THE BRILLIANT GIRL

THE DAY EVERYTHING CHANGED

EPISODE 4

The sun was shining at St. Jude’s Academy. It was not a normal day. The air was thick with worry as Preparation Week started. Teachers were walking around talking to students in a tone.

They were saying things like "be ready for anything". Think on your feet.". They were not giving away any secrets about the final test.

Amara was sitting at her desk looking around the room. Everyone was. Getting ready for the test. Some students were studying physics and chemistry while others were looking at test papers.

Victor was sitting next to her drawing in his notebook.. His drawings were not like his usual ones. They were messy and uneven.

Amara asked Victor if he was okay. He said he did not sleep well and was worried about the test. He told her that he heard some teachers talking about the test being different this year.

They were saying that the students would be working in teams with students from schools.

Then the principal walked into the room with two men in suits. They were carrying an envelope with a wax seal. The principal told the students that the rules of the test had changed.

Students would not be working alone.

With their friends from the same school. They would be working in teams with students from schools.

The students were shocked and started talking. Amara was worried that she and Victor would not be in the team. Victor was looking ahead his hands gripping the desk tightly.

The principal told the students that they would be judged on how they worked with others. They would have to build, communicate and solve problems with people they did not know.

After the principal left the classroom was noisy. Students were. Worrying about the test.

Amara and Victor walked out of the classroom not saying much. They went to the library. Sat at their usual table.

Amara was feeling sad and worried. She asked Victor what they would do if they were not in the team. Victor said that they would still use the knowledge they had learned.. Amara was not convinced.

She said that they had worked together on their project and it would not be the same if they were apart.

Victor looked at her. Said that if they were in different teams they would be competing against each other. Amara did not like that idea. She did not want to compete against her friend.

The next few days were busy. Students were. Preparing for the test. The workshop was filled with noise and activity. Students were. Testing their projects.

Amara saw Kola, a student from another school working on a water filtration project. It was an complicated machine.

Amara was impressed.

She was also worried.

She did not know if she and Victor could build something like that.

Kola saw her looking at his project. Started talking about it. He said it was an impeller-driven pressure feed, with -layer ceramic membrane filters. Amara did not know what that meant.

She knew that Kolas project was impressive. She felt a surge of worry and competition. She wanted to build something as good or even better.

He turned to face her wiping his hands on a cloth and gave her a smile. "Are you impressed Amara? Our prototype can handle dirty water in under thirty seconds. It does not slow down. Need to be fixed by hand."

Amara swallowed hard. Tried to stand up straight. "It is equipment, Kola..

The pumps need a lot of power.

What if the power goes out when you are using it?"

Kola. Stepped closer to her. "We have made the power system very good. Do not worry about our design, Amara. Worry about what you will do when you're on a team with people who do not know how to fix a simple circuit."

Amara did not say anything. She turned around. Walked away.. When she left the workshop she felt a knot in her stomach.

She thought about her project with Victor. They were making a system to clean water using the sun. It was simple. It worked.

Compared to Kolas fancy machine their project seemed basic. It was good. Was it good enough to win?

That night Amara could not sleep.

She lay in bed looking at the ceiling and listening to the clock tick. At 11:30 PM she got up. Turned on her lamp. She looked at her notes and drawings for the water cleaning system. She wanted to make sure it was perfect.

Then there was a knock at her window.

Amara was startled and jumped out of her chair. She pulled back the curtain. Saw Victor standing outside with his phone. He looked pale in the moonlight.

She opened the window. Said, "Victor, what are you doing here? It is midnight!"

"They just posted a message on the competition website " Victor said, breathing quickly. "They told us where the final test will be."

Amara pulled him inside. Said, "Where is it? What do we have to do?"

Victor showed her the message on his phone.

> **Official Message: Final Test Location**

> **Location:** Riverbank Community Zone

> **Conditions:** No power, dirty water and not much help.

> **Goal:** Make a system that works and can help the people who live there.

Amara read the message twice. She knew the Riverbank area. It was a part of town with dirty water and no power.

"This is not a test " Victor said, seriously. "We have to make something that works in the world not just in a lab."

Amara sat down on her bed still holding the phone.

Kolas fancy machine seemed weak now. It would break easily in a place like Riverbank.

Amara and Victors simple system might just work.

Victor looked at her. Said, "Are you scared?"

Amara was quiet for a moment. She looked at her notes. Thought about what they had to do.

She was scared. She was also determined.

She looked up at Victor. Said, "I was scared when I thought this was just about winning.. Now it is about making something that helps people."

She closed her notebook. Said, "I am ready."

Victor. Helped her up.

Outside a storm was coming.

Amara and Victor were ready, for whatever came next.