The arduous task of grading the exams finally came to its conclusion, leaving the teachers exhausted but duty-bound to post the final ranks on the noticeboard. A throng of grade 11 students quickly congregated around the noticeboard, their collective anticipation creating a palpable tension in the air. Silvia, keen to discover Silus’ fate, expertly manoeuvred her way to the front, her heart racing in her chest. Dane, ever the loyal friend, stood beside her, sharing in her nervousness.

As Silvia’s searching eyes scanned the list of names, her heart skipped a beat. To her astonishment, Silus’ name occupied a prominent position in the coveted Top Ten, securing an impressive 8th place out of 206 students in total. The shock and disbelief reflected in Dane’s wide eyes mirrored her own feelings.

The news of Silus’ unexpectedly high rank quickly spread among the gathered students, eliciting a flurry of murmurs and speculations. Whispers rippled through the crowd like a gentle breeze on a summer day.

“Have you seen Silus’ rank?”

“Do you think he cheated?”

“It’s gotta be some mistake, right?”

Silvia, acutely aware of the unwanted attention Silus’ high rank had attracted, deftly navigated her way out of the densely packed crowd, with Dane faithfully following in her wake.

Aiden, arriving later than most to the noticeboard, quickly located his own name and breathed a sigh of relief upon finding himself in the 9th place. However, his relief was short-lived as he realised that the name occupying the place above his belonged to Silus—a unexpected twist that left him dumbfounded.

As Aiden stood there, his disbelief simmering, he overheard a small group of students from his grade engaged in a conversation laced with jealousy and scepticism regarding Silus’ remarkable achievement.

“How on earth is Silus 8th?”

“I heard he cheated.”

“Yeah, it doesn’t make sense. Why aren’t the teachers doing anything about it?”

Aiden couldn’t help but sneer at them from the sidelines, their envious complaints grating on his nerves like an irritating melody.

Silvia and Dane sought peace in the vast, open grassy field, distancing themselves from the crowd of students still abuzz with chatter about Silus’ unexpected high rank. Silvia was clearly distressed, her thoughts fixated on the image of her brother’s name occupying the 8th position on the ranking list.

Camila, who had been frantically searching for Silvia upon hearing the news, finally caught up to them. She stood there, baffled and bewildered, as Silvia lamented her unintentional high rank.

“I was supposed to give him an average rank. I didn’t mean to catapult him all the way to 8th place! I swear I didn’t even try that hard,” she whined aloud with regret.

Dane and Camila exchanged incredulous glances, struggling to process her admission.

“Y-you didn’t even try?” Camila stuttered, her disbelief evident.

“I’ve never heard someone so distraught over a high rank until now,” Dane remarked.

“Are we meant to feel sorry for you? You didn’t even try yet you came 8th. I studied more than usual and landed at 123rd! The only subject I was decent at was legal studies,” Camila retorted.

Dane burst into laughter. “You came 123rd?!”

Camila shot him an exasperated look. “Really? Rank 189 is laughing at me?”

Silvia overheard their banter and joined in the laughter. “What? You came 189th?!”

Dane’s embarrassment was conspicuous as his face turned a bright shade of red. “Chill, guys. Weren’t we here to talk about your results, Sil?”

Camila raised an eyebrow at the peculiar nickname. “Sil?”

“I always get confused between Silvia and Silus, so calling her Sil makes it easier.”

Silvia felt unsure about the bizarre nickname. “It sounds like the animal…”

Dane chuckled. “That makes it even better.”

Felicia ambled gracefully through the thinning crowd, her deliberate steps leading her to the noticeboard. Her eyes swiftly located her own name at the top of the rankings, a sight that eased her nerves.

“Thank goodness,” she muttered softly to herself, a small smile escaping her lips.

Yet, her attention was soon captivated by Silus’ rank, and her eyebrows shot up in astonishment. Just as she absorbed this revelation, a pair of female students gathered beside Felicia, their voices lowered but brimming with curiosity about Silus’ rank.

“Did you see Silus’ rank?”

“Did he cheat?”

“Aiden mentioned he didn’t…”

“Could it be that he’s been pretending to be dumb all along?”

“Silus is probably a hidden genius. Not to mention, he’s pretty cute as well.”

