Maya sighed heavily, "the long and winding road." Her students looked on eagerly as Maya leaned against her desk and crossed her arms. She shrugged, "So what do you want to know?"

This was something the high school did every year and honestly Maya was over it. It started when the old headmaster retired and a new one was hired, along with his wholesome and moral views. Ugh. One day each year the teachers told their classes how they got to where they are today. It was to show the students that failure and change is okay. This was the fifth time today she was going to tell her story and she was sick of it.

A student raised her hand, "everything." Maya let out a little chuckle at Rosie, she reminded Maya so much of Riley.

"Everything huh? Well I was born in the Bronx to a single mother. I went to this elementary school full of crack babies but when I was seven I met my best friend of many many years, Riley. Her father who was a teacher convinced the school board at John Quincy Adams to let me transfer for middle school. So for sixth, seventh and eighth grade I had to travel on 3 different subways to get to school. In seventh grade I actually met my future husband but we didn't start dating until the end of college." She sighed and continued on.

"So it was me and my friends and by the end of middle school we thought that we were kings and soon came in a new friend from Texas and then it was five of us going into high school together. At the beginning of freshman year my mom couldn't afford to pay for my subway fares so I started walking like 10 miles to school every morning but I got tired of that quickly. So I transferred to the school that I was actually zoned for. But the school was not good so I quickly fell in with a bad crowd and started drinking and using even though I knew it was bad. Riley's dad was worried about me so convinced the school to pay for my subway fares because I was a good artist who helped their art programs and funding.

"So then for the second half of freshman year I went to therapy and stopped going down that course and transferred back to Abigail Adams with my best friends. My high school experience is nothing too special. I wasn't popular but I wasn't a loner, I had my friends and I was happy. Then came college. Pretty much all of my friends split up for college expect me and Lucas both went to Columbia. I went on an art scholarship and because money was tight that was pretty much my only option.

"During college I decided that working with children was important to me because if I didn't have Mr. Matthews in my life to help me I don't know where I would be. So I decided to get my degree in education and art history so I could potentially teach art which is what I really wanted to do. So then out of college Mr. Matthews, who became the principal of our high school, helped me get a job there and I took it for a few years but I felt like I didn't earn the position. So I started looking for jobs in Brooklyn, where I moved, and I found this high school three years ago. They offered me the job of teaching AP art history and I've been here ever since."

Maya looked at the silent seniors and just inwardly sighed, her life was boring. "Yep. So that's me, any questions?"

Everyone rose their hand causing Maya's eyes to widen, maybe it wasn't so boring. She pointed to a kid in the back, he rarely talked. Fletcher lowered his hand as he spoke, "Why did you get into drugs when you knew it was bad?"

Maya shook her head, "I don't know. I was sad about leaving my friends and I thought that because my mom had gone down a rough path that I was destined for it and shouldn't delay the inevitable so…."

Chloe spoke up next, "When did you and your husband start dating?"

"It was the end of our second year at Columbia I believe. I think we both liked each other for a while but finally got the nerve to admit and then we got married two years ago."

"What made you want to teach in Brooklyn?" Zuri asked without raising her hand

Maya took a sip of her coffee, "Well I wanted to be closer to my apartment and it was also closer to Lucas's vet office." She noticed the silence among her students, "Is that all?" No one responded for a moment so Maya continued.

"So the point of this is to show that it doesn't really matter where you'll think you'll end up because there will always be bumps and turns along the road. Especially for you guys because you are about to go to college and start your life and just know that everything will turn out alright even if it's not where you'd think you'd end up. But enjoy this last year of high school with your friends and your boyfriends and girlfriends. Tell the person you like that you like them, worst thing is that they say no. And if they do you get up and move on. Don't let anyone else's ideas and plans for you decide what you do with your lie. It's your life and you need to live it your way. It's okay that you make mistakes as long as you don't let them stop you and you grow for them." Maya awkwardly finished, "Okay so someone say something because this is awkward."

Her class laughed and began to clap but Maya just blushed, "No no. Don't clap that's weird."

Olive raised her hand with a curious look, "Mrs. Friar?" Maya looked to her and nodded, "Not to be rude or anything because that was a lovely sentiment but I think you're downplaying your life a little too much. From little tidbits you've told us about you over the year and my photographic memory… you've skipped over many majors pieces of your life."

Maya just smiled and laughed, "That's for another time. My life was so full of things that they could've made a show on it. Now… back to the lesson."