I reverted to being the sleepy slacker once more. In fact, I was even worse than before. I slept through classes every day, and I lay slumped over my desk during breaktime. I looked like I might collapse at any moment when going to the cafeteria to eat.

Sylvia was very satisfied with my performance after my so-called renewed determination. She thought my efforts had just been a short-lived burst of motivation and that I had quickly relapsed into my old habits.

That made her even more at ease as she siphoned more energy from me. She continued sleeping only three hours a day and spent even more time getting close to Jeffrey.

Their relationship progressed rapidly. Soon, they seemed to have gone beyond being ordinary classmates.

Whenever Jeffrey ran into me in school, his eyes were filled with undisguised contempt.

He mocked, "You should know your place, Lavender. Don't end up falling asleep at the SATs and turning in a blank paper. You'll drag down our school's top college admission rate. Tch! I don't get why the school management would allow this. Didn't they say you have to repeat a year?"

I kept my head down and said nothing, looking like a defeated loser. Jeffrey snorted in satisfaction and walked off with Sylvia.

Sylvia glanced back, giving me a helpless and apologetic look.

I watched their retreating backs with not even a trace of emotion stirring in my heart. They were nothing more than just two clowns.

I began to ask Sylvia for help on and off with problems I encountered in our studies.

"Sylvia, I just can't figure this one out. Can you take a look at it, please? Also, how do I apply this formula?"

The questions I asked were all the most basic, simplest ones.

Each time, Sylvia answered me patiently on the surface. However, she failed to hide the trace of annoyance and superiority deep in her eyes. She enjoyed this feeling of superiority. She relished the moments when the former genius looked up to her admiringly like a fool.

The more she enjoyed it, the more she lowered her guard.

During the third mock exam, I lived up to expectations by scoring another disastrously low grade. Even the principal came to talk to me personally. He tactfully suggested that I repeat a year or consider studying abroad.

He advised, "Hear me out, Lavender. Sometimes, making the right choice is more important than working hard."

Holding the report card with laughably low scores, I returned to the dorm.

Sylvia was on the phone, her voice sweet and lively. "Don't worry, Jeff. I ranked first in the city again for the third mock exam. I can guarantee I'll definitely be the top scorer on the SAT.

"Mm-hmm… Once we both get into Kilnia College, we'll go meet your parents."

After hanging up, she saw the scores on the report card in my hand.

She covered her mouth in feigned surprise and remarked, "Oh my, Lav. How did you score so low? It's okay. The third mock doesn't matter. Maybe you'll perform splendidly during the real exam."

She was comforting me with her words, but the look of glee in her eyes was about to spill forth.

I crumpled the report card into a ball and threw it into the trash. "I don't want to take the exam anymore. I feel like giving up."

For a split second, Sylvia's expression showed absolute delight. Still, she quickly hid it and replaced it with a look of pained concern.

"Lav, how can you say that? You've already come this far," she said.

I said in a choked voice, "I really can't keep going…"

Then, I folded my hands and sat hunched over my desk. My shoulders trembled slightly, as if I were crying.

I sounded dejected as I said, "I'm useless. I accept my fate."

Sylvia comforted me. "Don't lose heart, Lav. You've already registered for the exam. You should at least give it a try!"

She walked over and patted my back gently. "By the way, if you really mess up on the SAT, what do you plan to do next?"

"I don't want to repeat a year. I'll just take up work at the electronics factory in the south as my dad has arranged for me," I said what I had rehearsed long ago.

Sylvia fell silent for a moment before speaking up softly. "That works too. Everyone is destined for different things, I guess. Maybe working in a factory is the best outcome for you."

I lay on the desk as my lips curled up into a cold smile that went unnoticed.

In my heart, I swore, "Sylvia, not only will I take the SAT, but I will also personally watch you fall from your pedestal."