Chapter 21

The next few weeks passed in a bit of a blur. Georgina’s attitude toward Diana had mellowed—slightly. She was at least civil now, which Diana took as a win. Her relationship with Steve—whatever it was—grew steadily, day by day.

Diana felt a flicker of excitement as she walked into Equal Opportunity that evening. After weeks of working with the students and seeing their potential, she had a plan—one that could help some of them go to college.

Steve drifted toward the long table where Diana was working with three of the older teens. For some reason, he kept finding himself drawn to wherever she was. Like a fifteen-year-old with a crush on the new teacher, he thought with a small shake of his head.

He watched her perform a goofy secret handshake with one student, then high-five the next three who walked into the homework room. She was so effortlessly herself, and the kids adored her for it.

These were the students she’d specifically planned to track down that evening—seniors in high school, or like Sonny, already graduated.

“You came back,” Sonny grinned.

“You always sound so surprised.”

“That’s ‘cause every time you leave, I think that’s it. No offense, Miss S, but a pretty woman like you ... you don’t really belong in this neighborhood. People like you don’t stick around. You’re too good for this place.”

Diana set her bag on the table and looked up, making sure she had all their attention.

“There’s no such thing as ‘people like me,’ okay? There are just people. No one is better or worth more than anyone else.”

She pulled out a stack of college brochures. “At the school where I teach, we’ve got an entire wall of college resources. I brought some materials tonight so you can start looking.”

Sonny crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. “None of us are going to college. We’re never getting out of this neighborhood. Nobody here’s got the money for that.”

A girl named Jenna flipped through one of the state university catalogs. “Let’s be real, Miss S. Half of us barely make it out of high school.”

Diana took a deep breath. “I believe every one of you is capable of going to college. If that’s what you want, it’s a real possibility.”

“Belief doesn’t pay tuition,” Jenna muttered, placing the handout back on the stack.

“No, it doesn’t,” Diana replied. “But scholarships, grants, and work-study programs can help. Right here, I’ve got info on over thirty scholarships I think each of you could qualify for. I spent last weekend researching them.”

She handed Sonny a packet from a small college that offered awards for creative writing and performance.

He looked up at her, stunned. “You did all this ... for us?”

Diana shrugged. “If you’re interested, I’ll help with the entrance essays and the paperwork. I’ll walk you through every step. And if you want to visit colleges, I’ll drive you.”