In my previous life, I lost to Justin by just two points.
But not this time.
In this life, I wouldn’t leave any regrets. I was determined to beat him without question.
And somehow, I think he could feel it.
During the exam, Justin flew through the papers like a machine. No pauses, no hesitation.
It had been years since I’d seen that kind of focus in him. It was like watching the old Justin come back to life. He scribbled down answers as if the outcome of the world depended on it.
When the final bell rang and the test ended, Uncle Richard and Aunt Evelyn were already waiting by the school gate.
Justin didn’t even look at them. He just walked right past like they weren’t even there. But they didn’t get upset. Not at all. The fact that their son had taken the test was a miracle to them. They turned to me instead, grabbing my hand like I was their last lifeline.
Aunt Evelyn grabbed my hand, her fingers trembling slightly.
"Rhian, did he really sit the whole test? Did he answer everything seriously?"
I nodded.
Their shoulders sagged in relief. Aunt Evelyn let out a shaky breath that sounded like a sob, and Uncle Richard turned away, wiping at his eyes.
...
After the exam, Justin disappeared again.
His parents didn’t make an effort to find him. They wouldn’t even prevent him from spending more time with Stacey if that’s what he wanted.
With his academic record, Justin could still attend any top school he wanted.
Stonemount College. Ashcroft University.
It was just a matter of choosing.
Then came the day the results were posted.
Both families gathered around the laptop. No one spoke. The room was silent except for the quiet hum of the computer.
My name appeared first.
Zero.
No one moved.
Then my parents started crying. Not because they were disappointed, but because they understood what that score meant.
That zero was the system’s way of marking a top scorer.
Then we checked Justin’s results.
Another zero.
But this time, the reaction was different. There was no celebration or cheers, but just stunned silence.
Uncle Richard and Aunt Evelyn froze, then lunged forward, wrapping their arms around Justin like they were afraid to let go.
I looked over at him, and for a moment, I saw that quiet, smug satisfaction on his face.
He had done it again and scored perfectly.
But, right then, Justin scoffed. "Why are you so happy? What if I really got a zero?"
"Don’t joke like that," Uncle Richard scolded, giving him a light smack.
Aunt Evelyn shook her head, still wiping at her eyes. "Rhian said you were writing the whole time. You didn’t stop for a second."
Justin turned to look at me. His eyes were cold.
He smirked. "Of course, you’d still be reporting back. Some things never change."
He pulled out his phone and opened Stacey’s social media page.
Then he handed it to his parents.
Their expressions collapsed the moment they read it.
Justin stood there watching them, clearly pleased. "You thought dragging me into the exam room fixed everything?"
