Chapter 14: Second Place
860 Words
Results day felt less like a school day and more like a public execution.
By eight in the morning, students were already gathered outside the administration building. Some stood on benches trying to get a better view. Others refreshed school group chats every few seconds as if the results might magically appear there first.
Ava regretted coming early.
The crowd alone was enough to make her nervous.
"Why are there so many people?" she asked.
The girl beside her laughed.
"Because half the school has forgotten this was supposed to be an exam."
Ava looked around.
She wasn't wrong.
Students weren't discussing their own scores.
They were discussing hers.
And Ethan's.
"Who do you think won?"
"Ethan."
"No, Ava."
"Ethan."
"Ava."
The arguments were everywhere.
Ava groaned.
"Can we skip to tomorrow?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because this is entertaining."
Ava stared at her.
"You scare me."
---
As the crowd grew larger, so did the tension.
Even students from other grades had shown up.
Teachers repeatedly told people to move away from the board.
Nobody listened.
Naturally.
Then a sudden wave of excitement spread through the crowd.
"They're coming."
Heads turned instantly.
A teacher carrying a folder walked toward the notice board.
The crowd surged forward.
Students pushed.
Others complained.
Someone nearly lost a shoe.
Ava remained where she was.
There was no point fighting through that madness.
Eventually the teacher pinned the results to the board.
And all hell broke loose.
The crowd exploded.
People shouted.
Others pushed forward.
Several students pulled out their phones.
Ava couldn't see anything.
Which was probably for the best.
Her heart was already racing.
Then she heard it.
A scream.
Not a scared scream.
An excited scream.
Followed by several more.
"What?!"
"No way!"
"She actually did it!"
Ava froze.
The words hit her before the meaning did.
She actually did it.
Slowly, very slowly, the crowd began to part.
Students turned.
And looked directly at her.
Ava's stomach dropped.
"Oh no."
The girl beside her grabbed her arm.
"Oh yes."
Before Ava could react, somebody shouted her name.
Then another person.
Then another.
Suddenly dozens of eyes were on her.
The attention felt overwhelming.
"What happened?" she asked.
Nobody answered immediately.
Most were too busy staring.
Finally, one student held up his phone.
The results were displayed clearly on the screen.
Ava's eyes moved to the top of the list.
Then stopped.
1. Ava Williams
For a moment, she couldn't breathe.
She read it again.
And again.
Just to make sure.
The name remained exactly where it was.
First place.
Ava had won.
---
The realization hit all at once.
The late nights.
The studying.
The stress.
The arguments at home.
The pressure.
Everything.
It had been worth it.
A smile slowly appeared on her face.
Then another student shouted—
"She beat him!"
The crowd erupted again.
---
Ava's eyes moved lower.
Just beneath her name.
2. Ethan Blackwood
The difference wasn't huge.
But it existed.
And at Kingsley Academy, that was enough.
Students immediately began talking over one another.
"I can't believe it."
"Ethan actually lost."
"That's insane."
"She's number one."
The words echoed through the crowd.
Number one.
For the first time since arriving at Kingsley, Ava felt like she truly belonged there.
Not because people said so.
Because she'd earned it.
A familiar voice suddenly appeared beside her.
"Congratulations."
Ava turned.
Liam.
Noah stood beside him.
Jace was nearby.
For once, none of them looked amused.
None of them looked cocky.
They looked shocked.
Actually shocked.
Noah rubbed the back of his neck.
"I genuinely thought Ethan would win."
"Thanks?"
"No, that's a compliment."
Ava laughed.
Jace shook his head.
"People are never going to shut up about this."
He was absolutely right.
---
The crowd suddenly shifted again.
A path opened through the students.
Ava didn't need to look to know who had arrived.
The atmosphere changed instantly.
Ethan.
The conversations lowered.
Students moved aside.
Some looked uncomfortable.
Others looked excited.
Everyone watched.
Waiting.
Ethan stepped toward the board and studied the rankings.
His expression remained unreadable.
No anger.
No frustration.
Nothing.
Which somehow made it worse.
Ava found herself watching him.
Wondering what he was thinking.
Wondering if he cared.
Of course he cared.
Anyone would.
For years, Ethan Blackwood had been the student everyone compared themselves to.
The student nobody beat.
The student everyone expected to win.
Now his name sat directly beneath someone else's.
And everybody was watching.
The silence stretched.
Then somebody made the mistake of speaking.
"Looks like there's a new number one."
The comment wasn't loud.
But it didn't need to be.
Everyone heard it.
Ava immediately wished they hadn't.
For the first time, something changed in Ethan's expression.
Just slightly.
A flicker.
Gone almost instantly.
But it was there.
Without saying a word, Ethan stepped back from the board.
The crowd parted automatically.
Nobody stopped him.
Nobody spoke.
Liam called his name.
Ethan didn't answer.
Noah looked uncomfortable.
Even Jace frowned.
But Ethan kept walking.
Straight through the crowd.
Straight past the whispers.
Straight past the stares.
And straight out of the building.
Leaving the entire school talking behind him.
- Writer
