Green Light

Prologue

Introduction: Twist of Fate

CANDICE

"It always seems impossible until it's done."

This quotation from Nelson Mandela rang in my mind as I read the mail that the Admission Committee of Harvard has sent me. I was almost lost of breath, and everything was still wistful even after reading the letter for the nth time. It was as if being the Speedy Reader of the class when I was in preparatory school was not enough because I still couldn't completely digest what this letter contains for me.

"Okay, Candice, one more time." I convinced myself. "Your research about telomeres was one of the best researches in the 2019 Research Colloquium, you were given an award for that, and this shouldn't be a surprise for you!" I sighed. My brows furrowing at my brain for being completely disobliging of my current dilemma.

Actually, I know what this letter is all about, it's just that my mind was just not ready to accept it. This letter was just a dream when I won first place in the Grade 5 Junior Inventor Exhibit but now it's bizarre that a dream that formed in my mind from years ago, could actually become real enough to hold it in your hand or look at it through a monitor.

Swallowing hard, I read the letter again and to be really honest I'm starting to get annoyed with myself. Why couldn't I process this thing? Why couldn't my brain get it?! But they said only 1 had pass out of 100 students in our school who applied for the admission in Harvard.

How about Eddie Long? What about my friends whom I reviewed with?

As if on cue, my phone rang and I saw Jenny, my best friend's name flashed on the monitor. I quickly picked it up and my eardrums almost exploded when I was greeted with a loud, excited squeal. "Tell me," she said after "you passed, didn't you?" It was almost as if she was calculating her words, they carefully went out from her mouth like she was sure but still had doubts about what she had claimed.

I heaved a sigh. It took a second for me to answer and so she talked again. "What? You didn't?" There was a hint of disappointment in her voice. "It couldn't possibly be Hillary," she's talking about the genius beauty queen in our school which regularly competes with everything I do, literally everything, "I mean, she is intelligent but not intelligent enough to outwit you or to pass the admission test," she breathed hard, through the phone I know that she's thinking profoundly, "and the only one who could possibly beat you is Eddie Long, but he posted a thread in twitter complaining about his results, even reproving Harvard for what he said 'lack of sensibility and taste—"

"I passed." I cut her off, but I didn't think she heard me because she kept on blabbering stuff about Eddie Long's ridiculous twitter thread.

"—I mean could you believe the audacity of that guy? Blaming Harvard for his ineffectiveness, I knew from the first day that that geek wouldn't be able to take a blow. It's obvious, with his high chin and intimidating eyebrows."

"Jenny," I called once more, in this manner she stopped talking.

"What?"

"I received a mail from the Admission Committee of Harvard..." Those words almost flew with the air. A small smile escaped from my lips as I began to realize—and as my brain started to incorporate every thought in my head, that I, have truly passed the admission exam of one of the most prominent University of the world.

I heard her breathing in the background and I could almost imagine her face being filled with shock as she tries to sink every word in. It took a moment for her to answer back and so I took advantage and without ado, read the mail out loud.