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 spent her afterschool hours in the school’s laboratory, helping her teachers read other students’ reports on their weekly scientific experiments. That one day in early autumn, however, was different as Moira was too excited about Neesa’s return from an internship away to pay attention to her extracurricular activity.

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

The teacher 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. Okay, you have my permission. Send your cousin my regards and don’t forget you have an assignment due next week!” Ms. Roberts chuckled and sent the young lady off after making sure that the laboratory was spotlessly clean.

Moira rode her bike energetically while humming her favorite tune, all the while thinking of all the questions she had for Neesa. Once she arrived home, Moira ran upstairs to Neesa’s room, uncharacteristically ignoring her aunt’s greetings, and just as she had hoped Neesa was already there, spinning in a comfortable office chair while burying her face in a thick book. Moira sneaked behind Neesa and tugged at her long 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 taking the same trip you do but unfortunately our family only had money 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 gleefully, legs kicking in the air. Neesa just shook her head and grabbed her cousin’s wrist, dragging her downstairs to 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 mom Aunt Zoe and Neesa’s dad Uncle Martin were already waiting at the table with sliced apples and some oranges. Neesa grabbed a piece of apple and gave her mom a quick kiss on the cheek and gave another to her dad. “Alright folks, you guys know that I had a wonderful time in Red Sycamore as you could see from the millions of pictures I emailed, but I understand it is better to hear it straight from me, huh? So, where should I start? Should I tell you about this amazing opportunity I heard from a leading researcher I really admire?” Neesa began to talk rapidly while munching on the apples, disregarding her mom’s disgusted face.

“You met a researcher? You meant 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 apparent envy in her voice.

Neesa nodded and showed the family 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 internship orientation. Apparently a student of his invited him to a potluck dinner but he was kind enough to also greet us foreigners! He was the nicest!” Neesa waved her hands around and her words came cascading like a waterfall.

“Slow down, kid. I am 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 also not wanting to argue with food in her mouth.

“Dr. Kinoya told my group and I that he would be happy to have us back as undergraduate if we ever apply 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 that I figured out I am no longer interested in biochemistry because I now realize I do not enjoy the course load but I know someone who is a good fit!” Neesa stared at Moira.

Moira was taken aback and almost dropped her fork. “Me? Did I hear you right? I am always at the laboratory, that’s true, but honestly I haven’t given much thought about my future major and even if I want to go to college I doubt auntie and uncle can afford that. It would be a difficult goal to achieve,” Moira looked down on her fruit bowl. Neesa reached into her backpack and pulled a brochure, handing it to Moira, who opened it to see a page about scholarships.

“Did you know that Dr. Kinoya and other professors in his department have a deal with the board of trustee 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 balled up her fists and hoped that Moira would feel encouraged. Moira, however, did not seem convinced.

“You are jumping the gun here, Neesa. You have not even told me yet what type of research Dr. Kinoya and the faculty are conducting. What if I am not the right person for the staffs? 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 that I know might be a little outside of 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 behind the low rate of breeding success and next semester or the semester after he plans to bring his assistants to Golden Jungle village to observe the Gaburs. I thought you would benefit from this and there’s no harm in it, all expenses will be paid by the board of trustee,” Neesa explained. Moira did not answer and Neesa tried her hardest not to look disappointed.

Uncle Martin gave Aunt Zoe a look of concern and then they turned their heads to Moira, who seemed to be processing the information overload. “You know what, Moira, it couldn’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 given that you have developmental disorder, but you are a capable person and we believe in you and you can ask for reasonable adjustment or modification to the syllabus if you ever found the college classes too hard, they will accommodate you and there are laws about that,” Aunt Zoe added while 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 spend my holidays in an entirely different planet and speaking in my second language. You know it is not easy for someone with ADHD to adapt to new surroundings, yet I survive. 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? You remember how one time a teacher 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 experience wouldn’t happen at university? History has a habit of repeating itself!” Moira suddenly stood up and yelled at her family.

“I know that 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 as what people deem normal or neurotypical, but it is exhausting not to show the truth and to be in the closet about my neurodivergence,” Moira continued with eyes that started to water, “I just want to feel I belong and to feel accepted. I don’t know how to cope with more insults. I know that growing pains is 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 telling me to calm down and be rational because I know that life is never fair!” Moira shouted.

Neesa rose from her seat and pulled Moira into an embrace, sobbing into Moira’s 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 experience. We are 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 did not 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 Moira 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.