Brandy wanted to be an inventor. She was in the robotics class, too.
As far as Selena knew, she was the only one in the Genius Track who was planning on being an astronaut and traveling the stars.
Dr. Parsons checked her watch. “I’m hungry. How about you?”
Time had flown by. It was almost noon.
“I made cinnamon rolls before you came,” said Dr. Parsons. “Let’s take a break.”
Clover had been snoring the whole time with her head in Selena’s lap. Selena hated to wake the dog, but the truth was, she was starving.
That had been one of her symptoms this past month: no appetite at all. Along with extreme lethargy and a scary inability to focus to mind. She was constantly wandering off topic in her thoughts, forgetting what she was supposed to be studying. She had to reread and reread her assignments, trying to force the information into her head.
She got a C-minus on her calculus test—something that had never happened before—and Selena realized in a panic that same day that she couldn’t understand what Mr. Spence was saying about all of the physics calculations he’d written up on the board.
That was when she finally told her mother what was going on.
Selena’s dreams for the future were slipping away faster than she could stop them.
But now. Now she was feeling hopeful again.
Maybe Dr. Parsons really could cure her. Whatever this was.
Dr. Parsons made a fresh pot of coffee, and she and Selena’s mother drank some to go with their rolls. Selena just wanted water to wash down the delicious sugar. Then the break was over, and it was back to the couch.
Selena settled in, and Clover found her spot again.
Dr. Parsons picked up her pad and paper. She had more questions. Lots of questions.
It wasn’t like with the other doctors. They asked questions, too, but most of them only pretended to hear what Selena said. She could tell they already knew what tests they were going to order. They already thought they knew what must be wrong.
But Dr. Parsons actually listened. Selena could tell that she heard.
She trusted Selena to know what it felt like to be inside her own body, what it felt like to think with her own mind.
Finally Dr. Parsons finished with all her questions.
She tilted her head and looked at Selena with those calm green eyes.
“How do you feel about being hypnotized?” asked Dr. Parsons.
Selena’s mother had already warned her that would probably be part of this session.
Selena nodded. She didn’t trust her voice. The truth was, the idea of being put in a trance, or whatever it was, scared her. Scared her a lot.
It was why she never smoked weed or drank beer, even though some of her friends did. Selena valued her mind. She liked feeling in control. She didn’t want to mess it up and maybe lose the brain cells she needed to achieve her childhood goal.
Dr. Parsons leaned forward and reached out her hand.
Selena reached her hand out to meet it.
Dr. Parsons looked into Selena’s eyes and squeezed her fingers. “I promise. I won’t do anything you don’t want.”
“But … you think it will help,” Selena said. “Maybe … help me remember.”
“I do,” said Dr. Parsons.
“And I’ll be right here, baby,” Selena’s mother said.
Selena blew out a tense breath. “Okay. Let’s do it.”
- Writer
