Chapter 15: The Scholarship
July 21st, 2023
I arrived in Massachusetts by Uber, sharing the ride with a fellow student who was also moving there for his studies. We pulled up at 10 AM, leaving me with just two hours to spare before our scheduled meetings at noon. I knew I still had a 1-hour walk ahead of me.
As I approached the impressive MIT buildings, I went straight for the Admissions office. And there, sitting before me, was a familiar face.
"Hey, you're the Aliens guy from that lecture!" I exclaimed, my surprise evident.
The blonde guy looked a bit sheepish. "Ah... yes, hi," he replied, visibly embarrassed.
"You had K2-18b on your mind, didn't you?" I inquired.
His face lit up. "Yes!" he exclaimed as if I had just restored his faith in humanity.
I chuckled. "Well, you could have picked a better time to discuss it, though. By the way, what's your name?"
"I'm Rick Rosby," he introduced himself. At this point, I expected he would ask for my name in return, but he remained silent, not giving the impression of being the sharpest tool in the shed.
"I'm Max Sullivan," I offered. "Are you here for the scholarship meeting too?" I assumed that Rick had been invited due to some sporting achievement, given his impressive physique.
"Yes, I'm applying for Software Engineering,"