Mom: Leo, you've been staring at that book for two hours. Take a break.
Leo: I can't, Mom. What if I fail the exam tomorrow?
Mom: You won't fail. You've studied every night this week.
Leo: What if I forget everything the second I sit down? That happens sometimes.
Mom: It might, a little. That's normal. But your brain remembers more than you think.
Leo: I don't know. Everyone else seems so much more confident than me.
Mom: They probably feel exactly like you do. Nobody shows their nerves on the outside.
Leo: Really? Even Amir? He always looks so calm.
Mom: Even Amir. Trust me, confidence is mostly just good acting.
Leo: That actually helps a little.
Mom: You should get some sleep now. Your brain needs rest more than more studying tonight.
Leo: What if I still do badly, though, even after all this?
Mom: Then we'll figure out the next step together, like we always do. But I don't think that's going to happen.
Leo: Okay. Thanks, Mom.
Mom: You've got this, Leo. I mean it.