Chapter 3

Inside a printing shop, Jack spotted two familiar figures waving at him. It was his childhood friends, Wesley Landry and Eddie Parker. Seeing his buddies brought a long-lost smile to Jack's face. Eddie walked up to Jack and playfully punched him in the chest. He said with concern, "I heard you got expelled by that bald jerk. What a scumbag!" Wesley was also visibly upset. "What are you going to do about the college entrance exams? You can't just skip it." Jack beamed with optimism. "There's no need to worry. I'm already attending Seaton High School." Both his friends let out a sigh of relief. Wesley clapped Jack on the shoulder. "That's great! You've got to work hard and show that bald jerk what you're capable of at Seaton High School." No matter what Jack's past grades were, at this moment, all they could offer was encouragement to help Jack step out of the shadows. Just then, a light set of footsteps approached, accompanied by a sweet floral scent. A beautiful girl walked in, her long hair flowing and her smile radiant. It was Phoebe. She spotted Jack, and her eyes widened in surprise before quickly brightening with a warm smile. "Jack! It's great to see you!" Her voice was like a gentle breeze, bringing warmth to those who heard it. Jack felt a flutter in his heart as he smiled back. "You too." Jack's gaze fell on the stack of test papers in Phoebe's hands. "Could I get a copy of those?" he asked. Phoebe looked slightly surprised, unsure of why Jack wanted the test papers. Had he realized that he needed to study harder? She quickly handed the papers over and sighed inwardly. A month was too short, and she could only hope that Jack could create a miracle. After bidding farewell to Phoebe, Jack headed home with Eddie and Wesley. With only a month left until the crucial college entrance exams, Jack didn't feel rushed or panicked despite the ticking clock. The first thing he did upon returning home was dive into his studies. Jack was like a sponge, soaking up knowledge from the high school syllabus and even college-level materials. Jeffrey and Helena felt a wave of relief when they saw Jack diligently studying in his room. Jeffrey took a slow drag from his cigarette and said, "As long as Jack is willing to put in the effort, I can accept any outcome. Even if he only gets into a third-tier college, it would still be an honor for our family. If it doesn't work out this year, he can always try again next year." The morning sunlight streamed across the campus paths as Eddie and Wesley knocked on Jack's door, ready to head to school together. The three had grown up together, and they wouldn't hold Jack's past setbacks against him. They had always stood by him during tough times and faced challenges as a team. When Jack arrived in class, the morning session was lackluster. Many students were eating breakfast, reading novels, or dozing off, while the teacher was absent. In contrast, Jack immersed himself in his books, feeling like an outsider in the chaotic environment. After the morning's study period ended, their homeroom teacher, Marcus, walked into the classroom carrying a stack of test papers and announced that they would have a diagnostic exam that day. As the college entrance exams approached, mock exams had become a regular occurrence. For most students, this was a perfect opportunity to catch up on sleep, but for Jack, it was the best chance for him to assess his learning progress. He looked forward to this exam as a way to gauge his improvements and identify areas for growth. During the exam, Jack was fully focused, treating each question with care and making sure not to miss any scoring opportunities. His pen danced across the paper as if he were composing a youthful anthem. The next morning, sunlight streamed through the office window and illuminated Marcus' desk. As he stepped into this familiar space, he was greeted by the enthusiastic voice of the physics teacher, Albert Morton. "Mr. Hampton, is there a new student named Jack Holland in your class?" Albert asked as he adjusted his glasses, excitement evident on his face. Marcus nodded. "What's up? Did he break any school rules?" Albert eagerly pulled a paper from a stack of tests and handed it to Marcus. "Look at this! He scored 100 out of 108 points in physics. That's incredible!" Marcus glanced at the paper, his eyes widening in disbelief. At Seaton High School, a score of 80 in physics was already considered excellent, so Jack's score was astonishing. Just then, Albert leaned closer and continued, "Jack also took the science test and scored 103 out of 120 points. It seems like he's quite good at science." Marcus felt a surge of excitement. After all, such scores were rare at Seaton High School. Unable to resist himself, he rushed over to the language teacher, Owen Keating, and asked, "Have you finished grading yesterday's tests?" Owen looked up and smiled as he handed over a paper. "All done! Is there a student named Jack Holland in your class? His writing is quite impressive. I gave him 58 out of 60 on his essay. I only deducted two points because I didn't want him to get too cocky." Marcus took the paper and was shocked to see that Jack had scored 142 points on the language test. He quickly made his way to the math teacher's office. To his surprise, the math teacher, Avery Duxton, greeted him first. "Your class has a student named Jack Holland who scored 145 in math. He's really impressive!" Marcus couldn't believe what he was hearing. With test scores of 142 in language, 145 in math, 133 in foreign language, and 268 in the science exams, Jack's total score had reached an astonishing 688 points. The clarity and consistency of Jack's handwriting across the four test papers left Marcus in awe. While the exams weren't particularly difficult, achieving a score of 688 was undeniably remarkable. Such a score could potentially secure him a spot in a second-tier elite college. This was an unprecedented achievement in Seaton High School. Just two years ago, the school had invested heavily to bring in an outstanding student, yet the student had only managed to get into Nashton University. Even that achievement had been a significant milestone for Seaton High School, earning the school considerable recognition and attracting more quality students. Now, however, a student who had been expelled from Crestfield High School had scored 688 points. He even had a chance to break school records and aim for a second-tier elite college. It sounded almost too good to be true. Marcus calmed himself down and began to analyze the situation rationally. There were very few fools in this world, especially among the experienced teachers at Crestfield High School. If Jack was truly as exceptional as his scores suggested, how could they have let him go so easily? Moreover, Jack's usual scores at Crestfield hovered around three or four hundred points. How could he have made such a dramatic improvement in such a short time? Every year, Crestfield produced several students who went on to attend top-tier colleges. They treated such students like treasures, fearing that they might be poached by other schools. Expelling a student with the potential to enter a top college simply didn't make sense. The only plausible explanation was that Jack had cheated on the exams.