A month ago, Brenton Allen sat nervously in a high school physics class, bracing himself for a final exam about torque and force and acceleration. His mind was racing, formulas and fantasies mingling inside his head like two dancers at a prom.

His phone started buzzing, so he stepped outside not knowing what to think. He returned not knowing what to do.

"I came back into class with a big smile on my face," Allen said. "I couldn't really wipe the smile off and couldn't focus on my final."

Allen couldn't quite make it past question No. 2, but how could he?

How could he focus on circuits and velocities and potential energy after finding out that BRENTON ALLEN had just come off the board at the Major League Baseball Draft? He was wired up, his thoughts moving at light speed, his dreams not feeling the effects of gravity. The Philadelphia Phillies were at fault, using their ninth-round choice on the kid from Gahr High School in Cerritos. A lifelong aspiration, the work, the sweat, the sacrifices -- all of it leading to one phone call.

It's a moment that brought his classmates to applause, but also one that has brought added stress to his life. Allen is a regular 18-year-old who happens to hit left-handed and play a mean outfield. Like anyone his age, Allen wants to enjoy his summer by hanging out with friends before they split up. He is no rush to grow up, but he finds himself facing a life-altering decision: sign professionally or follow through with his commitment to play ball at UCLA? Travel from town to town by bus, or up and down BruinWalk on foot?

"With UCLA being such a great school, not only in sports but academically, it's a tough thing to let go to pursue a professional career," Allen said. "I've been waking up every day with thoughts on everything."

Allen believes he will arrive at a decision near the August 15 signing deadline. He wants to take as much time as possible and listen to as many people as he can. After all, it's the most difficult decision of his life.

UCLA head coach John Savage, like most college coaches, is no stranger to these scenarios. He was helpless when highly touted prospect and eventual first-rounder Jason Heyward (Atlanta Braves) signed in 2007. Savage was on the receiving end a year later when first-rounder Gerrit Cole (New York Yankees) opted to bring his high-90s fastball to Jackie Robinson Stadium.

"It's tough, but I have a lot of people around me," Allen said. "I have people in the minor leagues and people that played in the big leagues. I know people that went to college and then went to the minor leagues. I have them in both sides of my ears. Some are telling me college, some are telling me pros. I'm basically picking everybody's brain and listening to anybody's opinion just to listen to it. I'm trying to have every single piece of information that I can get before I make this decision."

Want further proof? Allen traveled to Omaha, Neb. with his mother and a former coach to see UCLA play in the College World Series final. He sat with parents of current Bruins, cheering for the guys he's come to know as his "baseball brothers." It was grueling for him to watch UCLA come within two wins of capturing its first national championship.

"I've always wanted to be a big leaguer and win a pro World Series," Allen said. "As I got to the College World Series and I saw how it was in Omaha, it became more of a dream to go to there and win that."

For now, Allen is preparing to become a starter for UCLA by working out daily at a site in Anaheim and playing for a travel squad on weekends to get his at-bats. He already lists the school as a network on his Facebook page, but cracking another network -- the Bruins' young starting lineup -- may be hard. Outfielders Beau Amaral, Cody Keefer, Jeff Gelalich and Dennis Holt are all left-handed and were first-years last season. That also makes his decision all the more difficult.

"For me to find a spot inside of the starting roster, to try to find myself in the lineup somewhere, I have to find what other players don't have," Allen said. "It would be great to be a part of the team that comes back to the College World Series next year because I really believe that they can actually win it."