After a few years, I figured out how to get my GED. It was the golden key that freed me from the torturous school I'd attended with Judah. But after "graduating" from high school, I found myself unsure about my next steps. Should I start applying to colleges now, or wait?
I opened my laptop and Googled how to apply and what the requirements were. Applying to a place like Harvard seemed impossible—too hard and far too expensive. I'd need to focus on smaller colleges. Obviously, I didn't have enough money to fully support myself through college, but anything was better than living under my foster parents' roof. I doubt they'd be willing to pay a cent toward my tuition anyway.
Suddenly, a new email popped up on the screen, interrupting my thoughts. I clicked on it.
Subject: Admission Offer----Stanford University
Dear Mike Schmidt,
Stanford University has accepted you on full scholarship! Once you accept and complete the form below, we will provide you with additional information. We hope that you accept our offer and have a wonderful rest of your day!
Sincerely, Jonathan Anthony Levin.
Stanford University?
One of the most prestigious schools in the country--and they wanted me?
I could barely contain my excitement. I didn't even tell my foster parents. They'd probably try to ruin it somehow. But then reality hit me: how was I even qualified? I remembered taking the SAT during my freshman year, but the school had told me it wouldn't count and made me retake it later.
I clicked the link in the email, and a form opened, showing my test scores and application details. Apparently, I'd scored a 1300 overall--pretty high, especially in the writing section. According to the portal, I was first in line to enroll. Still, I had no memory of applying to Stanford in the first place. When had I submitted anything? A chill ran down my spine, but I shook it off. Maybe it was an error, or maybe someone had submitted it on my behalf. Either way, this was an opportunity I couldn't ignore. I filled out the form, choosing engineering as my major. It seemed fun-- and I heard it paid well. But another issue came to mind: how was I going to get there? I had a car, but Stanford was all the way in Silicon Valley. Well, I did have some money saved up from doing odd jobs. And this was my chance to finally break away. This was the golden opportunity!
I closed my laptop and jumped off the bed, grinning. I started packing essentials—some hand-me-down t-shirts, socks, and personal items— when there was a knock at my door.
"Yeah?" I called out, shoving a shirt into my bag.
The door opened. My foster dad stood there with Mrs. Turner, my foster mom, behind him. He glanced at the packed bag.
"Oh good," he said coldly. "I was just about to tell you—we're kicking you out. You're taking up too much time and money, and you're a nuisance."
"That's fine," I replied, calmly placing my laptop into the bag. I looked him in the eye and smiled. "Stanford University just accepted me on scholarship, so I no longer need your services."
"Perfect timing," he muttered. "Finally, you'll be out of here."
"I know, and I'll go to college—unlike you," I said, brushing past him and Mrs. Turner.
"Excuse me?" he snapped.
"You heard me, Dave," I said, grabbing my keys and heading to the door.
"Now you listen to her—" I shut the door before he could finish his sentence.
"Time to start a new journey," I said, putting the car into reverse.
A couple of months later
Beep. Beep… Beep… Beep… Beep… Click.
I hit snooze on my alarm clock. 7:30 AM, it read. I began with my morning routine: working out, showering, brushing my teeth, and eating breakfast. I always made sure to finish before Dad got up. It was a habit that never left me. The past few months have been hard; nobody wanted to hire a 15-year-old to do work around here, so I had to do a lot of labor-intensive or odd jobs. I finally managed to keep afloat, but looking for jobs isn't as easy as I thought. Aside from that, I have finally been able to get to Stanford University. At first, many people were confused as to why a 15-year-old was walking around campus and acting as if he belonged there, but they learned to just accept it and crown me the youngest student to step foot in a college like this.
I always ensured I was never late to class and finished my work early or on time. This time, my school experience was different. Teachers loved me for my outstanding work, I made a couple of friends, and there were no issues with bullying. My only problem was money. I've been looking up ways to make money or just apply for jobs in general.
"Wow." I thought, "There are many ways to make money, even while staying at home; some of these positions are good, starting at 28 dollars an hour, but I have to get my certifications, which are all expensive."
I then saw an ad for a guard needed at a pizzeria. I looked at photos of the place, and the name seemed strangely familiar.
"Have I been here before?" I thought.
I clicked on the advertisement, which stated,
"Pay starting at 18 dollars an hour! Experience is not required!
"No experience, you say?" I thought to myself. I signed up for the job, and a prompt came on the computer screen.
"The owner of this ad will contact you eventually. Thank you for applying!"
"Alright, I guess." As I closed my laptop screen, these thoughts crossed my mind. I got ready for my class and was about to head out when I received a message on my phone.
