Chapter 5: Test Scores and Turning Points

Review week before finals flew by—mostly self-study and patching up weaknesses. All that thinking burned energy, so most students kept snacks in their desks. Some drawers were like mini convenience stores. Not mine—mine was an empty warehouse.

The smell of chips and candy wafted through the classroom. My stomach growled, but I ignored it.

“Now I finally know what ‘stomach thunder’ feels like!” Ben grumbled, bedhead sticking up, looking extra sleepy.

He rubbed his eyes, yawning. I tried to hide my own hunger.

"Sorry!" I stuffed the last bites into my mouth and gulped hot water to soothe my stomach.

My cheeks burned. I hadn’t meant to take his last snack.

I was broke, just $30 left, and planned to use it to consult a lawyer about inheritance law. I could only eat one meal a day this week, saving up for exam week. Luckily, Ben’s snack stash came to the rescue.

His generosity was silent, but steady. I made a mental note to pay him back.

"Forget it, don’t bother me while I sleep…" he muttered, pulling out a bagel for me. When I hesitated, he snapped, "I bought it myself. The stuff in the drawer is from other people—if I gave you that, it’d be disrespectful."

He was chattier than usual today.

I smiled, taking the bagel gratefully. "No wonder so many people have a crush on you," I said, biting into the bagel.

His ears turned pink. He tried to scowl, but couldn’t quite pull it off.

"If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all!" He was about to nap, but my comment made his ears turn red again.

I stifled a laugh. Who knew the King of Sleep could be so cute?

I shook it off and buried myself in the work.

I tucked the moment away, savoring it like the last bite of bread.

"Want me to tutor you in math?" I genuinely wanted to repay him. Since he’d be going abroad, his English must be fine, but I’d gotten some insights from my own math studies that morning.

He eyed me skeptically, but didn’t say no.

Ben silently opened our test papers: a big red 25 for me, a big red 66 for him.

I winced, but tried to look confident.

"You sure you can help me with math?"

He raised an eyebrow, but I could see the hope in his eyes.

"I did well in math in middle school, you believe me?"

He rolled his eyes and went back to sleep.

I grinned, undeterred. Maybe I could surprise him yet.

Living off Ben’s bread, I made it to finals. The moment I entered the exam room, Mr. Grant’s death stare was waiting. Looking around, I saw all the "talent" from Maple Heights High. Exam seating was by grades, and as the lowest in the class, I was placed with the regular students, taking the test in the science lab.

The lab smelled like bleach and old experiments. I took a deep breath, centering myself.

A girl with a bob haircut poked me. "Let’s help each other out later!"

Her voice was eager, but I shook my head. I wasn’t risking everything for a few answers.

"No cheating! I’ll be watching you closely!" Mr. Grant shot me a stern warning.

His glare was icy, but I met it head-on.

I raised my hand. "Teacher, can I take the test next to you? The light’s bad here."

If you’ve got a trick, use it everywhere! No way anyone could frame me if I sat right next to the podium.

The other students stared, surprised. Mr. Grant huffed, but moved me up front.

Settled by the podium, I got my English exam. English depends a lot on foundation, and even if you haven’t attended class, you can still get basic points. But I’d only reviewed math and English this week—history was in fate’s hands. I answered every question seriously.

My pen flew across the page. I could feel the old confidence returning, question by question.

Looking up, I saw Mr. Grant ignoring the other students and staring only at me. I calmly looked away. I’d seen that look of contempt too many times from Nathaniel’s colleagues and classmates. I was immune.

His eyes bored into me, but I refused to flinch. I kept writing, steady and sure.

Usually, proctors rotate, but I didn’t expect Mr. Grant for math too! Guess he was determined to pick a fight.

I stifled a sigh, rolling my shoulders. I was ready for him.

I stayed calm, but Mr. Grant sat right in front of me, watching me write the whole time. Did he think he’d see better that way?

His presence was suffocating, but I kept my focus on the paper.

I wasn’t afraid. "Teacher, you’re blocking my light!" I said sweetly, catching a glimpse of Mr. Douglas outside.

The room snickered. I caught Mr. Douglas’s approving nod.

"You—"

"Mr. Grant, this is the first mock exam, don’t distract the students!" Mr. Douglas whispered.

His intervention was a small mercy. I shot him a grateful look.

Now I could really focus.

My mind sharpened, blocking out everything but the questions in front of me.

Mr. Grant glared at me and moved away.

I let out a slow breath, finally able to think.

"Thump."

A paper ball landed on my desk. I looked up to see Mr. Grant glaring at me.

His face was red, veins bulging. I kept my expression blank.

"I knew you’d cheat!"

"I didn’t!"

My voice was steady. I refused to let him twist the truth.

"Don’t argue! You think the lab cameras aren’t on? I’ll deal with you after the test!"

He took my paper. "Whoever tossed the answers, better own up!"

The silence was thick, oppressive. I felt every eye in the room on me.

