Chapter 327
Holding the ranking list, Eleanor couldn’t hide her pride. Two of her own students were in the top three, and she stood a little taller because of it. “Let’s be clear, no one owns first place. Charlotte took it this time, but next time, it could be someone else,” she said, her tone steady.
She looked right at Ashley. “Exams are about skill, not talk. Isn’t that true, Ashley?” Ashley’s words caught in her throat. Her cheeks turned bright red with frustration. “As for the thirty points lost in Literature, I’ll talk to Charlotte myself and figure out what happened.”
With that, Eleanor scooped up her papers, lifted her chin, and left the office with a spring in her step. The other teachers watched Ashley, who sat there looking pale and furious. Some looked down on her, others just felt awkward on her behalf. When her own student came first, Ashley acted like it was only natural. The moment Eleanor’s student won, she started throwing around wild accusations about cheating. It was just embarrassing.
The news about Charlotte topping the exam spread through Vanguard High in no time. In Class C, everyone except Charlotte herself was practically buzzing. Five perfect scores. If they hadn’t seen her taking the test with her injured hand, they might have believed she had some kind of superpower.
Right now, three classmates sat in front of Charlotte, practically blocking her in. All six eyes stared at her as she calmly drank her milk, their faces a mix of shock and seriousness.
Charlotte took her time, sipping again. A small, sly smile played on her lips. Her eyes half closed as she said, “Keep staring and I’ll scoop your eyes out.”
Shirley was the first to back down, bowing her head. Parrish and Andrew shared a look, then quickly looked away too. Parrish spoke up, sounding almost formal. “Charlotte, you’re this amazing. So why didn’t Lamplighter College want you?”
Charlotte glanced up, took another drink, and grinned. “Who said they didn’t want me?”
bet
When shedeft, the principal practically chased after her. He only let her go when she promised to visit and made a big donation. People just liked to twist the story
“It’s complicated,” she said. “You guys wouldn’t get it.”
“Okay,” they said, letting it go since Charlotte clearly didn’t want to explain.
That’s when someone at the door called, “Eleanor’s here.”
Eleanor entered the classroom, her face beaming as she held a stack of papers. Andrew folded his arms and raised an eyebrow. “Look at that
results. He glanced at Chaerne
smile she definitely knows the
f Charlotte. “You’re about to be famous.”
Getting first place was already impressive, but doing it with an injured hand? That was a slap in the face to everyone who ever looked down on her.
Famous? Charlotte gave a slow, teasing smile. “The real drama hasn’t even started yet.”
“What do you mean?” Andrew
started to ask, but before he could
finish, the grade coordinator burst into the room sweating and
breathless. He hurried to Eleanor and whispered something in her ear.
Eleanor’s bright smile faded in an instant. Her whole expression changed. She
looked at Charlotte, her face full of worry and confusion.