It's another day for school, Ashtria was walking in the streets heading to school when she suddenly heard a sudden "honk" on her left. It was none other than Raign who was inside her service car.
"Ashy!!! come! come! let's go to school together." she happily shouts at Ashtria while waving her hand at her.
Raign never changed, she's still the very lively and bubbly person that became Ashtria's friend in middle school. Raign will always offer Ashtria a ride to her car every time she saw Ashtria walking in the streets.
Well, Raign is a rich kid, "Ashy! Ashy! Did you hear the rumors about the school's competition?" she asked excitedly right after Ashtria took a seat beside her inside the car.
"Competition? Are you talking about the quiz bee competition?" Ashtria asked her back.
"Yes! Yes! I heard from my brother, who is the school's current Student Council President. He said that through this competition the school will choose the one who will represent our whole school in the upcoming competition against all the other high schools." she said, with an obvious excitement in her voice.
"And you know I always hear your name every time my brother held their meeting in our house. They were all amazed by how smart you are!!! I'm sure in the end you will be the one who will win this competition and represent our school against the other schools." she adds.
Ashtria only smiled at her and looked out of the window car, "Competition huh." she mumbled.
The high school she was currently attending is named Dela Amare Highschool. It is a private school, and she is one of the top scholars in this school.
When they got down from the car they saw Jane who also just got down from her service car, "Janeee!" Raign greets her excitedly, Ashtria just looks at her and slightly smiles at her as a greeting.
The three of them head into their designated classroom.
Up until now, the three were still classmates, and up until now, these three are still in the top section of their year.
Even though sometimes Raign is lazy, she's still smart and she never neglects her studies. And both her parents and her older brother always advise and help her with her studies.
The time passed, and their homeroom teacher arrived. There she announced the information about the Quiz Bee competition that the school will hold. The school competition will be held at the end of the month, for that, all the homeroom teachers will pick two to three representatives for their class, then every classroom representative will complete each other.
After that, the winner will compete again against the other
school years; first years to second years then third years, which will
be the procedure of the competition. Then the winner will be the one who will represent their school, there will be at least two people that will represent their school, the winner and then the second place winner.
"So class I want you to recommend all the people you think can
compete. In this competition, we will pick our representative by voting, or if you want to participate you can recommend yourself then we will decide." Teacher Ann, their homeroom teacher, said to her students.
"Ma'am I think we already don't need to make a voting competition because we already think that the two people that can compete here among us are the top two students in our class." a student suggested.
"Yeah it's true, no one among us can beat them anyway." another one said.
"Ms. Lamborge, Ms.Famonte, are you two agree with this?" asked Teacher Ann, "Ma'am, is there a cash prize at the All High School Competition?" Ashtria asked bluntly, all the students then laugh.
"Ashtria loves to earn money no?" one student said.
"Of course, because I need them," Ashtria said truthfully.
Their homeroom teacher, Ann, only smiled. Unlike the time when Ashtria was in her middle school, the other students don't treat her well, but now the other students and teachers are quite fond of her because of her unique talent and personality.
But there were still some people that are hostile to her because of envy and jealousy.
"Yes there is, but I don't know how much exactly, but that
competition had many sponsors. After all, it is now a tradition held in our City only, but I heard that one of their sponsors is a famous businessman and also there's some well-known family invited there, and at the same time, they said that in this competition there will be so many colleges and university representatives that will attend." she explained.
"Then I will join." Ashtria said, "Okay then, how about you Jane?" Teacher
Ann looks in Jane's direction, Jane looks at teacher Ann timidly,
"I-I will ask my parents' permission first ma'am."
"Okay then let's proceed to our lesson for today." Teacher Ann
starts her English lesson.
...
After that day, the decision for their representative is finally settled.
Ashtria and Jane will be their class 1 year 2 representatives, their
homeroom teacher, and teacher Ann gave both of them a guide sheet for the competition. The guide sheets' contents were all about
the important parts of the lessons of each of their subjects, especially their specialized subjects. The two of them will study the guide sheets throughout the month.
Until the day of the competition arrives, teacher Ann warned the
both of them to never lose this at least one-and-a-half-inch guide,
because all of the guide sheets have already been distributed, and its
hard to get more of it because they already used the funds for this
competition.
