Seventeen-year-old Moira was a rising senior in her high school, Green Lily Academy of Natural Sciences. Having a special interest in chemistry and physics, Moira would often spend her afterschool hours in the school's laboratory, helping her teachers read other students' reports on their weekly scientific experiments. That particular day in early autumn, however, was different as Moira was too excited about Neesa's return from her internship program to pay attention to her extracurricular activity.

"Ms. Roberts, could I be excused this afternoon? My cousin Neesa is coming home from a long trip and I want to properly welcome her back. Please?" Moira asked her science teacher, praying that her words did not come across as too forceful.

The older, bespectacled woman with chestnut brown hair smiled at her and, after calling Moira's aunt to confirm the news, gave Moira the green light to leave early. "I see that you are very eager to see your cousin again. You have my permission. Give your cousin my regards and don't forget about an assignment you have due next week!" Ms. Roberts chuckled and sent the young lady off after making sure the laboratory was spotless.

Moira rode her bike as fast as she could, humming her favorite tune, all the while thinking of all the questions she had for Neesa. Reaching home, she ran upstairs to Neesa's room, uncharacteristically ignoring her aunt's greetings, and as she had hoped Neesa was already there, spinning in a comfortable office chair, her face buried in a thick book. Moira sneaked behind her and tugged at her pony tail.

"Ouch! What did you do that for?" Neesa pouted but immediately turned cheerful as she realized it was none other than her beloved cousin. Moira grinned and plopped herself on Neesa's bed, hiding under the blanket. Neesa pulled the blanket back and started tickling Moira's feet, laughing triumphantly.

"Hey Neesa, you should tell me all about your trip because I have been daydreaming about it since forever but unfortunately Aunt Zoe said our family could only afford to send one of us abroad. I am so jealous but I figured I could live vicariously through you. So? Spill the tea!" Moira shouted in glee, legs kicking in the air. Neesa just shook her head and grabbed her cousin's wrist, dragging her downstairs into the dining room.

"Sure, but let's do this over tea and snacks, okay? I haven't eaten yet and I have the munchies!" Neesa playfully complained.

Neesa's parents, Aunt Zoe and Uncle Martin, were already waiting at the table with a few slices of apples and oranges. Neesa grabbed a piece of apple and pecked them both on the cheek. 

"Alright, folks, you know I had a wonderful time in Red Sycamore as you could see from the millions of pictures I emailed. But I understand it's better to hear it straight from me, isn't it? So, where should I start? Should I tell you about this amazing opportunity I heard from a leading researcher I really admire?" Neesa began talking at a rapid-fire speed while munching on the apples, disregarding her mom's disgusted face.

"You met a researcher? You mean your internship did not only allow you to shadow a graduate student but also connect you with someone renowned in the world of biochemistry?" Moira interrogated Neesa with envy apparent in her voice.

Neesa nodded and showed everyone the book that she was reading earlier. "See the author of this book, Dr. Kinoya? I got the honor of meeting him when my group toured the residence halls at the Blue Orchid University on the first day of our orientation. Apparently, a student of his had invited him to a potluck dinner, but he was kind enough to greet us foreigners as well! He was the nicest!" Neesa waved her hands around, becoming more and more animated, and her words came cascading like a waterfall.

"Slow down, kid. We are not going anywhere!" Uncle Martin scolded, followed by his wife's discreet yet naughty smirk. Neesa blushed and tried to catch her breath, annoyed, but not wanting to argue with food in her mouth.

"Dr. Kinoya told my group that he would be happy to have us back as undergraduates if we ever applied to Blue Orchid because he is looking for a research assistant, and while he usually works with upperclassmen, he would love to change things up and hire a foreign freshman student, for cultural exchange or whatever his reason was. Anyway, the important thing is I figured out I am no longer interested in biochemistry because I do not enjoy the course load but I know someone who is a perfect fit!" Neesa stared at Moira.

Moira was taken aback, she nearly dropped her fork. "Me? Did I hear you right? True, I am always at the laboratory, but honestly I haven't given much thought to my future major. Even if I want to go to college, I doubt we can afford it. It would be a difficult goal to achieve." 

Moira looked down at her fruit bowl. Neesa reached into her backpack and pulled out a brochure, handing it to Moira, who opened it to see a page about scholarships.

