"Akio,would you please stand up?"The teacher fumed. Akio calmly moved his chair and politely stood up.
"Maybe he is the topper,just like in dramas where the most handsome character is the smartest one."One of the students whispered.They teacher heard them.
"Sorry to contradict your speculations,but Akio has not topped this semester."The teacher grumbled.
"Then why is he standing up?"Questioned another student.
"It seems that you people are more interested in his results than yours. In fact,no one among you has met my expectations."
Mark heard the teacher's last comment.It added up to his worries.He had studied day and night.His bedroom was piled with books.He could have not done so badly.He was uncontrollably anxious.His bubble could burst at any moment.
"Akio,do you know how bad you have performed?In fact,even after crediting you with grace marks,your aggregate falls below'B-'.If you want to survive here,you need to develop special skills,be it academics ,sports or any other criteria."She pointed out,handing him the papers.
Akio took a look at his papers.Most of his answers were marked wrong,even which he thought were correct.He realised his mistake.Due to anxiousness and nervousness,he had scripted the entire paper in Japanese,instead of Chinese.
"How could I be so dumb?!"He thought to himself.
"As for the topper,The result was very surprising.None of the teachers expected this student to top.It is Mark,the student from America."The teacher stated.
Everyone,including Mark was in shock.These results were very vague and unexpected.They all thought that Akio would be the model student but he was not.Rather,it was Mark,who they all thought was dumb and incapable.All in all,today was an unexpected day.
The school dismissed at the usual time.However,Wang Xiu and Akio were asked to stay. Akio had to attend the remedial classes,while Wang Xiu wanted to meet the authorities.
Mark was all alone.He walked to the bus-stop to wait for the usual bus.Usually,it used to be crowded,but today it was empty.However,Mark felt the presence of some people.His sixth sense kept on tingling.He could sense something wrong.He looked around himself.However,there was no one.Suddenly he saw some shadows move.One...two..three,the number kept on increasing.Mark was getting tensed.He wished he was not alone.
The bus reached at usual time,but Mark felt it was delayed by a span of years.He boarded the bus and looked at the bus-stop.Four people came out of an alley and boarded the bus.Mark glanced at them.They looked like factory workers,coming back from work.Their faces and clothes were covered in soot.
"It's just a bunch of factory workers."He consoled himself.
However,the way they sat in the bus made them seem more suspicious.One sat behind him,the other two sat on seats beside him and the fourth one sat in front of him.It seemed as if they were trying to corner him,but he couldn't understand why.
He reached his destination and got off at the bus-stop.Somehow all four men got down along with him.Mark felt scared.He did not know how to respond.He started walking casually.They went along.Mark increased his speed and started walking briskly but they still followed.Mark saw a crowd gathered and joined the group.
Mark's face was dripping with sweat.His pulse was racing.He could see the men staring at him but he tried to keep his calm.Mark saw his building complex and raced to it.He could see one of them standing on the first floor.
"Thank god I live on the second floor."The sighed.
Mark carefully rushed to his house,keeping away from their sight.He rushed to open the door.He hastily grabbed the keys and was trying to fit them in the lock,but dropped them.he bent to pick them when suddenly,he felt a hand on his shoulders.
Who is following him?Will he escape them?