Chapter 63
Bald Lee’s apology to Charlotte was all over the school forum, the video shared and reshared until it felt like everyone had seen it. The moment Charlotte stepped onto campus, she was hit by a wave of stares. Some were full of awe, others just plain shocked, and she even caught a couple of guys trying to sneak photos of her when they thought she wasn’t looking.
She frowned a little but kept walking. As soon as she entered the classroom, the usual chaos faded into silence. Every single person in the room stared straight at her.
“Morning, Charlotte,” Parrish called out, tossing a carton of milk her way. “Here, this is for you.”
She barely glanced at it before tossing it right back. “Thanks, but I don’t like milk.”
Parrish looked confused, like he couldn’t believe what he’d just heard. Was he seeing things? He could have sworn he saw her drinking milk at her desk just yesterday.
Charlotte dropped her backpack into her cubby and noticed a test paper sitting on her desk.
Physics, from yesterday.
Her head had been pounding during the test. She’d planned to rest for a bit, but when she opened her eyes again, the class was already over. She hadn’t even finished half the questions. And now, looking at her score… a seven. Ouch.
“Congrats,” Andrew said from the next desk, grinning at her with his chin propped on his hand. “You just set a new record for the lowest score in Vanguard High School history.”
Charlotte frowned and glanced at his score.
Twenty-eight.
Honestly, not that much better.
She didn’t even bother to respond at first.
Andrew tried to sound encouraging. “Don’t feel too bad. According to Ms. Adams, we’re both full of potential. If we put in a little effort, our improvement is going to look amazing.”
Parrish almost lost it, trying to hold back a laugh. The guy who was second-to-last was comforting the one who came in dead last.
Charlotte gave a half-hearted laugh. “Wow, thanks. I feel so much better now.”
Andrew froze, the corners of his mouth twitching. She’d just gotten a seven but somehow she didn’
see upset ataller
College’s teaching really that bad?
Charlotte sat down and took out her books, but before she could settle in, the class president walked in looking stressed.
“Charlotte,” he said quietly, “Ms. Adams wants to see you in her office.”
She frowned and stood up.
“Wait,” the president added, noticing how relaxed she looked, “the Dean and Bald
Lee are there too. I think it’s about your record-breaking physics score.”
So Bald Lee was there. She figured he’d probably found another excuse to make things hard for Ms. Adams. If she’d known, she would have pushed herself to answer a few more questions. Maybe she could have at least beaten Andrew.
She barely made it to the door when the class president called out again.
“Oh, and Andrew, you’re supposed to go too.”
If Charlotte hadn’t scored a seven, Andrew would have been the one making history
for all the wrong reasons.
Nater, the two of them
A few minutes!
།
stood side by side in the office. Andrew leaned back against the wall, looking totally at home, like he’d done this a hundred times before. Charlotte stood with her legs together and her hands behind her back, the picture of someone ready for a lecture, though her posture had the confidence of someone in charge.
“Do you know why you’re here?” Eleanor hadn’t even spoken yet when Bald Lee
jumped in, grinning so wide his yellow teeth were on full display.
“No idea,” Andrew replied, rocking on his heels, not even trying to act serious.
Bald Lee shot him a look. No point in trying to save this one.
He turned to Charlotte. “What about you?”
Charlotte lifted her head, her pale face almost glowing under the office lights. She
looked more like a straight-A student than a troublemaker.
“Yeah, I know,” she answered, her voice ringing out clear and bright.