3
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After leading my team to five straight wins, I rushed home.
When I walked in, my parents immediately went on the offensive.
“Well, look who decided to come home early! Didn’t you say you’d rather die at Cyber Zone Lounge than come back here?”
“Why don’t you just stay there forever? Let’s see what kind of SAT scores you’ll pull off.”
In my last life, my parents had tried everything to get me to study, but I blindly believed Ivy’s lies and rebelled. Eventually, they gave up on me, only making sure I wasn’t starving but otherwise washing their hands of me.
After my death, though, they mourned for a long time. My mom was hospitalized from the grief.
I dropped to my knees with a thud. “Mom, Dad, I’m sorry. I was so stupid before. I’ll study hard and get into a good college–I swear!”
My mom turned to look at me, stunned. Then she quickly wiped her tears, pretending she
wasn’t crying.
My dad helped me up immediately. “It’s alright. You finally understand. I always knew you weren’t a bad kid at heart. There’s not much time left, but give it your all. If it doesn’t work
out, we’ll figure something out–even if it means another year of preparation.”
I nodded firmly. “Don’t worry. I’ll get in on the first try. I’m aiming for Harvard–MIT
Alliance!”
Ivy stepped out of her room holding her notebook. “Hazel, why are you back? Weren’t you gaming with Ethan and the others at Cyber Zone?“.
She walked up to me, fake innocence dripping from her expression, before dramatically
pinching her nose.
“Eww, Hazel, you reek of cigarettes! The smell is unbearable!”
21:28 Mon, Nov 25
My mom leaned in, sniffed, and instantly slapped me across the face.
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“I knew it! You can’t change your ways, can you? Lying about studying, coming home stinking of smoke. With grades like yours, scoring 200 on the SAT, and skipping class to play games, if you can get into Harvard–MIT, then pigs might fly!”
Disappointed, my dad sighed and followed my mom back to their room.
Alone with me, Ivy dropped her mask.
“Hazel, stop wasting your time. Six months isn’t enough for you to surpass me. I’ve been
holding back; I’m not just a 400–point scorer.”
I laughed coldly and walked to my room. Words wouldn’t convince anyone–I’d let my
results speak for themselves.
Weekly tests rolled around, and while I showed improvement, my scores were still far from passing.
Fo
- Ivy, on the other hand, dropped her façade and performed at her real level–second in the class and tenth in the grade.
The homeroom teacher praised me, saying I had a shot at getting into a state college
I glanced at Ivy’s test papers. She hadn’t solved the hardest questions. Her brain just
sn’t built for it.
Ivy shoved her paper in front of me, pointing at her scores.
“Hazel, look! I got a perfect score in English and 129 in math. What about you?”
She pretended to examine my scores.
“Wow, a 59 in math? So close! If the test was out of 100, you’d be just one point away from passing. Too bad it’s out of 150, and passing is 90.”
“Oh, and you’re so much better in reading and writing–60 in English! Your verbal scores definitely beat your math!”
21:28 Mon, Nov 25 O
Ethan tried to console me. “Hazel, maybe studying isn’t your thing. You’ve stopped pulling all–nighters with us at Cyber Zone. Without you, we’re losing ranks like crazy!”
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Ivy jumped in with fake scolding. “Ethan, don’t say that about my sister. She’s aiming for
Harvard–MIT!”
The whole class erupted in laughter.
“Seriously? Hazel Bright, the future Harvard–MIT scholar?”
“With a total score under 400, she thinks she can get into Harvard–MIT? That’s hilarious!”
“She must think she owns Harvard–MIT and can just waltz in whenever she wants.”
Ignoring them, I pulled out a SAT prep workbook and got back to solving problems.
Suddenly, my homeroom teacher, Mr. Gregory Nash, barged into the classroom, waving a stack of scratch paper.
“Hazel, is this yours?”
I nodded, confused.
To my surprise, Mr. Nash hugged me. “You’re a genius, Hazel! An absolute genius!”
“The principal always says I can’t teach beyond General Track students. But here I am, proving him wrong–teaching a future Harvard–MIT student!”
froze in shock. “Mr. Nash, my sister’s scores improved, sure, but she only got 397. How could she possibly get into Harvard–MIT?”
Mr. Nash patted my shoulder proudly. “She’ll make it. Hazel iş the smartest student I’ve
ever taught.”
Ethan muttered, “Is Mr. Nash losing it?”
Mock exam results came ou
“Wow, Hazel! You’ve improved so much–up to 988th! Harvard–MIT is just around the
corner!”
Laughter echoed through the halls.
The grade director, who had been watching, muttered, “Hazel Bright should be ranked first in the grade.”
Ivy’s face twisted in anger. “Hazel’s scores are pathetic. Why does everyone believe in her? There’s no way she can go from 200 to 700 in six months!”
Leaning close, I whispered, “Want to know why everyone believes I can make it to
Harvard–MIT?”
I spread out my test papers and answer sheets in front of her. Ivy’s eyes widened as she
scanned them.
“This can’t be real!”
0
“It’s impossible! You must have cheated! I’m reporting you!”
My answer sheet was a masterpiece. I’d ignored all the simple, basic questions but
solved every difficult one, using elegant shortcuts.
Ivy had only answered half of the questions I had–and she’d gotten some wrong.
Grabbing my papers, she stormed into the principal’s office, bursting in without knocking.
“Principal Price, I’m here to report Hazel Bright from 11–B for cheating on the mock
exam!”
Inside, the principal sat with several teachers, analyzing my test papers.
Seeing us, Dr. Price gestured for me to join them. “Perfect timing, Hazel. We were just discussing your results. Can you explain why you left all the easy questions blank but solved the hardest ones so well?”
“I didn’t want to discourage my peers. If I went all out from the start, my scores would be
21:28 Mon, Nov 25 €
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“I didn’t want to discourage my peers. If I went all out from the start, my scores would be too intimidating. I’ll save my best performance for the final mock and the SATS.”
I glanced at Ivy, whose face darkened.
Mr. Nash laughed. “Exactly as I thought! Hazel’s strategy is brilliant.”
Dr. Price made an immediate decision. “Both Hazel and Ivy are being transferred to the
Honor Track.”
I refused the transfer–it didn’t matter where I studied. Ivy, however, declined for one
reason: she needed to stay close to sabotage me.
After school, Ivy gathered Ethan and some others to corner me.
“Hazel, let’s do an all–nighter at Cyber Zone tonight. I’ve got a big promotion match.”
I agreed, leading them to five more wins before heading home.
Just as I was leaving, a man, at least seven or eight years older than me, leaned over
“from behind and wrapped his arms around me.
“Your moves are sloppy. Let me teach you.”
The stink of body odor and cheap cologne made me gag as I slipped away.
“Who the hell are you?”
Ivy stepped forward. “Hazel, this is Rocco Delgado, the most powerful man around here.
With him protecting you, no one would dare mess with you.”
Rocco lit a cigarette, blowing smoke rings as if he were the star of some cheesy movie.
“Hazel Bright, I like you. You’re my girlfriend now. Let’s go.”
Ivy shoved my bag at me, grinning. “You’re so lucky, Hazel. I’ll cover for
and Dad.”
you
with Mom
Rocco reached for me, but I darted away.
21:28 Mon, Nov 25
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“Don’t touch me.”
Rocco grinned, revealing yellowed teeth. “Quit playing hard to get. Your sister says you throw yourself at men all the time.”
Ethan stepped between us, pulling me behind him.
“I don’t care who you think you are, Rocco. Back off. Lay a finger on Hazel, and I’ll end
you.”
Rocco, furious at being challenged, lunged at Ethan, who held his ground.
