bChapter /bb41 /b

It was well known that Alice had a crush on Leslie. She had been chasing after him all through high school, from freshman year to senior year. But Leslie balways /bturned her down, prioritizing his studies.

She didn’t constantly throw herself at him, but whenever someone she considered a rival showed interest in Leslie, she’d confront them.

This time was different. Shermaine didn’t approach Leslie; it was the other way around. That, without a doubt, made Alice more concerned and jealousb. /b

After all, Leslie had never tutored anyone at this school. He was also known for his cold and aloof demeanor, ignoring most of the girls. But he bhad /bchatted away with Shermaine.

“Nothing’s going on between him and me,” Shermaine said bluntly.

Alice wasn’t buying it. “Then why did he offer to tutor you?”

Shermaine straightened up and met her gaze. “Why should I bother exining? Who are you to question me?”

Alice bit her lip, puffed out her chest, and spoke with fierce determination, “I’m the one who’s meant to be with him!” She was convinced that once bthe /b

SAT was over, Leslie would agree to be with her.

Hearing this, others couldn’t help but be impressed by her confidence, thinking she was indeed the top student and the prettiest girl at school.

Shermaine chuckled, her tone casual and indifferent as she said, “Oh, then I don’t see the need to answer you.”

She had no connection to Leslie–they were just strangers who had crossed paths twice. She had no reason to answer the questions of his admirer, bwho /bhade to confront her because of mere spection.

Shermaine might exin if she were in a good mood. But since Alice was acting like she was someone important, expecting everyone to cater to her, there was no way Shermaine would.

Alice was enraged by her indifferent attitude and barked, “Don’t get smug, Leslie would never like youb, /ba useless, low–achieving student. You’d better stay away from him.”

Shermaine’s nonchnt demeanor shifted. Her gaze, initially cold, bnow /bcarried a sharp, icy glint. She snorted, “Apologize.”

Shermaine’s ssmates were visibly upset. One of them stood up and said, “That’s right, Alice. Apologize right now, Just because you’re pretty and good at your studies doesn’t mean everyone’s going to bow down to you.”

b“/bThis isn’t the first time you’ve insulted someone from our ss,” another echoed.

“Exactly. Apologize to Sheary right now!” someone else chimed in.

Alice had nned to leave, but she was blocked by Shermaine’s ssmates. She couldn’t get away. She wasn’t afraid, thoughb, /band shouted, “bMove/bb!/bb” /b

“I’m saying bit /bagain. Apologize!” someone said firmly.

“Why should I? I didn’t say anything wrong.” Alice couldn’t understand it. Shermaine had only been here for a few days, yet she’d already won over so many people. They even called her by her nickname.

“Since you won’t apologize, I’ll report you to the homeroom teacher,” someone from Shermaine’s ss bsaid/bb, /bfurious. bShe /bthought, ‘bIf /bShermaine’s ba /buseless, low–achieving student, then what does that make us? Are we even worseb?/b‘

However, instead of the homeroom teacher, the dean, Mason, arrived–bbrought /bover by Hannah.

Mason shouted, “What are you all doing bhere/bb?/bb” /b

bAt /bthe sight of himb, /bShermaine’s ssmates grew a bit buneasy/b.

b1/4 /b

bChapter /bb41 /b

bMason /bbwas /bbiased. He always smiled and treated the top students warinly. But when it came to average students like them, his face was as cold as

The students greeted Mason.

A bold bboy /bspoke up. “Sir, Alice came to our ss and called Shermaine a useless, low–achieving student. We just want her to apologizebi. /i/b

Alice bit her lip. b“/bSir, I didn’t say that.” She was clearly determined to deny everythingb, /beven

on a pitiful act.

Summer couldn’t hold back her anger. “Alice, I can’t believe you’re such a coward–too scared to own up to your actions!b” /b

Alice lowered her head. “Sir, I didn’t say that. I swear. I just talked to Shermaine for a bit, and then they wouldn’t let me leaveb./bb” /b

and now Masonb, /bclearly favoring Alice, snapped at the boys blocking the idoor/ii, /i“Move! What are you doing with your time? Your grades are getting worse, ba /byou’re bullying someone? What’s next?”

“We aren’t bullying her,” the students protested.

“Alice did insult Shermaine,” one of the boys insisted, his face dark with frustration, refusing to back down.

Mason ignored him. “If you don’t move, there will be consequences.i” /i

Under his stern gaze, the boys reluctantly stepped aside, letting Alice through–but they were still furious and even disappointed.

Before Alice could step out, Shermaine grabbed her by the cor at the back of her shirt and yanked her back, throwing her bdown /binto a chair in the bback /brow. “Did I say you could leave?”

All her ssmates gasped, thinking she was so badass, doing this in front of the dean.

Alice crashed into the desk, letting out a sharp cry of pain. As she met Shermaine’s cold, piercing gaze, she felt ba /bchill run down iher /ispine. At school, Shermaine was just a student–she had to follow the rules.

But outside of school, she was the ruthless girl who could send the spoiled brats straight to jail. Even Shelia, who hadn’t shown up at school, was rumored to have fallen victim to Shermaine and was still in the hospital recovering,

Alice realized she had let her emotions get the best of her earlier.

The dean shouted, “Shermaine, what do you think you’re doing?!”

