71. This Place Changes You

I made my way to Coop's office, my mind racing with questions.

The first one was why Coop even had an office here. Yes, he seemingly funded most of the athletic department and such and was even labeled as a professor, yet I haven't seen him teach a single class or do anything that would suggest he was actually a teacher here.

"Come in," Coop's voice called from inside.

I entered, and Coop looked up from his desk. "James, what can I do for you?"

"I need answers, Coop," I said. "No more half-truths. I need to know everything about my mom and why she was here."

Coop leaned back in his chair, studying me. "Alright, James. Have a seat."

I sat down, my heart pounding in my chest.

Coop sighed, looking weary. "Your mother was a student in the last co-ed class. She was exceptional, one of the best we ever had."

"Why was she here?" I asked.

"She was here because she was special. The academy was experimenting with integrating from other schools, but it turned out to be more complicated than w