"Did you know that Dr. Kinoya and the other professors in his department have a deal with the board of trustees that whoever the research committee chooses to be the next assistant would be entitled to have his or her tuition fee waived for the whole eight semesters? You should give it a try!" Neesa clenched her fists, hoping Moira would feel encouraged. Moira, however, did not seem convinced.

"You are jumping the gun here, Neesa. You haven't even told me yet what type of research Dr. Kinoya and the faculty are conducting. What if I'm not the right person for it? What if I work my butt off and am not selected?" Moira sounded doubtful.

Neesa sighed and squeezed Moira's shoulders. "I hate your insecurity, you know that? You need to give yourself a chance. So, the research is something a little different than what you are used to, but just keep an open mind. Dr. Kinoya is studying a hybrid species called the Gaburs, which are half avian and half mammal.  In short they are part-bird and part-elephant. How did they come into existence? I don't know, we can find out later if you like. What you need to know for now is that the Gaburs have low reproductive success and Dr. Kinoya is studying the factors causing this low rate of breeding success. Next semester or the semester after, he plans to bring his assistants to Golden Valley to observe the Gaburs. I thought you would benefit from this and there's no harm in it; all the expenses will be paid by the board of trustees," Neesa explained. Moira did not answer and Neesa tried her hardest not to let her disappointment show.

Uncle Martin gave Aunt Zoe a look of concern and then they turned towards Moira, who seemed to be having a hard time processing the information. "Moira, it wouldn't hurt to send in your application and even if you don't get in, your aunt and I would still love you," Uncle Martin said gently, careful not to scare the girl. 

"He is right, Moira, you shouldn't discount yourself. I know that you might be worried about fitting in at a big university, especially due to your disorder, but you are a capable person and we believe in you. You can ask for reasonable adjustment or modification in the syllabus if you ever find the college classes too hard. They are compelled to accommodate you as there are many laws about the treatment of students with disabilities," Aunt Zoe added, caressing Moira's hair and hugging her.

"Listen, Moira. I have a disability too. Last summer was the first time in my life I ever spent my holidays on an entirely different planet and speaking in my second language. You know it is not easy for someone with ADHD to adapt to a new surroundings, yet I survived. We are almost legally adults now and sooner or later, we have to test our limits. You know what is best for you, but please don't let fear control you," Neesa weighed in with a piece of her mind.

"I am not afraid that my disability will get in the way, I am afraid that I am not mature enough to handle living on my own for an extended period of time. I am also worried about my language skills and my ability to make new friends. You remember how lonely I was in ninth grade when nobody I know from middle school ended up in Green Lily? You remember how I used to stutter when the teachers called on me or when I had to present a project?" Her volume was steadily increasing as she got more and more agitated.  

"Don't you remember how one time Mrs. Roberts called me the dreaded r-word just because it took longer for me to grasp a concept compared to my classmates? Do you think the same wouldn't happen at university? History has a habit of repeating itself!" Moira stood up so abruptly that her chair crashed to the ground. Her breathing was heavy from all the yelling.

"I know I am getting better at masking and pretending that I don't have a disability as I get older and I know that I can pass for 'normal' or neurotypical, but it is exhausting to conceal the truth and be in the closet about my neurodivergence," Moira continued, her eyes welling up. "I just want to feel accepted. I don't know how to cope with more insults. I know growing pains are real for everyone, neurodivergent or not, but I just don't want to be an outcast once more! Is that so wrong? And don't you dare try telling me to calm down and be rational because I know that life is never fair!" she shouted as the first drop of tears fell.

Neesa rose from her seat and pulled Moira into an embrace, sobbing onto her buttoned shirt. "I feel bad for pressuring you into doing something you may not be prepared to do. Still, I care about your happiness. I am sorry. I just want you to experience what you deserve to. We have been best friends since childhood, right? I want the best for you. Please forgive me for rushing in and being rash," Neesa apologized through tears. 

Moira didn't reply but she sat back down and reached for a jug of ice cold milk, pouring it into her empty glass. Neesa watched wordlessly as her cousin finished her drink.

"I'm tired. I'll be in my art studio if you want to talk more," Moira finally said and got up to put the glass in the sink.

