"Dad I want a dog though"- I said. "Jake we talked about this, once you get straight A's you can get a dog"- Said Dad. " Fine, I'm going to bed"- I said. I storm off to my room upset because I think getting straight A's isn't possible, every teacher thinks I'm just trouble. I finally dose off. That night, I dream I’m walking through the school halls, but they’re empty—no lockers slamming, no whispers behind my back. My backpack feels lighter. At the end of the hallway, there’s a small dog sitting by the classroom door, tail thumping against the floor like it’s been waiting for me. When I reach down to pet it, a bell rings— I wake up. Morning light spills through my window, and for a second I forget everything. Then the weight comes back. School. Grades. Teachers who already made up their minds about me. Dad calling from downstairs snaps me fully awake.

At school, the day starts the same way it always does. Mrs. Carter sighs when she sees me walk in. Mr. Lewis reminds me—again—to “stay focused.” I try, I really do, but every wrong answer feels like proof that everyone’s right about me. Then, in science class, something weird happens. We get our tests back. I brace myself, already knowing what I’ll see. When I flip the paper over, my breath catches. A minus. Not perfect. But not terrible either. Mrs. Carter pauses by my desk. “Jake,” she says, quieter than usual, “this is a big improvement. Whatever you did—keep doing it.” For the first time in a long while, I don’t feel like trouble. I feel… capable. That afternoon, I walk home thinking about the dog from my dream. About Dad’s words. About how maybe straight A’s aren’t impossible—just really, really hard. When I open the front door, Dad looks up from the table. “How was school?” he asks. I hesitate, then smile just a little. “Better than yesterday,” I say. And for the first time, that feels like the start of something.

That night, instead of sulking in my room, I decide to make a plan. I pull out my textbooks and start studying. I set goals for myself, marking down deadlines for each assignment and test. I start asking my teachers for help, staying after school for extra tutoring. And slowly, but surely, my grades start to improve.

Weeks pass and I find myself staying up late, poring over my notes and textbooks. But every time I feel like giving up, I think about the dog I could have if I just keep pushing myself. The thought of having a loyal companion by my side motivates me to keep going, to keep striving for those straight A's.

And then, the day of reckoning arrives. Report cards are handed out and I hold my breath as I scan through my grades. And there it is - straight A's. I can hardly believe it. I rush home, bursting with excitement to tell Dad the news. He looks at me, amazed and proud. "Looks like we'll be getting that dog after all," he says with a smile.

As I sit on the porch that evening, watching the sun set with the promise of a furry friend in my future, I can't help but feel grateful for the journey that brought me here. And I know that this is only the beginning of a new chapter in my life, where setting goals and working hard will always lead me to where I want to be. The possibilities are endless, and I can't wait to see where my determination will take me next.