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Novel Catalog
“Enna, what nonsense are you talking about? Wouldn’t I be an opportunist if I actually did what you said?” Sarah snapped, her tone sharp as she shot Sienna a furious glare. She didn’t want to appear too arrogant in front of her classmates, but the edge in her voice made it clear she wasn’t amused.
Sienna, however, wasn’t perturbed by Sarah’s anger. Instead, her words had inadvertently reminded Sarah of something she’d been trying to push to the back of her mind—her family’s business was struggling, and she knew that university life would come with financial constraints. For now, keeping Carlisle interested seemed like the best option. After all, she could always move on once she found someone better at university.
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I misspoke!” Sienna quickly apologized, her voice almost pleading as she playfully tugged on Sarah’s arm. “Please don’t be mad!”
Sarah’s lips curled into a tight smile. “Alright, I forgive you. Let’s just head to the classroom first,” she said, not wanting to drag the matter out. She linked her arm with Sienna’s, walking toward the school building with a steely resolve in her eyes.
Meanwhile, the teachers’ office was abuzz with activity. Teachers gathered around Lucy, congratulating her for her students’ success. Even the principal and the director of the Education Bureau were present, all eager to shower her with praise.
“Ms. Turner, you’re truly outstanding! Four students from your class have met the Tier 1 University requirements. This is unprecedented at our school!” one teacher remarked, beaming with admiration.
“It looks like Ms. Turner will be receiving the Best Homeroom Teacher of the Year award again!” another chimed in.
Lucy’s face remained composed as she basked in the compliments. Inside, however, she couldn’t suppress a rush of pride. Since the school’s establishment, only a few students had ever made it to Tier 1 universities, let alone four from a single class.
The principal, his belly protruding comically beneath his shirt, smiled warmly. “It’s almost time. Let’s announce the SAT results. Tonight, I’ll treat everyone to a big meal!” he declared, gesturing for the teachers to exit with their folders of results.
As Lucy stepped out of the office, a thought crossed her mind. She turned back to grab her large tote bag from her desk before heading to Class 3A.
Once she entered the classroom, the atmosphere shifted immediately. The usual chatter quieted, and all eyes turned to her. “I’ll be distributing the SAT results now,” Lucy announced, her voice firm and commanding. “When I call your name, please come forward to collect your score report.”
She wasted no time, opening the report folders and calling out the names one by one. The students shuffled forward, nerves and excitement blending as they took their envelopes.
“Sienna Thorn!” Lucy called, her gaze softening just a fraction as she glanced at Sienna. It was clear there was a hint of disappointment in her eyes, though she tried to hide it. Sienna had come so close, but not quite enough to qualify for a Tier 2 university. It was a small but significant setback.
Sienna stood up, her heart pounding in her chest as she walked toward the front. The weight of expectation felt crushing. She reached out to take her report folder, her hands trembling.
Back at her seat, she clasped her hands together tightly, closing her eyes in a silent prayer. Please, Lord, let me get into a Tier 2 university, she thought desperately.
She opened the folder, and as her eyes scanned the page, her heart sank. A score of 1045 stared back at her. The minimum requirement for a Tier 2 university was 1060, which meant that she had no chance of getting into the school she had set her sights on.
Tears welled up in Sienna’s eyes, her worst fears realized. She could barely hold back a sob as she whispered, “Why am I so unlucky?”
Sensing something was wrong, Sarah leaned over to see Sienna’s score report. Her eyes widened in surprise at the low score. “Enna, what’s your score?” she asked, her voice soft with concern.
Sienna’s lips quivered as she showed Sarah the report, unable to find the words. Sarah frowned as she scanned the numbers. “How did you only manage 1045 points? You studied so hard!” she said, her voice laced with disbelief.
Sienna wiped her eyes, her voice cracking. “The exam questions were so different from what I prepared for. I don’t know why I keep failing…”
As she spoke, the tears flowed freely. The classroom was filled with a mixture of emotions—some students cheered as they learned they had made it into a college, others shed quiet tears after failing to secure a spot in a Tier 2 university.
A voice suddenly pierced through the room. “Yes! I got 1000 points! I made it! I made it! I’m the hope of my whole village. We have a college student in our village!” A student cheered, overcome with joy.
Sarah took Sienna’s hand in hers, her voice gentle but firm. “It’s okay. At least you’ll still earn a degree in college, right? It’s not the end of the world.”
Sienna tried to smile, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes.
“Sean Gates!” Lucy called, her voice breaking the tense silence.
Sean, who had been sitting in Wanda’s seat, stood up and moved to the front to collect his report folder. He opened it, revealing a score of 1230. A wide grin spread across his face as he saw the number. Though it wasn’t enough to secure a spot at Riverland University, it was still a respectable score. It opened doors to several lower-tier Tier 1 universities.
“Sarah Gates!” Lucy’s voice rang out again, this time calling for Sarah’s results.