Moira's art studio was a small corner in the garage that Uncle Martin set up as a gift for her tenth's birthday after she won third place in a painting competition in her elementary school. Ten-year-old Moira had painted a giant butterfly on top of a marigold, with a rainbow above them and a mountain enveloping everything. She had told Uncle Martin that when she grew up,  she would hike to the tallest mountain on White Banyan and collect a jar full of the most beautiful butterflies. When Uncle Martin had asked what she would do that for, Moira had simply shrugged and said it would be amazing to become an insect collector. Uncle Martin had been so proud of her painting and told her that she would, no doubt, grow up to be an awesome scientist and become respected for her discoveries and inventions.

The painting was still there in the garage when Moira entered with Neesa trailing behind her like a lost duckling. The older girl set up a blank canvass on the easel and pondered how she could express her anger through her brush. She was aware of Neesa was watching her, but she did not want to acknowledge her cousin. At least, not until she found the right words to tell her that she did not mean to be rude or make her cry.

"Moira, are you going to sulk all day and refuse to talk to me ever again?" Neesa whined.

 Moira pretended not to hear her and grabbed a tube of scarlet paint,  squeezing the contents onto her palette and mixing it with a bit of brown. She grabbed a pencil and began to outline a tulip bud.

"Are you painting a flower? You are talented," Neesa tried to start a conversation. The painter couldn't help the slightly upward curve of her lips.

"Thanks, but I would slap you if you say I should apply to an art school or something along those lines just because I am artistic," Moira painted the tulip in and grabbed another tube of paint, this one a deep sea blue. She also painted a girl lying under the tulip, eyes closed in a tranquil state and hands crossed over her belly. She then painted the rest of the canvass in a gradient of pinot noir purple and coal black. Once paint had dried a little, she added jasmine white rain drops. 

Neesa walked over and her eyes widened at the master piece in front of her. She clapped her hands like a child and danced in a circle.

"I think I know what the painting is trying to convey. The tulip represents your shell, while the girl is yourself trying to be courageous. The raindrops are your racing thoughts as you try to stand on your own feet." Neesa paused, then continued. "Well, how is my interpretation? I think it's very relaxing to look at but also makes me feel a bit sad," Neesa stopped dancing and folded her arms. 

Moira stood up to look at her admittedly rushed painting from a distance and gave her cousin a thumbs up. Now that she'd had time to clear up her head--albeit with some interruption--her anger had faded away. 

"Neesa, I accept your apology. I am sorry too, for the way I reacted. You're right, I am too insecure, but I am not going to let my insecurity hold me back. However, I need a way to prove to myself that I am strong enough to survive in college," Moira confided.

"Have you ever considered getting a job? It might be what you need." Neesa suggested.

As Moira pondered the sudden idea, she asked, "What help would that be?"

"Well, you could build up your curriculum vitae that way and maybe gain some confidence. Even if it is just something like mowing the lawn for our neighbor or helping out in the ice cream shop, having your own money can give you this feeling of independence," she explained, letting the idea sink into Moira's head.

Neesa walked closer to her cousin and put a comforting arm around her shoulders.

"However," she continued, "if you don't want to get a job just yet, that's fine too. I do remember, though, Dr. Kinoya said that having a job is a great way to show the admission counselors at Blue Orchid that you have the maturity required of a prospective college student. What do you say?" 

"I would appreciate it if you can get me in touch with Dr. Kinoya and maybe give me some more advice on how to snag a job to impress the counselors," Moira said hesitantly. She was nervous because she felt bad about snapping at Neesa earlier and now asking her for favors.

"No problem! I will give you his number so that you can contact him yourself!" Neesa exclaimed, delighted that her attempt at motivating her cousin did not go to waste. Neesa continued softly, carefully wording her suggestion so as not to sound pushy. "Could you clear up your schedule this weekend? I would be happy to assist you in writing him an introductory email." 

"Okay, it is not like I have any other plans," Moira shrugged. "Perhaps we should do it over a cup of warm coffee. Besides, I want to treat you to something nice as a thank you and to make up for snapping at you." 

"Oh, you shouldn't have to go out of your way! But yeah, coffee sounds wonderful. I'd be looking forward to that! I will do whatever I can to make sure you successfully matriculate at Blue Orchid if that's what you want!" she exclaimed.

With a solid plan in the calendar, Moira felt slightly more reassured that she would be mentally and emotionally ready to tackle the steps involved in enrolling at a university.