"You've been hired! Contact us as soon as possible to discuss the hours and location." The message read.
"Damn, must be desperate, but it'll have to wait till after school," I said as I started to head for my lecture…
I was in a robotics lecture, staring blankly in front of me. I did well in it, but more importantly, I've grown genuinely interested and fond of it. The photos of the restaurant still linger in my mind.
"The place seems familiar, but I can't grasp what it is," I thought to myself.
"And those are 7 ways servos can lock up." The professor said, interrupting my thoughts.
"In summary, the main causes of servo lockups are dust, overheating, the bearing, overloading, or winding." Now, your project for the week is to study and use servos in a robot with a research report on why they are commonly used in today's world. That's all, class dismissed." The professor concluded his lecture.
I snapped out of my daydream state, gathered my books and papers, stuffed them in my bag, and headed out.
"I think I can laze on it until Wednesday; it's not that difficult to do." As I walked past the popular girls who were chatting nearby, this thought crossed my mind.
"Hey!" one of them yelled out. I kept walking, thinking it was for someone else. "Hey, you, in the blue t-shirt!" she said. The sight of the "blue t-shirt" brought me to a halt.
I turned to her. "Yeah?" I asked. She wore a white tank top with fuzzy dress pants. She looked like every frat girl with their Stanley cups and knick-knacks.
"I was wondering if you wanted to come to my party later tonight?" she asked, blushing slightly and biting her nails shyly.
I thought about it for a moment. "A girl is asking me to come to a party? That's rare." I thought to myself. I remembered that I had a job interview to attend and studies to focus on. Parties with fraternity members often end poorly.
Despite her attractiveness, I managed to resist the temptation.
"Sorry, but I can't," I responded, declining politely. "I have to study for this exam coming up. I also have a job interview."
"Can't you just skip one day?" She said, making a sort of puppy-eyed face.
"As I said before, I have to study for this exam and have a job to go to. Besides, I think my future is more important than a party," I said, smiling at her.
"Thanks for the invitation, though!" I said, walking away.
"Ugh, whatever. You lose," she said, rolling her eyes. Her attitude changed. I ignored her and headed back to my dorm. I closed the door behind me and placed my backpack on my chair. I did not want to go to some random party; I'm such an introvert.
"Finally, home at last," I thought to myself. I sat on my couch and turned on my phone. I began dialing the number to contact the company that hired me earlier today. It rang twice before they answered my call.
"Hello?" I said, waiting for an answer. There was silence on the other side of the phone until I heard a man respond.
"Hello! Are you the person that I hired today?" he asked in a formal voice.
"Yes, sir, I am," I responded politely.
"Good, my name is Henry Emily, but you can just, uh, call me Henry. I'm the co-founder of this restaurant, and the founder of this place is named William Afton. What's your name?" he asked.
"My name is Mike Schmidt. I'm currently in college, and I'm here to earn some money because I have spare time and need to cover my expenses," I replied. Due to nervousness, I started rubbing my knees.
"Ahh, Mr. Schmid—" he paused for a second and then spoke again. "Did you say your name is Mike Schmidt?" He asked again.
"Yes, Mr. Henry," I responded politely. "Is there something wrong?" I asked.
"No. I didn't mean to offend; I was just curious. I did not intend to cause any offense; I was merely curious. In any case, the starting pay is $18 per hour, and your responsibility is to monitor the premises and ensure no disturbances occur. It should be straightforward and uncomplicated. It should be elegant and simple." He added.
"Alright, that works for me." Where are you located? And when do I start?" I asked.
"Oh, right. Uh, we've been needing a night guard for quite some time now. I guess you could start today. Let's see, perhaps midnight?" He asked with hopefulness evident in his voice.
"Uh, it's a little tight, but I think I can make it work," I said, with a confident tone.
"Alright, well, you got the job then. You can, uh, clock out at 6:00 AM and be on your way. I'd suggest getting some sleep right now, but I'm not going to tell you what to do." He spoke with a hint of nervousness, but I dismissed it.
"Sure, and who's going to train me?" I asked.
"Oh, right, uh. Each night, pre-recorded messages will train you for your tasks. Mr. Afton should be there to give you the keys, but I'm not sure about that part; he's a busy man sometimes." Henry spoke.
"Oh okay, well I'll be there at midnight tonight," I spoke.
"Excellent, you have a good rest of your day, or I guess your night." He laughed awkwardly. He hung up the phone, and I sat there, excited that I got a job. I headed to my bed to prepare for my new job. I set my alarm for nearly midnight, lay down, and tried to sleep.
"The restaurant seems creepy, but what's the worst that can happen?" I thought to myself as I slowly drifted asleep.