#1

It felt as though her mother was questioning the basis of my very existence at the beginning of the year. Though, I am just realizing that there was never really anything specific said. Really it was just the appearance of scrutiny: lists made, one eyebrow raised, head tilted to look down at me, portfolios created, meetings made, secret meetings made, and finally nothing.

I was terrified of this tall, blond, brilliant and seemingly perfect student I had in my class. With a mom like that, she was going to give me attitude, I just knew it. But she didn't. Not once. Yes, she got many As and even more A pluses. But I started to realize that it wasn't for a lack of a challenge. It was because she pushes herself and attends to the minutia of each assignment, each friendship, each interest in her life. Part of that was a mild OCD or anxiety, it seemed, but mostly it was that somehow inside her she has this golden core. She just wants to do right, and do well, and she smiles all the time. She was a little lost in my room at the beginning of the year without many close friends, but found her place and it was one of the most important in the group, for she had great ideas and took pride in them, she corrected people or improved on comments without seeming bossy or egotistic, and she was nice to everyone unless they had wronged her in some way. I will miss her tremendously.