Felicia’s jealousy flared at the girls’ seemingly affectionate discussion of Silus. She cut off their conversation with a displeased tone. “Are you guys seriously fawning over Silus? Have you all forgotten he’s a bully?”

The girls merely tittered at her remark, clearly unperturbed by her disapproval. “Relax, Felicia, people can change.”

“Yeah, didn’t he stand up for you when the teacher was yelling at you before?”

Felicia clicked her tongue in annoyance and steered away from them, having heard enough compliments of Silus pouring out of their yapping mouths.

It was precisely at this moment that Principal Cronin emerged from his office, his sharp gaze scanning the area until it settled upon Felicia, the one student he already had in mind.

“Felicia,” he called out, his authoritative voice cutting through the lingering chatter of the students.

Felicia turned around to see him waving her over, her curiosity piqued.

“Do you have a minute?” he asked.

Cronin returned to his office, closing the door behind him with a resounding thud. He settled into his desk, with Felicia taking a seat across from him, her nerves palpable in the charged air of the room.

He cleared his throat with deliberate precision, his expression an enigma of solemnity. “Silvia Arias decided to leave Rosecrest College to study abroad halfway through this year. The college is now extending a scholarship to you due to your splendid academic performance. Although there’s only one year left of high school, this scholarship offers you a remarkable opportunity to conclude your school year at such a prestigious institution. The decision, of course, rests solely with you. Should you choose to accept, I will personally oversee the completion of the transfer documents and send you the formal acceptance letter.”

Felicia found herself at a crossroads, facing the chance she had long yearned for—to ascend to the hallowed halls of Rosecrest College. However, as she contemplated the offer, an unexpected hesitation gripped her. She remembered her conversation with ‘Silus’ when he had asked her about her dreams. It illuminated a truth she had long overlooked—her parents’ dream was to see her at Rosecrest, not necessarily her own. She had strived diligently to fulfil their aspirations, but she now realised that it was time to pursue her own desires.

Summoning the courage to voice her decision, Felicia spoke with conviction. “I’m going to decline the offer, sir. I’m content with where I am now.”

Cronin clasped his hands together, fingers interlocked in a graceful display of reflection. “I will respect your decision, Felicia. May your path lead you to the fulfilment of your true dreams,” he replied, a subtle smile hidden behind his steepled fingers.

The final English class of the year left Silvia with a simmering sense of anticipation. The clock on the wall slowly ticked down towards the end of the school term.

Miss Cowan stood before the class, addressing them with a mix of excitement and caution. “Tomorrow marks the beginning of your well-deserved school break, class. Enjoy your time off and relax, but don’t forget that you’ll all be starting the next year as twelfth grade students, so be prepared for that!”

The classroom seemed to hold its breath in suspended animation as Miss Cowan’s words hung in the air. Then, like a sudden summer storm, the entire class erupted into a jubilant cacophony of cheers and laughter. The promise of holidays intertwined with the anticipation of the challenges that lay ahead, creating an electrifying atmosphere that crackled with excitement.

With the last school bell of the year resounding through the air, Silvia stood at the school gates, her exhilaration clear in the warm, sun-kissed afternoon. She had arranged to meet Dane and Camila, but her expectations were momentarily dashed when Felicia appeared before her—an unexpected presence in her plans.

Felicia’s customary shyness greeted Silvia. “Hey, Silus…”

Silvia was taken aback by Felicia’s appearance. “Hey, Felicia, how are you?”

Felicia’s nervousness intensified as she twiddled her thumbs. “Today, I was offered a scholarship to Rosecrest…”

“No way, that’s fantastic news!”

“I declined.”

“Wait, what?”

Felicia’s gaze remained cemented on the ground. “You asked me about my dream, and I realised I just wanted to be free. I felt like a bird locked up in a cage of illusions, trying to break free. But the only way to escape was to face myself. I finally did.” She rummaged through her backpack, pulling out a small box of chocolates, which she shoved against Silvia’s chest. “I-I’ve had these chocolates for a while, and I wanted to give them to you as t-thanks. Don’t misunderstand, okay?!”

“Oh, thank you!” Silvia gladly accepted her gift with a warm smile.

“I’ve got to go now!” Felicia fled before Silvia could get another word out.

“Get home safe!” Silvia shouted audible enough for Felicia to hear.