The room was silent. Soon, all three grade directors came in. After collecting the papers, we were told to stay.

My heart pounded, but I kept my head high. I wasn’t going down for something I didn’t do.

They checked the footage and quickly found the bob-haired girl. Her round face was full of fear, glancing at me like she wanted to tattoo "accomplice" on her forehead. Worst acting ever.

I almost laughed at her performance. It was so transparent, it was insulting.

I sighed and raised my hand. "It was her…"

"Teacher, I’m sorry, she asked me to pass the answers!" she yelled first, catching me off guard with her volume.

Her voice cracked, tears streaming down her cheeks. I rolled my eyes.

"They were whispering before the test!" Mr. Grant added.

He sounded triumphant, like he’d finally caught his white whale.

"Maya Brooks, I never thought you’d cheat! First in the honors class!"

The accusation stung, but I stood my ground.

The bob-haired girl cried, "Let’s just admit it! If we confess, the teacher won’t be mad!"

Her desperation was almost comical. I shook my head, refusing to play along.

"Why are you framing me?" I glared at her. "I don’t even know you!"

I let my anger show, voice ringing out in the silent room.

"There’s proof! You’re denying it? Bad grades, bad character!" Mr. Grant looked triumphant.

His smugness made me want to scream. I forced myself to stay calm.

“I have proof too.” I opened my test and pointed to the last question—the one about the moving point. “I don’t believe she could solve this!”

My voice was cool, confident. I watched the teachers lean in, curious.

Mr. Douglas checked—sure enough, I’d filled out the last question in detail, but left many blanks before it. The paper ball only had simple fill-in-the-blank and multiple-choice answers.

The truth was right there, plain as day. I let the silence do the talking.

"If I could solve the last question, would I need her answers?"

I saw the doubt flicker in Mr. Douglas’s eyes. Finally.

"Then why didn’t you answer the earlier ones?" Mr. Douglas asked.

"Mr. Grant thought I was cheating and took my paper, so I didn’t have time," I said confidently.

I kept my voice steady, refusing to let them rattle me.

The truth was, I’d only reviewed fixed-point problems and nothing else. I only got it because Ben had accidentally given me a hint.

I shot Ben a grateful glance. He nodded, almost imperceptibly.

"I can solve it for you now." I grabbed a marker and wrote out the solution on the board, explaining as I went. The bob-haired girl was dumbfounded.

The equations flowed, my hand steady. I felt the old spark of pride, the thrill of proving them wrong.

"Now, can we talk about why you tried to frame me?"

I locked eyes with her, daring her to lie again.

She was taken away, and soon, Chloe and Ben were called in too. Thankfully, Ben came back quickly.

His presence was a comfort, steady and calm.

"Sorry for dragging you into this," I said.

He just shook his head.

His silence was reassuring, a quiet promise that I wasn’t alone.

That’s when I learned the bob-haired girl had a crush on Ben. Chloe had manipulated her into thinking I was chasing after him, leading to the whole setup.

The drama of high school never failed to amaze me. I felt a pang of sympathy for the girl, but mostly relief it was over.

"If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have failed math," Ben said, looking apologetic, his eyes a bit red. Handsome guys crying are a sight, but this was different.

I reached out, squeezing his hand gently. "That’s victim-blaming. If a tree falls in the wind, do you blame the tree?" I comforted him quietly.

He let out a shaky laugh, the tension easing from his shoulders.

"You really believe it wasn’t my fault?"

"Say it a hundred times, I’ll still believe you!" I repeated the words he’d once said to me: "I believe this waitress didn’t mean it."

His eyes widened, a soft smile spreading across his face. The connection between us felt real, electric.

That deep, magnetic voice echoed in my mind again. Why did I keep thinking about Ben? I blushed—he was just a kid, what was I thinking? Must be because he was too good-looking.

I looked away, embarrassed. My heart thudded in my chest.

Luckily, no one noticed our red faces. Everyone was crowded around Marcus, listening to him animatedly describe how Mr. Grant got chewed out. The principal saw the footage and blamed Mr. Grant for standing by me too long, saying his proctoring was lax.

The news spread fast. For once, the system had worked in my favor.

With that good news, the English exam arrived. I quietly reported Marcus for trying to sneak his phone into the test room. Just as I was feeling smug, Nathaniel appeared. He hadn’t spoken to me since I called him out. Before the English exam, he stopped me: "I’ll plead your case!" Then he left before I could snap back.

His attempt at chivalry fell flat. I rolled my eyes, focusing on my exam.

"Tch! Plead for me? Already assuming I can’t do it?"

His lack of faith only fueled my determination.

Fueled by that, I flew through the English exam. This time, no trouble from Mr. Grant. Physics, chemistry, and biology went smoothly too. Now it was just a matter of waiting for the results.

I let out a shaky breath, feeling lighter than I had in months.

I packed up, planning to use summer break to catch up on six subjects.

My to-do list was long, but I was ready to tackle it head-on.