Maria sat at the back of the crowded classroom, her textbooks worn and barely holding together. The fluorescent lights flickered above her, and the hum of the old air conditioning did little to mask the chatter from her classmates. The community college she attended felt like a far cry from the prestigious universities her friends from high school had gone on to. She had taken the public bus to class again today, the trip stretching across hours as she squeezed into the cramped seats, her backpack heavy with assignments she could barely afford to complete.

She tugged her sweater tighter around her shoulders, trying to focus on the professor’s lecture, but her mind wandered to the other things—the bills her mother still hadn’t paid, the second-hand laptop that crashed every time she tried to write a paper, the part-time job she worked to scrape by. She hadn’t wanted to go to this community college, but it was the only option. When your mom worked double shifts as a janitor, you didn’t have many choices.

Across the city, Sophia walked out of her private university’s lecture hall, the echo of professors discussing advanced theories still ringing in her ears. She slipped her designer bag over her shoulder and scrolled through her phone to check her schedule. Later, she'd meet with a top-tier internship coordinator who had personally reached out to her, and then it was off to a coffee shop to review the research papers her professors had already praised her for.

Sophia’s path had always seemed mapped out, paved in gold. From private schools to tutors who had helped her through calculus and chemistry, everything had been set up for her. Her parents’ financial support had given her a cushion—never a worry about student loans, never a need to juggle a job to survive.

She texted her best friend, asking if she wanted to join her for dinner at a new restaurant. They’d both been accepted into prestigious graduate programs, and the future seemed certain. The pressure was to succeed—not to survive, not to struggle.

Back in Maria’s class, the professor announced an upcoming exam. Maria scribbled down notes, trying to catch every word. But the truth was, no matter how hard she studied, no matter how many hours she spent in the library, the odds felt insurmountable. She’d never had the luxury of extra tutors or resources; the quiet space to study didn’t exist in her home, where her younger siblings shouted and ran around. The free time she had to devote to her future was shrinking, and she knew it.

Her classmate, Sarah, turned to her with a sympathetic smile. “You should try the tutoring center for the exam. They help with some free resources,” she offered. Maria’s throat tightened. Sarah had an entire set of high-priced, hand-me-down textbooks from her parents’ wealth of connections, and yet she was offering advice like charity. Maria forced a smile in return.

Later that evening, Sophia sat in a well-lit café, the glow of her laptop illuminating her face as she read through her latest research. Her phone buzzed again. It was her mom, reminding her to send the tuition check for the next semester. A luxury she’d never have to worry about missing.

She didn’t give it a second thought—she had always been comfortable with her position, always certain that the world was her oyster. But as she finished the last paragraph of her paper, something small tugged at her chest. She had grown up with everything she needed to succeed, but was that enough? Was there something more to education than just the next step in her well-lit path?

In the dark of her cramped apartment, Maria closed her textbook with a sigh. She had tried everything—no more late-night shifts, no more skipped meals. Yet, the gaps between herself and the students who walked down more privileged paths felt wider than ever.

Her phone buzzed. It was an email from the community college about a scholarship application she had barely dared to hope for. With shaking hands, she opened it—congratulations, you’ve been shortlisted. The words swam before her eyes, but she couldn’t help the hope that bloomed in her chest.

It wasn’t much—just a small step forward—but it was a step. And maybe that was enough for now.

Maria stared at the screen, her tired eyes brimming with determination. The divide between her and Sophia seemed insurmountable, but maybe there was a chance, a way forward. Maybe it wouldn’t be easy, but she wasn’t done yet.

For the first time in a long time, Maria let herself believe in the future.