Chapter 74: Risk of Exposure
Hayley’s POV:
That request left me utterly stumped. If I agreed, my identity would surely be exposed when we met face-to-face. But if I declined, Benjamin would surely become suspicious—he was always so alert.
After a long pause, I still struggled with the right words to respond. Finally, I decided to ignore it altogether and logged off, heading straight to bed.
The next morning, which happened to be Monday, I was at Midnight Pack and made the bold choice to drive myself to school for the first time. Of course, I ended up being late!
I hurried to my calculus classroom, where William was already in the middle of his lesson. As I slipped through the door, he turned just in time to witness my entrance. I braced myself for a reprimand, knowing how strict he usually was with tardy students. To my surprise, he simply smiled and waved me in. “Come on in!” he said cheerfully.
Taken aback, I quickly stepped inside.
“Mr. William is so biased, letting her in just like that,” one student whispered to another. “Tsk! Tsk! Of course! She’s the teacher’s pet now. How could he treat us the same way?” they continued, gossiping in hushed tones.
I paid them no mind as I settled into my seat, but the next moment, William directed his attention right at me. “Since Hayley has arrived, I have an important announcement to make,” he said, adjusting his glasses with a satisfied grin.
I looked up; curiosity piqued. “Hayley has consistently been one of our top math students,” he continued in a good mood, “so next month, she will represent our school in the National Math Olympiad alongside a few other Aexian students at the finals in Northlipe.”
At that, the class erupted in a flurry of chatter. “Hayley plays tennis well, but can she really handle the Math Olympiad?” one student questioned. “Seriously, she’s an Omega from the Shadow Pack—how can she possibly be better than our Betas?” another added.
Their doubts rolled over me like water off a duck’s back. To be honest, I had little interest in participating in the competition. If it weren’t for my growing boredom with staying here and wanting to have some fun in Northlipe, I would have outright refused.
“Given that Hayley will be competing in the national math contest, the city’s education bureau has organized a two-week intensive training session beforehand. Hayley, you’ll need to prepare well and report…”
I pursed my lips, maintaining my cool composure. Training? Could it be a residential program? If that’s the case, I would be able to temporarily avoid living with the Southwells. I no longer have to deal with those annoying Southwells, and could temporarily distance myself from Benjamin. My feelings about him were complicated.
I raised an eyebrow, suddenly intrigued by the prospect of the training.
After class, William called me into his office. He said, “Hayley, I have high hopes for you. I hope during the training, you can learn diligently from your instructors. Your performance will reflect not just your personal honor but also the pride of our school. But don’t feel too much pressure; just do your best.”
He rambled on for quite a while before handing me two Math Olympiad books. “Take these home. If you have any questions, just come ask me.”
“Okay, thank you, Mr. William,” I replied, clutching the books as I returned to the classroom.
“Hayley, that’s amazing! You’re actually going to the National Math Olympiad! I heard Jeremy is going too. Everyone is buzzing about it. Some students are even betting on your and Jeremy’s scores!” Christine exclaimed, her excitement evident.
I shot her a confused glance and asked, “Who’s Jeremy?”
Christine stared at me in disbelief, then quickly handed me her iPad, eager to fill me in.