Stripped into Destiny

ttered with pencil shavings and forgotten worksheets. Sun

backpack zipped and ready. She watched as her homeroom teacher, Ms.

when she reach

htly as she read the top page aga

haven't given me mine

rom deep thought. She looked up

your mother to come see me tomorrow morni

ead, her voice mea

ething

mile-the kind teachers used when something w

's best we discuss your resu

d slightly around the

g wrong?" she a

B

hat's just it

o her desk drawer, ge

fore class tomorrow.

owly. Her expre

lied slowly bef

ging her bag ov

back once-just long enough to catch

he meeting, it wasn'

h

ouse to find it empty a

h and dinner before we return. Your lunch is in the kitchen-just reheat it. Dinn

e y

ff her uniform, freshened up, and q

med, her thoughts wondered about Ms Bell's strange

urn, Alexa reheated her dinner and ate without

next

e of informing her mother of the meeting with her teacher and the latt

ut as Maria wiped dow

Do you need

o see you today. I meant to tell you last ni

eacher wants to meet me?

ut if you're too busy,

eetheart. I'll be there. Probably before your lunch break."

over her shoulder, wondering ag

sch

lunch

nd slides, Alexa was under a shade reading a book wai

tightly in her lap. The hum of fluorescent lights above filled the silence be

"You said you needed to

ing to the folder on her desk-the one s

learly rehearsing the words in her head. "I want to begin by saying that Alexa is... e

smile. "She's always been a c

t soften. In fact, she seem

lly, reaching for the folder. She opened it, revealing a p

rward slightly.

students. It was mostly used for genetic health indicators and ancestry exploration. Alexa was selected as part of

"What does this have

en tapped the top of t

just yours, but Mr. Moore's either. The test fla

r. The words didn'

don't un

"According to the lab's findings...

like a stone

caught. "That

before contacting you. This isn't about questioning your family-but somethin

e looked down at the paper

ere must be a mistake. I gave

ght you should know. This may go far beyond academ

athe. Her hands tr

tside the office kept moving, but ins

ed, "If she's not mine

l didn'

y-like sealing a secret neither o

h

were red, swollen from the tears that had refused to stop since she left the school. The mome

ping his hands on a dish towel. "Y

he simply stared at the papers i

nah's voice

r voice cracking.

ed. "What d

They tested her DNA at school. Routine thing, Ms. Bell s

The color drained from his face as he read.

he was sure. She said Alexa doesn'

ing. "You were there when she was born-at

mething's wrong, Jonah. What if-what if there was a

o silence. The only sound in t

She is my own. But this..

t. "No matter what that report says, she

e front door

m?

pecting. Her schoolbag thudded against

froze, exchangin

er voice too bright as she stoo

m, stopping short when she saw

g Alexa's hair from her forehead. "Just a litt

pers on the table. "Did

erything's fine. She just wanted t

. She looked kind

d forced. "That's because you're

up first ?" Alexa asked, alr

Maria said, h

d out, hummi

r, Maria exhaled shakily, co

ed at her.

r their daughter

oesn't even know it. And what about our real child, Jonah?" Maria whispe

e her favorite snacks. But sometimes, in the quiet moments, Maria would just stare-like she was

Al

felt

t explain why... s

ll there-but stan

Sch

nusually quiet. No clattering mugs. No casu

lips were pursed tight, a manila folder in front of her, edges curling slightly from

y, folding her arms. "Her logic work i

ence teacher. "If the DNA report is accurate, then Alexa Moore isn't

"We're not here to pass judg

we're keeping a student whose presence could become a leg

e're not kicking out a child becaus

throat. "Let's keep emotion out of it, our sc

ic grids in seconds. She corrects her own textbooks. And did you know she

d. "That kind of mind draws at

udents played soccer across the back field. Laugh

was happeni

report-glowing academic records, teachers' remarks full

e private DNA test that Ms. Bell to

e," Leonard said. "Her biological parents could sue the schoo

biological parents know y

l," Danie

Here's the question: Is Alexa

ll answered

"The press. Custody battles. Lawsuits. W

ture brilliance. To shape young minds. If we expel her, what are

iet but final. "That's not on the table. We're ev

ed. "What abo

oked up.

lawyers, court orders-if this becomes a headline

sn't know the full truth, but she senses something is off. She's internalizing all of this. She asks why her

is," Ms. Bel

was 'too smart for her own good.' Her exact words. She thinks her

er si

pered. "She b

. "And she already believes b

let her go," Ms. Bell said.

her pen agai

for Alexa. She knows the truth may come out, and she's preparing for the day when Alexa

" Daniel asked,

han she trusts the co

ed. "So we're

s mentions in staff lounges or casual emails. We treat her like any other

e right thing?" Ms.

n't answer

The sun had shifted, casting gold streaks across the lawn. A cluster

nd watchful. As if she already k

thing," Yvonne finally said. "

o more objections. No more legal threat

ld whose mind de

for the sake of

oore right wher

r