The exams ended, and as soon as the papers reached the office, the teachers eagerly sorted through them, pulling out Juniper''s.


    "Well, well," the foreignnguage teacher for ss One said, marking red check after red check, unable to hide his grin. "As expected, another perfect score."


    He paused when he reached the final essay, his movements slowing as his smile faded. "What is this word?"


    *Shanleyschwartz*


    Was it a name? A ce?


    It appeared out of nowhere, as if written in a moment of distraction. A mistake at such a critical point. One point off.


    While the teacher was grading, a crowd of students waited outside to hear the results.


    "It''s not a perfect score! It''s not perfect!" a student at the front whispered urgently to the others. "Really?" they replied, a strange sense of relief washing over them. "That''s a relief. For a second there, I thought Juniper was a genius in every subject."


    “But..." the messenger paused for a second before adding, “she only lost one point. The teacher said the point was deducted for a careless spelling error. Otherwise, it would have been another perfect score."


    What was the real difference between that and a perfect score? The students'' smiles vanished.


    "If she had taken the scienceprehensive exam, would her rank have surpassed Queenie''s, making her first in the entire school?" one student wondered aloud.


    "Definitely," another replied. “With scores like these, she could be number one not just in the school, but in the entire province, maybe even the country."


    "If Aurora High School produces a national top schr, do you think the school will be saved from losing its reditation next year?"


    The question hung in the air, met with stunned silence.


    ...


    Outside the school gates, Juniper walked with her backpack slung over her shoulder and a hat pulled low, her eyes downcast.


    "Ms. Payne." Flint spotted her and immediately got out of the car.


    Juniper looked up and nced inside the vehicle. Empty. He really didn''te.


    "Ms. Payne, please get in," Flint said with a cheerful smile, holding the door open.


    Juniper shot him a look before reluctantly climbing in, staring out the window with a wooden expression.


    "Ms. Payne, my boss asked me to bring this for you.” Flint opened bag and set out its contents


    of pastries and bottle of


    of


    Juniper nced at them without interest, her appetite gone.


    “Alright, Ms. Payne, we''re heading off,” Flint said, sliding into the driver''s seat and starting the sports car.


    During the drive, Juniper hugged her backpack and stared out the window in


    silence. The quiet in the car was unnerving.


    "Ms. Payne, how about I tell you a joke?" Flint offered, his palms sweating on the steering wheek The boss had specifically instructed him to keep her happy.  fo


    Juniper blinked but didn''t respond.


    "Ahem," Flint cleared his throat. "Why did the scarecrow win an award?"


    Juniper finally turned her gaze from the window to look at him nkly.


    “Because he was outstanding in his field! Hahaha!" Flint roared withughter.


    “Ms. Payne, I''ve got another one for you. Why did the flower get sent to the principal''s office?"


    Juniper frowned, picked up the lemonade, and took a long drink.


    "Because it was caught talking in the garden! Hahaha, isn''t that funny, Ms. Payne?" Flint chuckled, ncing in the rearview mirror.


    Instead of daughing, Ms. Payne was


    giving him a look one might reserve for aplete idiot The next


    second, the stic bottle in her hand crumpled under her grip.