Chapter 64

Frank rubbed his temples, the sharpness of Ruby’s voice causing a headache. Sighing helplessly, he said, “Ms. Bates, please calm down. I understand your disappointment in Class A’s performance, but weren't the exam questions set by the Class A subject teachers and the senior-year director? The answers were only accessible to them; therefore, if anyone leaked the answers, it could only have been one of them.”

Ruby was speechless. She mused, “The senior-year director is also the vice principal. I couldn't possibly accuse him. But it's equally impossible that I leaked the answers myself. Could it be that the Class F students actually solved the questions independently?”

Ruby clenched her palms, crumpling the answer sheets. Her face hardened. She thought, ‘How is this possible? I can’t believe those Class F students outperformed Class A. If they were truly that capable, why did they only achieve such high grades now, just before the college admission exam?’

The Class D physics teacher interjected, “I invigilated the science exam. I saw Aurora's answers to the physics problems; they were exceptionally well-solved. Furthermore, she didn’t use the standard methods from the answer sheet. She employed a simpler, yet more complex, formula approach that saved considerable calculation time. I witnessed it myself. Ms. Bates, you're not suggesting I'm colluding with Aurora, are you? And let's not forget that Aurora entered this school with the highest entrance score. This is only her second time achieving first place. Is that so unbelievable? Talented individuals excel regardless of their learning environment.”

Just then, Alison burst in, overhearing the end of the conversation. She thought, ‘What? Aurora came in first place?’

Frank noticed Alison first. He asked, “Alison, is there something you need?”

Still seething from her refutation by the Class D teacher she had always scorned, Ruby immediately vented her anger on Alison.

“Alison, what are you doing here? Have you even checked your grades? You've fallen over a hundred places since the last exam. At this rate, forget about a top-tier school; you won't even get into a second-tier one.”

Alison’s face flushed crimson as she hung her head. She had spent half the exam watching Aurora, hence her poor results.

Aurora and the others were halfway down the corridor when they saw Alison stumbling back from the administration office, utterly dejected.

“You went to the office already?” Aurora stepped forward, her long legs blocking Alison’s path.

Noticing the shadow, Alison looked up dazedly. Recognizing Aurora, she glared. “Don’t get too smug. Next time, I’ll beat you.”

Margaret immediately pointed out the flaw in Alison’s statement. “Aurora didn’t cheat, did she? You slandered her. That’s wrong.”

Aurora patted Margaret’s head, calming her. Glancing at her watch, she said, “Class A students, hurry up and clean the toilets. Don’t waste everyone’s time.”

The Class F students chimed in, “Yeah, get moving!”

Alison, Damon, and the others turned ashen. Accustomed to luxury, they were loath to even lift a finger; now, they had to clean toilets because of a lost bet. It wasn't just embarrassing; it was a crushing blow to their pride. They had no idea how to explain this to their parents.

Seeing their inaction, the onlookers understood the situation.

One student said, “They’re not seriously planning to back out, are they?”

Another added, “Wow, this is eye-opening. It’s the first time I’ve seen such shamelessness.”

One sneered, “I’m telling my parents. We should be careful doing business with their families. They might pull the same stunt if they can’t deliver, leaving us to clean up the mess.”

The crowd's mockery caused Damon and the others to pale, then flush. If they cleaned the toilets, how could they ever face Mereida High again?

Maura cautiously approached, tugging on Aurora’s sleeve. “Aurora, please, can you let this go for my sake?”

Aurora covered Maura’s trembling hand. A flicker of something unreadable crossed her eyes, but outwardly, she played the role of a caring sister perfectly. “Maura, you’re not well. Go home and rest. Don’t worry about this.”

Seizing on an opportunity, a Class A student pointed at Maura. “Maura didn't take the exam, but we included her score in the average. That's unfair. Her score should be excluded.”

The other Class A students followed suit. Maura was among the top ten students; excluding her score would easily negate the 15-point difference. They wouldn't have lost.

One Class A student said, “Didn’t Maura say she was dropping out? That means she shouldn’t be counted in Class A; her score doesn’t belong in the average.”

First, they accused Class F of cheating; now, they nitpicked about the scores. They would try anything to avoid punishment.

Alison patted Maura’s shoulder, feigning reluctance. “Maura, this isn’t right, but Class F is so bullying.”

Reluctantly, Maura understood this was the easiest escape. She shook her head, her pale face appearing even more pitiable. “Alison, don’t feel guilty. I understand.”

Disgusted by their pretense, Aurora’s voice turned cold. “Who's really the bully here? Have you forgotten the bet? Now that you’ve lost, you're scrambling for excuses to avoid the consequences?”

Erik chuckled, slyly producing his phone and turning the volume up. A familiar, arrogant voice boomed, “If she wants to bet, let’s bet. You think we can’t beat a bunch of losers?”

Alison’s face burned. She wished the earth would swallow her whole.

Erik sneered, “Maura from Class A didn’t take the exam, and neither did Jack from our class. Yet, we included his score.”

A Class A student shouted, “How can Jack and Maura be the same? One raised the class average, the other dragged it down. How can you compare them?”

A cold, indifferent voice cut through the noise. “What’s going on here?”

Everyone turned to see a boy in a Mereida High uniform, leaning casually against the hallway wall. He looked around, clearly confused by the crowd. "What's everyone doing?"

Silence fell. Expressions tightened as they instinctively made way for him. They wondered why this troublemaker was here.

Aurora’s eyes gleamed with curiosity. She remembered Erik’s description: a ruthless fighter.