Felicia scurried away, her face completely red. She scuttled past Dane, who was observant of her blushing expression, eliciting him to snicker with amusement.

Dane pestered Silvia with a cheeky smile. “I told you she likes you.”

Silvia rolled her eyes. “Oh, cut it out.”

“Come on, she gave you chocolates. How oblivious can you be?”

“It’s just a token of appreciation.”

As Dane studied her more thoroughly, he began to comprehend the profundity of her obliviousness to the romantic interests of others. “You really are oblivious…”

The trio of friends gathered in Silvia’s inviting living room, revelling in the newfound freedom from academic stress that the school break had bestowed upon them. The stress of academics had temporarily lifted, allowing them to bask in the leisure of summer.

Camila ruminated on the holiday plans, her eyes alive with excitement. “What are you guys planning to do during the break?”

Dane, ever the enthusiast for adventure, chimed in with boundless energy. “Since it’s summer, I was thinking of hitting the pools or maybe even head to the beach. Why don’t we all go?”

Silvia, although eager for a break, took a moment to consider. “I don’t know… What if I run into people I know?”

Camila, never one to mince words, didn’t hold back. “Are you really gonna have Silus steal your fun too?”

Dane nodded in agreement. “Yeah, Camila’s right for once. You’ve been stressing so much. It’s about time you relax as yourself.”

Silvia, yielding to their sound arguments, couldn’t help but smile. “You guys are right. Let’s go then. Oh, but wait…” She suddenly thought of someone. “Do you mind if I invite Jared?”

Dane and Camila exchanged uncertain glances, their expressions revealing their mixed feelings about Jared.

Camila, especially, wasn’t too pleased hearing his name. “Jared? I don’t know… I don’t really like him…”

Silvia, intrigued by Camila’s reservations, sought to understand. “Why? Is it because he accidentally cracked your phone that one time?”

Camila reclined on the couch, attempting to detach herself from her personal feelings. “Well, it’s not just that…But I guess if you want him to come, it’s fine.”

“I don’t know if he’ll even agree, but I’ll send him a text anyway.”

Dane, always inquisitive, couldn’t help but probe into Jared’s social life. “Does that guy even have friends at school?”

Silvia, compassionate by nature, succumbed to her strong sense of empathy. “He tends to keep to himself, and I can’t blame him, considering what Silus put him through.”

Dane’s curiosity led him to ask more questions. “Why did Silus bully him in the first place?”

Silvia, drawing from what she had learned, shared her insights. “Jared mentioned that he used to be overweight, which probably made him an easy target for Silus.”

Camila’s interest was piqued as she grasped the new information. “Overweight?” A realisation seemed to dawn on her as she connected the dots, though her mind couldn’t process it any further.

Jared lay on his bed, his eyes fixed upon the ceiling as he drifted into his own thoughts. His room was silent, save for the faint sounds of life outside his window. The recent discovery and the guilt he carried hung over him like a dark cloud.

In the midst of his introspection, a sudden vibration cut through the stillness, jolting him from his reverie. He reached out, his fingers finding the cool surface of his phone, its screen illuminating with an incoming message. The sender’s name, Silvia, flashed before his eyes, sending a tremor through him. With a sense of trepidation, he read the message: “My friends and I are planning a trip to the beach. Would you like to join us?”

Jared’s heart skipped a beat, his mind racing with conflicting emotions. The invitation both surprised and confused him. Since the revelation of Silvia’s secret, their interactions had grown strained, and he wasn’t sure how to respond.

For what felt like an eternity, he continued to stare and reread the message, torn between the desire to accept and the fear of facing the truths he had uncovered.

Amidst the light banter and laughter shared between Silvia, Dane and Camila, the low hum of Silvia’s phone vibrated on the table. Her fingers moved to retrieve it, the screen coming to life under her touch as she unveiled Jared’s reply.

As the words on the screen etched themselves into her consciousness, a wave of emotions surged within her, leaving her momentarily frozen in thought. His message slowly sank in, and her eyes widened in surprise, causing both Dane and Camila to jump at her sudden reaction.

Dane, sensing something amiss, leaned closer with a hint of concern in his eyes. “What’s the matter?”

Silvia, her voice quivering with uncertainty, drew in a steadying breath before sharing the message. “Jared replied.”