Shermaine ignored him and turned to Alice. “Apologize. Don’t make me say it ba /bthird time.”

‘Sheary is angry. Damn, that’s terrifying!‘ someone thought.

The tension was intenseb, /bsending chills down everyone’s spine.

Alice stammered, “I… I’m sorry.”

Mason’s face darkened as his authority was challenged, “Shermaine, you are at school! Don’t think your background gives you the bright /bbto /bact recklessly.”

Shermaine turned to face him. “She insulted me, so asked her to apologize. What’s bso /bunreasonable about bthat/b? Mr. Moeb, /bwhy are byou /bbtaking /bher side before even getting the facts straight? Do you think my ssmates are all lying?”

“How dare you talk back to me?”

“Pleaseb, /bgive us an exnation, sirb./bb” /b

b“/bI bdon’t /bneed bto /bexin anything to you. You,e with me to the office. bNow/bb!/b”

Shermaine bwas /btaken bto /bthe bdean’s /bboffice /b

bAs /bbshe was /bled awayb, /bAlice couldn’t help but smirk with satisfaction. She thought, ‘bSo /bwhat if she’s impressive outside bof /bbschool/bb? /bHereb, /bshe’s bjust /bba /bblow- /bperforming student,pletely ignored by the teachers. Some teachers only care about students with good grades.

Shermaine’s ssmates looked grim.

Soon, Isabel arrived at the dean’s office. The moment she stepped in, she said, “Mr. Moe, I’ve spoken with the students involved and also checked bwith /bthe students in the neighboring ss. It’s true that Alice insulted Shermaine from our ssb. /b

“Of course, my students are at fault as well, and I’ve already scolded them. Shermaine’s new here, and there’s a lot she still needs to learnb. /bss has alfeady started. Could we please let her go for now?”

Mason sneered. “She hasn’t even learned to respect her teachers, and now she wants to go back to ss? She’s not leaving until she apologizes band /breflects on her behavior.”

“That’s not gonna happen,” Shermaine said firmly. “I don’t think I did anything wrong. In fact, Mr. Moe, I think you need to reflect on your extreme bbias /btowards top students. As an educator, you should treat all students equally.

“I hope you can be fair, just, and transparent when handling matters. bIf /byou can’t do that, then I don’t think you’re fit for the position you’re bin/b.”

Isabel had always had her own grievances about this issue, but as a teacher, it wasn’t always easy to speak her mind. Now hearing Shermaine say bit/bb, /bshe felt a headacheing on.

Mason’s face turned red with anger. He barked, “How dare you lecture me on how to do my job? Take a good look at yourself! Your mother sent byou /bhere to study, not to stir up trouble and form cliques.

“Let me make this clear: if you don’t apologize today, don’t bothering back.”

Shermaine stood up, looked down at him, her gaze sharp, and dered, “I’ve always acted with integrity and never caused any trouble. But bif /bsomeone

a /bbet with you.

“Tomorrow’s the midterms, and I’ll get straight A’s. If I don’t, bI’ll /bept any punishment you choose. But if I do, you’ll have to apologize to me and promise to treat all students equally from that point on.”

Isabel couldn’t help but admire Shermaine for her courage. She remembered seeing Shermaine helping her ssmates with questions just yesterday. ording to some of them, Shermaine’s grades weren’t bad at all. Somehow, though, she’d developed this reputation as a low–performing student.

Mason sneered. “Fine. I’ll give you a chance. Let’s see if you can back up that big talk.” He took a sip of coffee and continued, “Here’s the deal: If you can get straight A’s, I’ll apologize to you. But if you don’tb, /bpack your bags and leave.”

The truth was, the students with average grades had long been fed up with Mason. Whenever good resources were avable in the school, they always went to the best sses.

When a top student made a mistake, Mason would calmly remind them not to do it again, but if an average student messed up, they’d get an earful.

When Shermaine returned to the ssroomb, /bthe ss had endedb, /bbut her ssmates were still there, looking dejected.

She walked up to the podium and said, “I really appreciate you guys standing up for me today. I know you’ve taken a lot of heat from the dean because of this, and honestly, you’ve been putting up with this kind bof /bcrap for a long time.”

She paused and continued, “Life’s never been fair, and you’ve seen it here in school. Out in the real world, it’s only going bto /bget btougher/b. You’ll bmeet /bbmore /bpeople like the dean–people who are even worse. But remember, nobody is inherently superior. You’re no less than anyone else.

“bTo /bearn respect and make them look up to you, the first thing byou /bneed to bdo /bis make them see byou /bbin /bba /bwhole new blight/bb. /bbThe /bbSAT /bbis /bbyour /bbfirst /bbchance /bbto /bp them in the face. From now on, follow my lead. I’ll help you ball /bexceed expectations. Are you ready?”

As Shermaine’s words echoed through the room, excitement washed over all her ssmates. The frustration band /bbdefeat /bbthey /bbhad /bbfelt /bbjust /bbmoments /bbago /bbnow /bbecame their driving force.

They didn’t know why they trusted Shermaine bso /bmuchb, /bbut bfor /bsome strange reason, they just did. bThey /bball /bbshouted /bbin /bbunison/bb, /bb“/bbWe’re /bbready/b! bSheary/bb, /btake-

b3/4 /b

b12:45 /bbMon/bb, /bb2 /bbJun /bG