The day had come. The day I had been waiting for all this while. A pang of nervousness hit me but excitement kept me sane. It was the day when the results for the final assessment were supposed to be out. I entered the school id on my cellphone, my mind's clock ticking constantly and my heart thudding and beating faster with every click.

What if I fail?

For some reason, I refused to agree. I have worked hard and I know things will turn out good. I kept reassuring myself.

I inhaled deeply and entered the password.

"Holyshit! I passed the damn exam Blakey," Ethan whooped with joy.

"Congrats bro," I smiled at him.

After a moment, my screen displayed my result.

I froze then and there.

"Congrats buddy," Ethan chuckled as he gave me a brief brotherly hug.

I was still trying to figure out things. I couldn't speak. I sat there, my face was expressionless.

"Oh come on Blakey. Stop acting clueless," Ethan nudged me.

"I.. have... topped the campus," I stuttered. My hands and legs trembled. I couldn't take the news. It was all too incredible to believe. I had stood first in the campus  a number of times before, but this time, it was unexpected. My cheeks felt warm and I couldn't stop smiling. Standing first in the campus in your final year of school is undoubtedly a very huge thing for any student.

"Now get ready Blake, we have to reach the school in half an hour," Ethan chuckled excitedly.

I changed into a white t-shirt and paired it with military trousers. Settling my messy brown hair strands, I clutched my backpack as Ethan and I drove to school.

There was a huge crowd of students near the noticeboard. The hall was filled with excited as well as anxious whispers, determining the variation in the grades of the students.

"I failed," A red-haired girl sobbed near the exit of the assembly hall.

Similar complaints could be heard from most of the corners which made me realize that most of them could not make it.

Everyone came and congratulated me on my achievement.  I made my way through the crowd and came to stand in front of the noticeboard. The crowd shifted from there, making way for me which signified that the news of my achievement had spread throughout the campus. My name was mentioned in bold, right at the top of the list which consisted of names of almost three hundred candidates. Beside it was mentioned, Achiever.
I hurriedly glanced at the other names in the achiever's list.

My eyes searched for just one name. Leah Harlow.

I searched and searched when my eyes suddenly came to a halt. Leah's name was mentioned on the 26th spot. I was dumbstruck. Standing twenty-sixth in three hundred students was good but not for a student as extraordinary as Leah. She is a genius. She deserved the first place.

I could no more feel the waves of euphoria in my heart. I felt kind of emotionless.

"Blake, You don't look good. All okay?" Ethan asked me.

"Yeah I.. Um... I gotta go," I put a hand on his shoulder and muttered breathlessly.

I ran through the long corridors, ignoring all professors and students. I headed straight to Headmistress Laura's room.

"May I come in?" I asked her politely.

"Oh Blake. Our Institution's pride, please come in," she greeted me with a smile. She signaled me to sit on the long revolving chair in front of her wooden desk.

"I want to ask you something Mrs. Laura," I shrugged.

"Yes, you may speak Blake," she nodded.

"Can I see Leah Harlow's answer sheet?" I finally spoke gathering courage.

Awkward silence enveloped the already quiet room.

"I can't.."

"Please. It's really important, Mrs. Laura. Please do me this favour please," I interrupted her speech, begging her to help me.

She took a long deep breath.

"I have the answer sheets of the top thirty candidates. But this information should not go outside the room Blake Anderson," she warned as she took out a bundle of sheets tied with a burgundy satin ribbon.

"Thank you so much for this," I said as I examined the sheets.

I carefully took out her sheet and glanced at all the corrected answers. Every single question on the answer sheet was absolutely correct. But the last page of her answer sheet had a big question mark.

Three questions not attempted
The teacher had written the remark in red ink.

I stood up from my chair fuming with anger.

"Thank you for the help. I won't tell anyone about this visit," I expressed my gratitude.

"You better not," she warned me again.

I left her office and made my way to the assembly hall. The crowd had not dispersed yet. I scanned the huge hall when my eyes fell on a blonde haired girl in a navy blue denim jacket.

Leah.

I hurriedly headed towards her and held her wrist.

"Hey Blake. Congratulations. Look, I said you will nail the exam and here you are. I am so elated," she came forward for a hug but I signaled her to stop.

"You must be happy right? But I am not at all happy Leah. Why did you do it?" I squeezed her wrist.

"Did what?" she rolled her eyes at me.

"You left three questions unattempted. We all know how important it was for you to make it to the top five. Why Leah why?" I yelled at her. My muscles twitched as I closed my hands into a fist, controlling my anger.

She took a deep breath and smiled calmly.

" After all, exams aren't at the top of my priority list, " she whispered.
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