But unfortunately, Ashtria's guide sheets were suddenly lost, at that time Ashtria was reading in their classroom alone which was lunch hour.
But a student she didn't know suddenly peeks at the door and
said to her that teacher Ann needs her, so Ashtria put the guide
sheets back in her bag, then go to their school's teacher's office to talk to Teacher Ann.
But when she arrived at the teacher's office teacher Ann was confused,
teacher Ann never said to anyone that she needed her.
Ashtria suddenly had an ominous intuition, she immediately goes
back to their classroom after that, and when she opened her bag her intuition was right. Someone tricked her, someone doesn't want her to go to the competition at all.
After that she remained calm, she just sat back in her chair and smiled slightly, she didn't complain to teacher Ann about the incident, and instead, she was more determined to win this competition. That's because she realizes that someone is scheming against her.
She realizes that someone wants to see her get nervous and bewildered, someone wants to see her fail, they want to drag her down.
This person wants to make her withdraw from the competition, to make all the people who assume that she will do good in this competition disappointed, and to make all the people who admire her see her in a different view.
But she remained calm and collected, she wants to show to that
person that she wouldn't get what he/she wanted.
She Ashtria Famonte wouldn't rely only on a mere guide sheet...
Weeks passed, and now there are only five days before the week of
competition, Their homeroom teacher, Teacher Ann, scribbled down the lessons on the board.
Rings...
The sound of the bells indicates that the class has ended, "Okay our lesson ends here, but before that Ashtria and Jane, please stay for a moment, and please bring out your guide sheets I have an important thing to highlight because this will be the main topic at the competition." Teacher Ann announced.
"Ma'am here's mine," Jane said and hands her guide sheets, Ashtria on the other hand stands up, "I'm sorry ma'am but can you just say what will be the main topic?" she said,
"Why? You didn't you bring your guide sheets today?" asked Teacher Ann.
"Oh? didn't bring? or~ Ashtria lost it?" Cassandra suddenly said,
among all of Ashtria's classmates, Cassandra was the most hostile toward her. That's the reason why she comments that, as soon as Teacher Ann questions Ashtria.
Ashtria just briefly glance at her, then back at Teacher Ann.
"I'm sorry ma'am but yes I lost it," Ashtria said honestly.
"What? When did you lose it?" asked teacher Ann anxiously,
"Oh, so you lost it then? How will you represent our class then?" Cassandra said mockingly, "I lost it three days after you handed it, Ma'am." Ashtria said again honestly.
"What? then why didn't you say it to me? You and Jane could've shared if you said it earlier. How can you compete if you didn't study at all? there's only five days before the school competition." said teacher Ann, disappointed.
"Yeah, how would you represent us if you didn't even study?" again Cassandra mocks Ashtria.
Ashtria glanced at her again and just smiled, seeing this she flinches and then frowned, After that Ashtria look back at teacher Ann, "Ma'am don't worry, I can compete without relying on the guide sheets. I am confident in my intelligence and capabilities, and besides relying on a mere guidebook can't make you win." Ashtria said while looking straight into a "certain" someone's eyes. That "person" trembles and bows its head.
"Ashtria I know how smart you are but, are you sure you can
compete, this competition is not a joke you know." teacher Ann said
to her feeling concerned.
"Don't worry Ma'am my grandpa is much more knowledgeable than
a mere guidebook." she said confidently while looking into that "person's" eyes again,
"Oh? Grandpa Fa has been coaching you?" teacher Ann asks.
"Yes Ma'am, so you can tell me what is the main topic for the
contest, so I can also include it in my studies."
"Okay, it is about Roman Mythological History, are
you sure you can? This topic is a bit complicated, you know?"
Ashtria can feel her sincere concern, she's thankful but truthfully she doesn't need it.
"Yes Ma'am, I am confident," she said.
"Don't be so full of yourself Ashtria, if you fail not only you but our whole class will be a laughingstock of the whole school."
"If I said I could, I could win Cassandra," Ashtria said, looking straight into her eyes with a confident smile.
This made her frown again, she just let out a loud "tch" and leered at Ashtria.