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had the ability to hand pick my job and where I lived. Not just pick the field I wanted to work in, but the exact job I wanted. As long as the person holding the position was a silver or lower, the job was mine. Six months of career overview courses would assist me in choosing my job. Then I would spend the next year intensely training until I knew every aspect of the job I would take over.
    I opened the letter and read and re-read it several times to make sure there had been no mistake. All the information matched mine and everything looked official. Plus they had scanned my iris. Slowly I began to accept my reality as I read through the rest of the enclosed information. I knew I’d have to re-read the information again later. I was simply too distracted to absorb it all right now, but it helped it feel more real to me. Besides, a few bits of interesting information did stick with me. I was to bring no more than a small carry-on bag of personal items with me. Clothing and housing would be provided for me at the college, as well as an ample food ration and income credits.
    I considered using my tablet to see what the campus, my future home, looked like, but then I decided against it. That was something I wanted to share with Byron. Where was he anyway? I figured he’d be here by now. Then again, if I got gold, he at least got silver, and I’m sure that he and his family were still reeling from the shock.
    Beep. Beep. Beep . My heart leaped with the hope that it was Byron calling me, but my tablet wasn’t set to beep, and it wasn’t in the kitchen where the noise was coming from. I walked into the kitchen with my mom and dad in tow. It was Aunt Irena calling to gloat – I mean console my parents that I hadn’t done as well has her Leroy.
    “Should we answer it?” my mom questioned me. It felt odd having her ask my permission for something.
    “Sure. But be warned: she might never talk to you again after this,” I teased as I held up the letter.
    “In that case…” my mom snickered as she tapped her tablet on. “Hi, Irena,” she greeted. She was doing a horrible job appearing somber. Fortunately, Aunt Irena only ever saw and heard what she wanted.
    “Oh, Lydia, you look horrible. What happened? How bad is it? She didn’t get red, did she?” I stifled a laugh and handed my letter to her as she shook her head no. “Not worse?” Aunt Irena said in her most scandalous tone.
    “Of course not,” my mom replied in her sweetest voice. She held the letter in front of her tablet.
    “Your poor lighting is playing tricks on my eyes; I can’t tell what color that is,” Aunt Irena snapped. She sounded both confused and annoyed.
    “It’s no trick of light, Irena. You’re seeing gold – and no, it’s not a silly joke or prank on my part. My daughter, Alexandria, has been fast-tracked,” my mom said with an abundant tone of smugness.
    “Oh. Well. That’s unexpected.” Aunt Irena looked like the words tasted bitter on her tongue. “Well I’m glad to hear everything is well. I should go; I think I hear my young Liam calling me.” Before my mom had a chance to respond, my aunt had already tapped off the tablet.
    I felt a twinge of guilt for Liam. I was sure my aunt would be all over him to constantly study. Now anything less than gold would be unacceptable in her eyes.
     
    With my permission, my parents made several calls to share the good news with our closest friends and family. I gracefully accepted everyone’s praise and congratulations, but my heart and mind really weren’t in it. After my parents, there were only two other people I wanted to share my news with, and they were two doors down from us.
    “You might as well go over his house,” my mom finally said. “He’s probably stuck doing the same thing as you. Smiling and nodding at an endless line of friends and relatives.”
    “You don’t mind if I go?” I asked out of politeness. If I didn’t think it would have hurt her feelings I would