Chapter 60
“What’s wrong? Weren’t you so confident that I cheated?” I asked, a smirk playing on my lips you just full of empty words?”
Mia’s pride wouldn’t let her back down in front of everyone.
“Or are
Her face flushed red as she forced herself to reply, “Fine! I’ll bet. But we all know you’re not going to
win.”
The classroom erupted Into whispers, the tension thick in the air.
Ryan leaned toward me, his voice low as he said, “Are you sure you If you lose, there’s no coming back from it.”
want to do this? It’s a huge risk.
I looked at him, annoyed by his tone. He wasn’t trying to help me; he was convinced I had cheated.
“You don’t believe me either, do you?” I asked, my voice tinged with disappointment. “Instead of pretending to care, maybe you should worry about Mia. She’s the one who’s going to lose this bet.”
Ryan’s eyes widened in shock at my response, but he didn’t say anything else.
The class was still buzzing, and I could feel everyone’s eyes on me.
It didn’t matter. I had already made up my mind..
No one was going to push me around anymore.
Lirian, who had been silently watching from the sidelines, suddenly grabbed my wrist, stopping me from walking away.
“Sophia,” he whispered, his eyes sincere, “I believe in you.”
His words were like a calming balm to my frayed nerves, and I found myself smiling despite the
situation.
“Thank you,” I whispered back. “I’ll be back soon.”
With that, I followed the teacher to the office, where the headteacher and two other teachers were waiting for me.
They had already prepared a new set of questions for the test, and without a word, they handed
Chapter 60
them over to me.
took a deep breath as I sat down at the desk, the weight of the entire class’s judgment pressing down on me. **I can do this**, I reminded myself. **I studied hard for this. I know I can pass.”
The minutes ticked by as I worked through the questions, my focus sharp and unwavering.
Each problem felt familiar, and I felt a sense of calm as I answered them one by one.
Finally, I handed the paper back to the teachers, and they immediately began grading it right in front of me. I waited in silence, my heart pounding in my chest, but I refused to let any doubt creep
- in.
After what felt like an eternity, the headteacher looked up from the paper and gave a small nod.
“Well,” he said, his voice neutral, “Your results are here. We will announce them in the classroom.”
Stepped back into the classroom, my heart racing with a mix of excitement and trepidation.
The walls seemed to close in around me as I took my seat, waiting for what felt like the inevitable.
The teacher, with a stern but unreadable expression, walked in with the director trailing behind her.
Whispers rustled through the class like a passing wind, but all I could hear was the pounding of my
heart
Then, with a quick clearing of her throat, the teacher spoke.
“We have the results of the finals.” Her eyes scanned the room. “And for some of you, there’s been a marked improvement.” I clenched my fists under the table. The tension was suffocating.
She looked at me, and for a split second, I wondered if my worst fears had come true.
Then she smiled–a small but certain smile–and I exhaled, finally releasing the breath I’d been holding. “Sophia, your results are even better than the midterms. Congratulations.”
A murmur went through the class.
Some sounded genuinely surprised, others scoffed quietly.
I glanced around, spotting Mia’s face contorting with disbelief.
She had always been the loudest voice questioning my abilities, suggesting that any success 1 achieved was through dubious means.
Phapte
Mia, visibly flustered, couldn’t contain herself.
How can that be?” she blurted out. “How could she not have cheated?” Her words hung in the air, sour and heavy, causing the class to fall silent.
The head teacher stepped forward, her voice cold and biting.
“The culture in this class has deteriorated,” she began, her gaze piercing through Mia. “Students should uplift and help one another, not tear each other down. Speculating about someone’s success and accusing them without proof is damaging to everyone involved. I hope you all learn from this.”
Her words were stern, leaving no room for argument.
Mia shrank back in her seat, but her face remained a stubborn mask of defiance.
I stood up, calm yet deliberate.
“Mia,” I began, locking eyes with her, “you promised you’d drop out if I didn’t cheat. You’re not planning on backing out, are you?”
My words echoed in the silent room, and all eyes shifted to Mia, waiting for her response.
