The Tequila Worm

One day at school, Sofia, now 14, must go to the school counselor’s office. She panics. She can’t think of why Mr. Thomas would want her to come to his office. She works hard, gets straight As, and is a good soccer player.

Once there, Mr. Thomas tells her that a wealthy doctor is funding four scholarships for Mexican American students to attend a very posh boarding school in Austin, Texas. St. Luke’s Episcopal School caters mainly to wealthy white children. Mr. Thomas wants to recommend Sofia. He hands her the school brochure, and she is impressed. She can’t believe how beautiful the soccer field is and thinks “No more street soccer” (44). She is hesitant, though. Sleeping away at a school over 300 miles from home sounds scary, and she wonders what her parents will think. Mr. Thomas sees her reticence and tells her to discuss it with her parents.

Berta is the first person she talks to about the scholarship. Berta is immediately put off by the idea. Everything Sofia says, Berta challenges. Berta can’t believe she’d go that far away and accuses Sofia of hating her home. None of what Berta says is true.