**The Cooper Household.**
"My baby is going to college."
Mary choked up with emotion.
Sheldon's father, George, was equally overwhelmed.
"Whose child is he really? Is it with that four-eyed nerd from before?"
Later that evening, Sheldon's grandmother leaned in close to Mary's ear and teasingly asked, "You can tell me in secret."
Mary could only glare at her in exasperation.
Sheldon's grandmother raised her hands and shrugged. "I've lived a long life, thought I'd seen it all, but an 11-year-old elementary school student going to college? That's a first!
Our family doesn't even have a single college graduate. George's math is probably from his gym coach, and now Sheldon appears, this little genius. Can you blame me for overthinking it?"
Sheldon's father, George, said nothing. He glanced at young Sheldon, who sat there, serious and composed in a way that didn't resemble him at all. Frustrated, George grabbed a Lone Star beer and started drinking.
This bothersome "joke" wasn't new.
In fact, ever since Sheldon started showing his genius side, this "joke" had been a recurring theme among those around him. At first, George couldn't help but have his doubts.
But he still trusted his wife, Mary.
Mary was a devout believer. She was swept off her feet as a teenager by George's motorcycle and went on to have three children with him. He had no reason to question her loyalty.
He consoled himself with the same explanation Mary often gave to Missy when explaining why Sheldon was so smart while she, his twin sister, struggled with math:
Sheldon was their "special gift from God."
"But it's such a pity."
After coming to terms with her youngest child heading to college, Mary's mindset shifted again. "If only Peggy could attend college with Sheldon."
"No, thank you," Sheldon said, recalling the experience of taking classes with Peggy. He shook his head repeatedly.
"What's that school Peggy is going to?" George asked casually.
As a football coach, his knowledge of top-tier universities was minimal at best.
"Princeton University," Mary replied with an eye roll. "It's ranked in the top ten globally, far better than the University of Texas at Austin."
"Yes," Sheldon nodded. "Einstein once taught there. Princeton excels in mathematics, while Caltech is the pinnacle of physics. Unfortunately, I can't go to either."
Princeton—the ultimate choice for prodigies. Some of the most brilliant minds had studied there, making it the crown jewel of higher education.
Mary looked apologetically at Sheldon.
Both Princeton and Caltech had extended offers to Sheldon, but unlike Peggy's mother, who was willing to move to New Jersey for her child, Mary couldn't relocate for Sheldon. Instead, he would have to settle for a top-ranked school closer to home.
The University of Texas at Austin, while an excellent institution consistently ranked in the global top 100 and a member of the "Public Ivy League," couldn't compare to private Ivy League schools.
In the future, Sheldon would often mock Howard's alma mater, MIT, and even look down on Leonard's Princeton degree. Howard and Leonard never rebutted him using university rankings—not because Sheldon's UT Austin degree was better than MIT or Princeton.
It was because Sheldon, being about the same age as them, had entered college at 11, graduated years earlier, and already held multiple degrees: BS, MS, MA, PhD, and ScD. His academic accolades made people exclaim, "Oh my God."
Sheldon didn't need to take pride in his school; the school took pride in him.
Moreover, intelligence is indisputable. Sheldon's superior intellect overshadowed Leonard and his friends at every turn. Even when he didn't care about their work, a casual suggestion from him would leave them speechless. Google seaʀᴄh novel⟡fire.net
In the scientific hierarchy, Sheldon's theoretical physics research looked down upon Leonard's experimental physics, Rajesh's astrophysics, and, of course, Howard's mechanical engineering—which didn't even come with a doctorate.
Sheldon could even qualify to be Howard's doctoral advisor.
Under these circumstances, Howard and Leonard couldn't argue against Sheldon's natural superiority.
"It's okay, Mom," Sheldon said empathetically for once. "I can go to Caltech for grad school or my doctorate."
"So, Sheldon is graduating already?"
His brother George Jr. grinned. "Who are you inviting as your date to the prom, Mom?"
"George!" Mary shot him a fierce glare.
"Why would I need a date?" Sheldon frowned. "That's completely unnecessary."
"Every high school graduate needs a prom date," George Jr. teased. "Anyone without one will get laughed at."
"That's for ordinary people," Sheldon replied seriously. "I'm not like you."
George Jr.'s face darkened. "Well, any graduation without a date is incomplete!"
"Sheldon," Mary said softly.
Sheldon didn't care, but Mary did. This was an important milestone in her son's life—how could it be left incomplete?
After all, nothing weighs heavier than a mom's sense of regret on behalf of her child.
"Why don't you ask Peggy to be your date?"
"She's attending her school's prom," Sheldon said with a frown. "Besides, I don't need a date."
"Then how about Missy?" Mary suggested after thinking it over.
George Jr. burst out laughing, while Missy cried out in horror.
In the end, Sheldon, as usual, obeyed his mother. And Missy, as expected, couldn't defy her mother's wishes. She ended up attending Sheldon's prom as his date.
Soon, it was graduation day.
On this day, two new families moved into town.
A stunning girl with long legs grabbed her friend by the hand, ready to head out.
"Jennifer, where are we going?" Karen asked, looking surprisingly plain for someone who was the friend of a long-legged beauty.
"To our new school, of course," Jennifer said excitedly. "The band Sweet Candy that first sang 'Don't Cry' is from this school, and I heard the lead singer is super handsome!"
"We just got here. Shouldn't we wait until school starts?" Karen hesitated.
"Come on," Jennifer teased. "You're always so fierce; what's there to be scared of? By the way, is it going to rain tonight?"
"Don't say that, Jennifer!" Karen dodged Jennifer's playful clawing. In the end, she couldn't refuse her friend, using all her agility and shyly replying, "No rain."