Book To Read
Chapter 223
Chapter 223
"Cordelia."
When Mr. Waldron called out her name, the entire class fell silent, all eyes on the star student, waiting for her grades. Queenie was also waiting, but more so for Cordelia to mess up this time. Instead, what they heard from Mr. Waldron was, "Perfect score-300."
Boom!
The classroom exploded in disbelief.
"How much?"
"Did I hear that right?"
"This exam was a beast. Barely anyone scored over 200, and she nailed a perfect score?"
Queenie was gobsmacked: "There must be some mistake?"
Hearing Mr. Waldron, Cordelia had already stood up, walking towards the front to collect her paper. As she walked back, necks were craning to see her score. Seeing the 300 on her paper, admiration was unmistakable in their eyes.
"It's really 300!!"
"Oh my God, Cordelia is just unstoppable! Never lets us down!"
"Ah, if I could score half of what she did, I'd be over the moon!"
""
Listening to the chatter, Queenie felt her face burning up, especially after Mr. Waldron handed Cordelia her paper, then called out, "Queenie." Queenie shot up from her seat.
She was actually pretty confident about her own results. But standing throughout the exam for an hour and then sitting down, feeling utterly drained... As she was pondering, she heard Mr. Waldron say, "129."
Queenie was in shock: "What?"
She couldn't believe it: "That's impossible!"
She knew she was good at math. Despite feeling off that day, she felt she did well. How could she have scored so low?
The exam was tough, but still, most managed scores above 150. 129 was, so far, the lowest!
Daisy couldn't help but mock: "Cordelia, even standing, scored a perfect. Queenie, what about you? Sitting down and you couldn't even score half of hers!"
Queenie was fuming: "She got 300, what's that got to do with you? For all you know, you might not even score 129!"
As if on cue, right after her words, Mr. Waldron called, "Daisy."
Daisy perked up.
She heard Mr. Waldron say, "180."
Daisy's eyes widened in disbelief.
In this tough exam, getting over 200 was rare, and here she was, scoring 180, placing her in the top ranks!
She couldn't believe her luck: "Oh my God, Cordelia, I must've caught your good vibes! I thought I'd scored 160 at most. Must've guessed a few right!"
As she walked back, passing Queenie, she couldn't resist, "Oops, sorry, just casually scored 180!"
Queenie was seething.
Embarrassed and angry, she clenched her fists. Then, hearing Mr. Waldron call out, "Keen."
Cordelia, having collected her perfect score, was curious about Keen's paper, knowing they both had stood during the exam.
Hearing his name, she looked up at Mr. Waldron, only to hear, "Perfect score-300!"
The class gasped again.
Two perfect scores in such a tough exam were unheard of!
All eyes turned to Keen as he walked up, collected his paper, and returned to his seat, the admiration for this intellectual duo palpable in the room. "Double perfect scores, they're like a powerhouse duo!"
Queenie's gaze held a hint of jealousy, now wondering about Sean's score, sitting next to Cordelia.
Looking at Cordelia, Everard felt a tinge of pride seeing her score a perfect. "Congratulations," he said once she sat down.
Cordelia, usually indifferent to praise, found herself smiling slightly at his words, "Impressive, huh?"
Seeing her playful side, Everard smiled too, his usually sharp gaze softening, "Isn't this just another day for you? Impressive, indeed!"
Cordelia nodded, "You must be good at math too, no need to be envious."
That day, when Lucille challenged them with a tricky problem, only she, Keen, and Everard at the front had pointed it out.
As Mr. Waldron went on explaining
the paper, Everard, without a paper of his own, seemed out of place. Cordelia discreetly slid him a blank notebook and a sheet of paper.
In the crowded classroom, Everard, blending in, started doodling on the paper. Mr. Waldron hadn't noticed.
But Queenie, always watching, frowned.
Something was off...
"Why doesn't Sean have a paper?"
Her brows furrowed in thought.
As Mr. Waldron continued, Cordelia's eyes occasionally drifted to Everard, who seemed more engaged in his doodling than in the exam review.
After dinner at the cafeteria and returning from evening study, it was finally time to head back.
Everard stood up, casually tearing a sheet from the notebook Cordelia had given him, slipping it into his pocket.
"What did you write?" Cordelia asked, curious.
Everard glanced at her, "Nothing much."
Once outside, he took out the sheet, revealing a poem:
"In the breeze, I send my heart, with the river, my thoughts depart.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!
Looking back, I forget the past, only your face, forever to last. Nights of longing, years of yearn, wishing to forget, for you, I burn.
My love continues, deep and true, my only regret, not being with you. Dressed in sorrow, food tastes bland, sleep eludes me, here I stand."
Everard's words, hidden in the folds of paper, were a secret ode to feelings unspoken, a testament to a heart quietly yearning.
"If you're okay, then my heart finds peace."
Everard glanced at the note once more before tucking it into his pocket, silently adding, "But these words, I'll keep them from you."
After all, the kid is still young. Maybe after they start college, that would be the right time.
Walking away, Everard left Cordelia to turn around on campus, heading back to her dorm room. Once both of them had departed, Queenie emerged from the shadows where she had been lurking.
Her eyes widened in disbelief as she watched Everard disappear into the distance... So, he wasn't a student after all! Cordelia was in for it now!
She resolved that come morning, she would blow the whistle on the whole affair.
Meanwhile, back at her dorm,
Cordelia received an unexpected call. As soon as she answered, Merry's anxious voice burst through, "Lia, you need to come over, something's happened!"