Chapter 57 Questions.
+8 Pearls
Leah bit her lip, a subtle sign of her frustration, and pulled at Celeste’s wrist once more. She spoke softly, just loud enough for their small circle to hear. “Celeste, don’t push it. Maybe Charmaine used her connections. Someone must have helped her get back in.”
Her unspoken words were clear: We can’t fight her. Not now.
Celeste’s temper flared at Leah’s suggestion. “That girl? You think she’s using favors to get in here? Not happening.”
Stepping forward, Celeste’s voice was strong and filled with irritation. “Miss, Charmaine hasn’t attended a single class since freshman year. Anyone who fails the finals has to repeat the year. Why is she even in our class?”
Veronica, eager to add her support, quickly agreed. “Exactly. She hasn’t been here for one class. How is she going to keep up with us? Isn’t she just going to bring down our class ranking?”
Eragos University had a unique system. Students earned credits not only for their personal performance but also contributed to the overall grade and class standings. The higher the ranking, the easier the workload, and the greater the chance for scholarships and outside opportunities.
Charmaine’s return was nothing short of a disruption. It would hurt both the grade and the class.
The voices of dissent spread quickly.
“We’ve been in the top three for two years straight. If someone like her joins, we’re definitely going to drop in rank.”
“Seriously, how did she even get in here? She was a disaster in high school! We’re doomed to have her in our grade.”
“Why even bother? Who cares if she’s some fashion genius if she knows nothing about the subject? Why is the school letting her back? How much are they paying her to stay?”
“I’ll double whatever she’s paying to get her out of here!”
The chorus of complaints grew louder.
Leah felt a rising sense of satisfaction.
Charmaine, you really think Rex can save you?
Just because you’re here doesn’t mean you belong.
Leah’s
gaze
drifted toward Charmaine, and once again, their eyes locked.
For a moment, Charmaine’s expression was filled with disdain, like she was looking at someone beneath her. The feeling of humiliation hit Leah hard.
Charmaine glanced away, slowly rising from her seat.
“I hear dissent, miss. If they want to play by the rules, let’s play by the rules.”
The teacher raised an eyebrow, clearly puzzled. “What do you mean by that?”
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Chapter 57 Questions
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Charmaine spoke with calm resolve. “I’ll retake last semester’s finals. If I pass, I stay. If I fail, I leave.”
Leah’s first instinct was to laugh.
The exams from last semester had been a disaster.
The questions had been so difficult, they were meant for third–year students.
+8 Pearls
Even the highest achievers in the grade might not pass the exam without struggle. If it hadn’t been for the teacher’s quick thinking, giving them a pre–test just before the real exam, the class’s pass rate would have likely plummeted.
Charmaine, on the other hand, had never attended a single professional class. She was, quite frankly, setting herself up for failure.
The teacher was fully aware of this. After all, the school had held an emergency meeting last semester to address the exam–related issues that had come to light.
She hesitated, unsure how to address Charmaine’s boldness. “Charmaine, are you sure? You’ve never attended any of the professional courses.”
Charmaine was unwavering. “I’m sure.”
The teacher hesitated again, mouth opening and closing as she weighed her options. Finally, she said nothing, conceding.
Moments later, the counselor returned with the exam papers in hand.
The grade teacher glanced over them briefly. “To save time, I’ll have a few representatives come up here. You will select 15 questions from these papers. If Charmaine answers ten correctly, she passes. Any objections?”
The students responded in unison, “None.”
A handful of top students stepped forward, marking the questions. Celeste joined them, selecting one as well.
Once they finished, the teacher placed the marked papers in front of Charmaine. “You have one hour. Begin.”
Charmaine skimmed the questions quickly and began writing without hesitation.
Sitting in the front row, there were two more rows between her and the next group of students, so no one could see what she was doing.
Veronica couldn’t hide her surprise. “She just glanced at the questions and started writing? Is she really that good?”
Celeste snorted. “She’s probably just writing random things and see if any sticks. Let’s see if she can keep it up for the whole hour. This is going to be interesting.”
Leah stayed silent, the smile never leaving her lips.
She was eager to watch Charmaine fall flat on her face in front of the entire class.
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