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Chapter 23

"What do you want to do after high school?" I ask. He looks up from his notebook obviously surprised by my question.

"Why do you ask?"

"You don't have to answer if you don't want to. I was just curious."

He takes a moment to gather his thoughts. It was clear that this was not something he so easily talked about. "I want to join the Army." His answer was surprising.

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah. What? Do you think that is a dumb idea?"

"Why are you so defensive when I ask about your future?" I try and make my question sound less serious than what it had.

He looks at me without saying anything taken back by my little outburst. "Talking about my future only brings problems."

"I didn't ask to cause any problems. I support that decision 100 percent! You should go for it."

"My parents are all for me joining, but Anna is disgusted by the idea."

"She's probably just worried about you getting hurt." He puts his eyes back to the notebook and lets out a disgusted laugh while shaking his head.

"It isn't that. She hates the idea that I don't want to go to college."

"Oh." I am not sure how to respond to his confession. I feel bad for just letting it hang there, but I am at a loss of words.

"How about you?" He asks breaking the awkward silence.

"I am not entirely sure yet, but I know I want to do something that helps people."

"Like a missionary or more like something along the lines of a doctor?"

"I have a ton of goals with my life. You wouldn't want to hear them." He closes the notebook and places his crossed arms on top of it. He looks me straight in the eyes and waits for me to continue. I laugh and continue, "I want to be more of a doctor. I don't think I am cut out for surgery, but at least be skilled enough to help someone hurt on the side of the road. Once I become established in a practice I want to open a community center where families who are struggling can have a place to feel safe and have a warm meal. When I have saved enough to support the community center and my life here I want to travel with Doctors Without Borders for a few years."

"A doctor." He repeats and smiles.

"Yeah. It's a lot."

"Yeah it is, but it's worthit. The world needs more people like you." I smile at his comment and the bellrings. He puts everything back into his backpack and stands up from the table."I'll see you around Theresa." He walks toward the hallway and disappearsaround the corner.