sighed. "Me, either. It'd be sweet, though."
CHAPTER THREE
By Sunday, before setting about doing his chores, Austin searched the Internet. There had to be some evidence of this Lobera School of Excellence in San Francisco. The main LSE Web site required a login and password just to view details about the school. Apparently, the school worked through individual recruiters. A few hits on the search engine turned up references in people's online resumes and applications, but nothing else.
Several hits on his search mentioned affiliate schools in Saint Charles in Missouri, Fairport in New York, and Bristol in Virginia. He had never heard of any of these towns before. One blog mentioned a Lobera-related school in south Georgia near Savannah. He thought about Josh’s meeting with the recruiter.
Austin’s cell phone rang, so he hurried to his room, slammed the door and plopped on his bed so hard he bounced. He answered the call and Josh's voice shot out.
"Austin! We’re done!"
Loud voices and rock music mixed as Austin strained to hear.
"I can't hear you well. Where are you?"
"We're celebrating at The Bull . You want to come join us?"
His stomach dropped. "I don't have a car remember?"
"Oh sorry, man. Anyway, I got it and I'm taking it!"
"The scholarship?"
"Yeah, what do you think? It's a full ride and I can start at the first of the year."
Austin inhaled. "First of the year? What about high school?"
"That's the best part. I have enough credits to go ahead and start college if I want to. Any remaining credits I need can be done at my new school as joint enrollment."
Austin swallowed. "That's great, man. I'm really happy for you. So what's the deal?"
"It's like a boarding school. I have to get a pass to leave on the weekends, but the school has educated some of the best in the world. They don't accept many each year so I feel lucky."
Both paused for a moment before Josh cut through the silence. "I've never been farther west than Mississippi and now I'm going to school in San Francisco for free."
Burying his face in his free hand. "I can't believe you get to leave."
"Yeah, I 'm actually leaving two days after Christmas so I can move in and be ready to start the spring semester."
"So what's so great about this school?"
"You mean other than the fact it's free?" Josh said something inaudible to someone nearby before he returned. "Anyway, people throughout history have received the best undergraduate education from this school. They didn't provide specific details, but Lobera has graduates in the top levels of government and the private sector."
"So the recruiter really turned your head? Be careful of those kinds of people."
"I'll be careful. I'm on probation the first semester. If it doesn't work out, they send me home. Hey, ask your mom if you can come out to meet us for dinner or at least dessert."
Austin gazed out his bedroom window. "I can’t. We'll catch up later. I'm really happy for you."
"Thanks, buddy. I couldn't have done this without you."
"Have a great time celebrating."
The phone disconnected. Austin dropped his phone on the computer desk. He stared out the window and watched a flutter of wind jostle the leaves.
Right now, Josh celebrated his scholarship with his parents, probably talking about the future. Other students he talked to at school spoke of colleges and universities they would attend next year. Austin always changed the subject or remained silent. Whenever he was asked, he explained uncertainty about where he would go to college or that he was narrowing down his choices. It had been the same answer for three years now.
It had been different with Josh. They never spoke about college. Instead of talking about math, geometry and college scholarships, they discussed comics, games and movies. Hanging out with Josh had been a true escape from the rest of the world. After Dad died, flying side-by-side in their Tridents through an asteroid field allowed him to disappear from his empty,
CHAPTER THREE
By Sunday, before setting about doing his chores, Austin searched the Internet. There had to be some evidence of this Lobera School of Excellence in San Francisco. The main LSE Web site required a login and password just to view details about the school. Apparently, the school worked through individual recruiters. A few hits on the search engine turned up references in people's online resumes and applications, but nothing else.
Several hits on his search mentioned affiliate schools in Saint Charles in Missouri, Fairport in New York, and Bristol in Virginia. He had never heard of any of these towns before. One blog mentioned a Lobera-related school in south Georgia near Savannah. He thought about Josh’s meeting with the recruiter.
Austin’s cell phone rang, so he hurried to his room, slammed the door and plopped on his bed so hard he bounced. He answered the call and Josh's voice shot out.
"Austin! We’re done!"
Loud voices and rock music mixed as Austin strained to hear.
"I can't hear you well. Where are you?"
"We're celebrating at The Bull . You want to come join us?"
His stomach dropped. "I don't have a car remember?"
"Oh sorry, man. Anyway, I got it and I'm taking it!"
"The scholarship?"
"Yeah, what do you think? It's a full ride and I can start at the first of the year."
Austin inhaled. "First of the year? What about high school?"
"That's the best part. I have enough credits to go ahead and start college if I want to. Any remaining credits I need can be done at my new school as joint enrollment."
Austin swallowed. "That's great, man. I'm really happy for you. So what's the deal?"
"It's like a boarding school. I have to get a pass to leave on the weekends, but the school has educated some of the best in the world. They don't accept many each year so I feel lucky."
Both paused for a moment before Josh cut through the silence. "I've never been farther west than Mississippi and now I'm going to school in San Francisco for free."
Burying his face in his free hand. "I can't believe you get to leave."
"Yeah, I 'm actually leaving two days after Christmas so I can move in and be ready to start the spring semester."
"So what's so great about this school?"
"You mean other than the fact it's free?" Josh said something inaudible to someone nearby before he returned. "Anyway, people throughout history have received the best undergraduate education from this school. They didn't provide specific details, but Lobera has graduates in the top levels of government and the private sector."
"So the recruiter really turned your head? Be careful of those kinds of people."
"I'll be careful. I'm on probation the first semester. If it doesn't work out, they send me home. Hey, ask your mom if you can come out to meet us for dinner or at least dessert."
Austin gazed out his bedroom window. "I can’t. We'll catch up later. I'm really happy for you."
"Thanks, buddy. I couldn't have done this without you."
"Have a great time celebrating."
The phone disconnected. Austin dropped his phone on the computer desk. He stared out the window and watched a flutter of wind jostle the leaves.
Right now, Josh celebrated his scholarship with his parents, probably talking about the future. Other students he talked to at school spoke of colleges and universities they would attend next year. Austin always changed the subject or remained silent. Whenever he was asked, he explained uncertainty about where he would go to college or that he was narrowing down his choices. It had been the same answer for three years now.
It had been different with Josh. They never spoke about college. Instead of talking about math, geometry and college scholarships, they discussed comics, games and movies. Hanging out with Josh had been a true escape from the rest of the world. After Dad died, flying side-by-side in their Tridents through an asteroid field allowed him to disappear from his empty,
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