In a moment that could only be described as legendary, the title of valedictorian at Prestige College was imed with such conviction that it left the entire campus buzzing. It wasn''t until the chatter crescendoed into a unified chant of ''Queen Mira'' that the gravity of her achievement truly sank in. Such a feat was unheard of among the high achievers that hade before her.
Meanwhile, Emmitt set his phone aside, a wave of embarrassment washing over him for the preconceived notions he''d harbored just a year prior.
**
On the other side of town, after a hearty meal with Mr. Hammond, Matthew, Meg, and Taylor stepped out into the crisp evening air. Matthew lingered by the roadside, waiting for the Mendoza family driver, while Meg and Taylor, who despite attending Parkside High School in Ashford, didn''t actually live nearby and were staying at a hotel.
Mr. Hammond had offered to arrange a ride for the two, but, not wanting to impose, they opted for a taxi instead. As the taxi pulled up, Meg bid Matthew a quick goodbye before ducking into the backseat. Taylor nodded his farewell and followed suit.
Shortly after, the Mendoza''s driver arrived, and as Matthew settled into the car, he couldn''t resist scrolling through his social media feed. A link shared by his cousin caught his attention, not for the content itself, but for a familiar name among the likes-Mirabe.
Adjusting his sses, Matthew''s curiosity peaked. He had asked for Mirabe''s contact information earlier that day, only to be met with evasion. Feeling yed, Matthew couldn''t help but unleash a tirade of voice messages towards Vincent, finding some sce in the act.
After cooling down, he revisited the link-aplete video of the afternoon''s speech-and promptly shared it with Meg.
Meg, in the midst of a casual conversation with Taylor, nced at her phone upon receiving the message. Acknowledging Matthew with a quick ''thanks,'' she decided against watching the video. To her, whatever brilliance the speech contained was irrelevant to her life, dismissing it as mere showboating.
Resuming her chat with Taylor, Meg shifted the topic to their academic ambitions. "Speaking of which, I heard from my professor that Wade is looking to mentor a student this year. Given your knack for gic engineering, Taylor, you should consider reaching out. Joining Wade''s research team could be a game-changer for you."
Taylor looked genuinely surprised at the suggestion, his interest piqued. Despite Meg''s enthusiasm, he remained nomittal, hinting at loyalty to his current mentor. Meg, undeterred, suggested leveraging her connection to Wade through her professor, hopeful to give Taylor an edge.
As the conversation dwindled and the night drew on, Taylor''s thoughts lingered on the opportunity, appreciating Meg''s support but remaining grounded in his current path. They bid each other goodnight, each lost in thoughts of future possibilities, as the city lights faded into the distance.