Chapter 5
Finally, after one more refresh, Rebecca’s score popped up on the screen.
Her eyes widened as she scanned the numbers line by line.
“1404! That’s 4 points higher than I estimated!
“Dad! I can get into Stanford!”
She jumped up from her seat, practically glowing, and threw herself into the arms of the principal–who was just as red–faced and ecstatic.
People watching the livestream, probably all feeling a sense of nostalgic pride or recognition, began flooding the chat with congratulations.
“Congrats to this young lady for acing the exam and stepping into a bright new chapter in life!”
“Getting this kind of score in a place without top–tier resources? That’s amazing. She should be so proud! (Thumbs up)”
Rebecca was already crying tears of joy, wiping her face as she thanked the viewers. After bowing once again and saying, “Thank you, everyone,” her eyes–without warning–landed on me.
The moment our eyes met; a gleam of satisfaction curled on her lips. She turned to the camera eagerly and pointed at me. “Most of you probably don’t know, but I wasn’t actually the top student at our school before this.
“It was her–Evelyn.”
She drew out my name on purpose.
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Chapter 5
“She used to be number one in our grade. All year long, in fact.”
The stream chat lit up instantly.
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“Then let her check her score too! Let’s see what the top student is made
of!”
Rebecca saw the message and nearly burst with pride, but on her face, she put on a deliberately regretful expression.
“Unfortunately… this classmate of ours got a little too caught up in romance. Her grades started slipping badly. Now she can’t even hit 850.”
The chat exploded–but not with mockery. Instead, it was filled with disappointment and sincere advice.
“Sweetheart, when you grow up, you’ll realize how foolish it is to let love ruin your education. You were once top of your class–that’s such a
shame.”
“Same here… I really regret not taking high school seriously. My friends went on to great schools, great jobs… and I got left behind. If I had a second chance, I’d give it everything.”
“It’s okay, really. Some things you only learn through experience. Don’t be discouraged, you’re only 18. Once you get through this, there’s always a chance to start again.”
Clearly, this wasn’t the kind of reaction Rebecca had hoped for. Her face darkened slightly, but she forced a smile back on and turned to urge me. “Exactly. It’s never too late to start again.
“So go ahead, Evelyn. Check your score. Let’s all see what kind of
starting point you’ll be working from… now that you’re ready to try again.”
Off to the side, Gabriel had already checked his score.
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Chapter 5
A perfectly rounded 850–accurate down to the single digit.
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He looked at my hand, still frozen over the mouse, and said–whether out of real concern or fake sympathy, I couldn’t tell. “Evelyn, don’t be scared.
“Your scores were always a few points higher than mine. I got 850, so you’ll definitely be over 850 too. We can apply to a vocational college in California together! That way, we’ll still be together!”
Oh.
So that was the plan. Drag me with them to some vocational college all the way in California—make sure I’d spend all four years of college never escaping the shadow of their ridicule and humiliation.
Cruel. The both of them.
At Rebecca’s subtle signal, all the cameras zeroed in on me at once.
Every pair of eyes–including the 50,000+ viewers in the livestream- locked on my screen, waiting.
“Come on, Evelyn. Everyone’s waiting!”
Rebecca pressed again; her tone was sharp with impatience.
I smiled.
“Alright.”
Then I reached for the mouse.
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