Ficorpio
Chapter 1
The school’s reigning beauty and worst student had somehow become bound to a Fifty-Point Advantage System. No matter what exam we took, her score would always be exactly fifty points higher than mine.
As long as I performed at my usual level, she was guaranteed a place at Harvard or Yale.
So when I discovered her secret, she panicked. She was terrified I would sabotage the National University Entrance Exam by turning in a blank paper and scoring zero.
She sent my childhood sweetheart to convince me not to throw the exam.
I asked him why I should hand Vanessa Cross fifty points for no reason.
Ethan Sterling’s expression grew solemn. “Because she’s loved me for six years. She doesn’t deserve to lose her chance at a good university.”
I said nothing. I merely nodded.
Fine. I’d give her fifty points.
I would score 710 and see how this supposed genius explained getting 760 on an exam with a maximum score of 750.
When Ethan urged me not to sabotage the entrance exam, my heart clenched. For a long moment, I said nothing.
I knew Vanessa had sent him.
Ever since I’d discovered her secret, she had been on edge, terrified that I would submit a blank exam paper. I was the top student at Westbridge Preparatory School. If necessary, I could retake the exam next year and still get into an excellent university.
Vanessa didn’t have that luxury. Her grades were barely good enough for community college. This year’s entrance exam was her only chance to change her future.
“You don’t need to waste a year of your life just to punish someone else,” Ethan said when I remained silent. A gentle smile touched his lips. “Do your best this year. We promised we’d aim for Harvard and Yale together.”
It had been a long time since he’d smiled at me like that.
Ever since Vanessa confessed her feelings to him, something in Ethan had shifted. His attention seemed to wander toward her, and I often caught his gaze lingering on her when he thought no one would notice.
He still spent nearly every waking moment with me. He had rejected Vanessa’s breakfasts and love letters again and again. He had even rebuked her in front of everyone, telling her to stop pursuing him.
And yet, with the National University Entrance Exam approaching, he had chosen to help her.
“Give me one reason.” I stared straight at him. “Why should I hand Vanessa fifty points for nothing?”
His gaze flickered away before he answered with studied calm. “I just don’t want you to ruin your own score. We can both score above 680. There’s no reason for you to get a zero.”
He was lying.
I knew Ethan too well. Even the slightest change in his expression betrayed his guilt.
“Tell me the truth. Do you like Vanessa?”
At last, I tore through the fragile pretense between us, even as my heart contracted again and again, each spasm more painful than the last.
Ethan’s expression changed instantly. His eyes shifted, and after a moment, he released a deep sigh.
Chapter 2
“Vanessa has loved me for six years. I’ve watched her grow from a naive child into the girl she is now, and all that time, I’ve kept avoiding her feelings.”
“Her heart has always been fixed on me. That’s why her grades are so bad. She’s actually smart and hardworking. If she hadn’t fallen for me, she probably would’ve been one of the top students too.”
Ethan’s voice was gentle, his eyes glowing with warmth, as though he were talking about his favorite little sister.
I remembered how he used to look exactly the same whenever he introduced me to his friends.
I gave a bitter laugh.
Then I asked him one last question. “What would you do if I turned in a blank entrance exam paper?”
Ethan’s gaze tightened. He tried to soothe me. “Don’t do anything reckless out of spite. You’re good enough to get into Harvard or Yale.”
I said nothing. I simply stared at him without blinking.
I wanted a straight answer.
He frowned, but finally replied, “I’ve let Vanessa down for six years. If I can’t even do this much for her, then I’ll spend another year preparing with her and retake the exam. I’ll help her change her life.”
In other words, if I submitted a blank paper, Ethan would stay behind with Vanessa and retake the National University Entrance Exam the following year.
Then he added, “As for you, Claire, I hope you can be the bigger person and stop being so selfish. Helping Vanessa isn’t asking that much.”
Right. Helping Vanessa Cross wasn’t asking that much.
All I had to do was perform at my usual level.
If I scored 680 points, she would score 730, shattering the California record and perhaps even setting the highest raw score in the history of the National University Entrance Exam.
She would become an overnight sensation, the nation’s celebrated exam champion.
Her life would change forever.
That was exactly what Ethan Sterling wanted.
All at once, I felt exhausted. None of it seemed worth it anymore.
For years, I had stood by Ethan and helped him escape the darkness of his traumatic childhood. I had taught him step by step, transforming him from a depressed, struggling student scarred by domestic abuse into the confident, brilliant young man he was today.
How much of myself had I poured into him?
And now he wanted me to help another girl.
What a saint I was.
I had nothing more to say. I turned and walked away.
Ethan’s frown deepened, and his voice grew heavier. “Claire, are you even listening to me? Stop being so selfish—”
I kept walking.
His voice suddenly turned cold.
“If you won’t agree, then we’re through.”
At last, I stopped.
My heart no longer twisted with pain. Instead, I felt only bitter amusement—and relief.
I nodded.
Fine. I agreed.
I would help Vanessa properly.
There was no chance I would throw the exam.
The National University Entrance Exam was one of the most important events of my life. Why would I turn in a blank paper just because of Vanessa Cross?
Chapter 3
No. I would push myself to the limit, answer every question carefully, and fight for every last point.
All the way to 710.
That was the highest score I was capable of.
I had proven it time and again on practice entrance exams. If I hadn’t deliberately answered some of the major questions incorrectly, I could have scored 710 every time.
I had always held myself back, keeping my score around 680.
The reason was simple. I hadn’t wanted to leave Ethan Sterling too far behind.
Ethan had endured a miserable childhood filled with domestic abuse. The emotional scars ran deep, and while trying to save him, I had always taken great care to protect his pride.
That included his grades.
By keeping us both around 680, I’d given him hope. We could attend the same university. We could stay together forever.
But none of that mattered anymore.
A score of 680 left only a slim chance of getting into Harvard or Yale.
A 710, on the other hand, wouldn’t merely guarantee admission to one of the nation’s two elite universities. It would also set a new entrance-exam record for our city and make me the city’s top scorer.
Last year’s record holder had scored only 706.
As for Vanessa, congratulations were in order.
Thanks to her Fifty-Point Advantage System, she would receive an astonishing score of 760.
There was just one problem.
The National University Entrance Exam had a maximum score of 750.
When the results came out, the spectacle would be unforgettable.
I could hardly wait.
By the time school let out, I had completely moved on.
My head was filled with possible essay prompts, solutions to the hardest math problems, and calculations of where I might scrape together every last point.
Then Vanessa Cross stepped into my path.
She held an iced boba tea in one hand, her face arranged in a timid, apologetic expression.
“Um… Claire, I’m sorry. I didn’t expect Ethan to be so reckless…”
She watched my face carefully. “He really loves you. There’s no way he’d actually break up with you. He only threatened you because he lost his temper, so please don’t take it to heart.”
I regarded her calmly.
No matter how sincere she made herself look, or how hard she pressed her lips together, she couldn’t hide the delight in her eyes.
She was gloating.
After all, the guy countless girls dreamed about had threatened to end things with me for her sake.
And apparently, I had backed down to keep him from leaving me.
Vanessa hadn’t merely won Ethan’s affection. She was also about to become the most famous student to take the National University Entrance Exam. At worst, she would receive an offer from either Harvard or Yale.