I knew a lot of things.
I knew that light traveled at 299,792,458 meters per second. I
knew that Shakespeare wrote King Lear in 1606. I knew that
Pascal's Wager argued for belief in God based on probability
theory rather than faith. I knew how to write a perfect AP essay,
how to win an argument without raising my voice, and how to
ace a test without studying the night before.
I knew everything-except why none of it ever felt like enough.
"Belle, did you hear me?"
My mom's voice pulled me out of my thoughts. I blinked and
looked up from my laptop, where I had been skimming an article
on the multiverse theory-just for fun. She stood at the kitchen
counter, stirring something in a pot, her expression a mix of
concern and mild exasperation.