Honour Field High School. (HFH)
It was dead silent. You could only hear the flipping of pages and the sounds of pressing calculator keys.
This was the once in five years fully sponsored scholarship exam that all students looked forward to.
While others were nervous, in deep concentration or in a nerve wreck, Jenny White calmly skimmed through the questions and wrote neatly and quickly.
She was a few questions away from finishing when she heard her name.
' Jenny White??' The teacher called out. All eyes turned to the tall, fair girl at the last row.
Jenny stood up. And the examinees and examiners couldn't help but sigh. The girl was slender and tall with sapphire blue eyes and straight black hair. Her lips were small, pink and plump and her dimpled cheek seemed to be coated with a natural blush.
' You have an urgent phone call.' The teacher says.
' What nonsense! It's an exam, you can't just step out to take a phone call.' A female examiner says indignantly partially taking out her jealousy.
' It's really urgent.' The teacher explained pleadingly.
' What is so urgent that can't wait?' The female examiner asked.
' Actually, um her younger brother got into a fight in school and the other party's parents and pursuing expulsion.' The teacher explained.
' And I thought it was something serious. Can't you call her parents?' The female examiner says.
The students from HFH looked at Jenny White with worry. Mrs White was quite... passive and wasn't strong or in a decision making position as she was often lost in her thoughts after the death of her husband, so everyone knew that Jenny White was basically the head of her family.
But if she left now, she would have to wait five years for this opportunity. But if she didn't, expulsion would become permanent in her brother's record.
' I will go now.' Jenny spoke. She gathered her things and took her paper to submit.
The students from the other schools looked at her as though she was insane but the students from HFH looked at her with concern.
' Young girl, you know that if you submit this paper now you are likely to lose your chance to attend MinJin Capital University.' A male examiner says.
' It's her choice Senior Michael, let her do what she wants.' The female examiner chipped in.
' Thank you for your concern but I've made up my mind.' Jenny White says as she submitted her exam sheet and left the hall.
Michael Ford looked at the script in his hand and was stunned. She had written the answers to 5 subjects out of 10 in one hour!!! And each had 50 questions!!!
He carefully read through the questions and the more he read, the more amazed he was.
He would talk to the directors, such a talent cannot go to waste. He tucked the paper safely into his suit pocket.
***********
Future Hope Middle School.
' How dare you hit my son? My brother is the mayor, I'll get this school shut down if you do not expell this rascal.' A woman's voice loudly said.
' Do what you want for all I care!!! He couldn't fight like a man, he went to call his mommy. Such a wimp.' A younger voice retorted.
Jenny White could hear their voices from faraway, She stayed there and simply watched with her phone on record mode.
The principal spotted her from afar and hurriedly called her.
' Miss White, thank goodness you are here.' The Principal says.
' You? Are you his guardian? Are you even of legal age?' The woman asked disdainfully.
' You want my brother to get expelled? What did he do?' Jenny White asked.
' Girl, stick to your lipgloss and perfume. Go get your mother.' The woman replied.
' I'm the head of the family. Speak to me.' Jenny White says.
' Very well. Your brother hit my son and injured him and now he must be expelled.' The woman said.
' Liar!!! Your stupid son flushed all my homework and books in the toilet. Now I'll have to rewrite all my notes again.' Lucas White (Jenny's brother) said angrily.
' And so what, isn't it just homework? He can redo it, why must be hit my son.' The woman said unrepentantly.
Jenny calmly waved her phone in the air.
' I've recorded this conversation and I remember the Mayor's term is ending in two weeks. I wonder if anyone will vote for him if they realise he empowers his family members to bully the public.' Jenny White says.
' B*tch give me that phone.' The woman cursed and rushed towards Jenny White.
Jenny stepped aside and the woman fell on the ground.
' Either you peacefully withdraw your child from this school or you say goodbye to your brother in law's political career.' Jenny White says.
The woman's face turned pale. It might seem like a small issue but in Xinxin Country, any little trace of corruption could result in tremendous consequences.
' I'll withdraw my son.' The woman says through gritted teeth.
' Oh I've posted the video already. It's on a three hour schedule. After three hours it goes online, so if you can't complete the withdrawal process I'm three hours don't blame me.' Jenny White says as she say down.
The woman suppressed her anger and headed to the principal's office to proceed with the formalities.
Jenny White finally turned to Lucas White.
' Learn to control your anger. I can't keep coming to school every time. There's a right time and place for everything.' Jenny White says.
' Are you my mother? Don't tell me what to do. You think you know everything, besides who asked you to come anyways.' Lucas White retorted defiantly.
Learn to control anger, learn to control anger!!!
His mother wasn't as caring as she used to be, His sister was an angel one minute and a professional nagger the next. He worked so hard to not lag in his studies but it took one minute for everything to flush down the toilet. He turned around angrily and left.
Jenny White entered the principal's office and left a drive and asked him to print it and send to her brother.
She took her leave after the withdrawal procedure was completed. She felt a sting in her chest and she immediately rushed home and heated the food.
The sting in her chest continued as she made her way to her room and moved the table, revealing a naked wire. She reached out her finger to touch it.
Back at Future Hope Middle School,
Lucas got summoned to the principal's office and he wanted to have a breakdown.
His earlier anger had infused him with bravery and now that it had subsided fear creeped in.
He stood by the table clenching his trembling fingers.
' Do you know what today is?' The Principal asked.
Lucas looked up confused.
' Today several students came to Honour Field High to write the MinJin Capital University entrance exam.' The Principal says.
Lucas was confused. What did that have to do with him?
'The Principal said your sister has a 90% chance of passing the exam in flying colours.Your sister left her exam midway to come see you. It may seem as though she's being hard on you but remember it's hard on her too. She's just 16 after all. While others save money to buy shoes, dresses and makeup, she has to save for both your education and other expenses. Before she left she asked me to give you this.' The Principal says handing over a plastic bag to him.
Lucas collected the bag and saw it contained his printed notes. The same content as the one that was flushed down the toilet.
How could he be so ungrateful?
He might be a middle schooler but he knew the importance of MinJin Capital University scholarship entrance exam.
They provided 365 days accommodation, best learning facilities, student allowances and even an arranged high paying job for after graduation.
On Saturday, he had pestered his sister to take him out to shop for new bag and sport shoes and he made them leave immediately after her shift at the restaurant. They didn't return until 7pm in the evening and then she had to make dinner and continue with their mother's therapy exercise.
On Sunday,he remembered he had to do a big project and read for his test as well. His sister helped him make notes and he did nothing just skimming through them and asking questions.
She did the project herself and even took down notes to explain it.
When he woke up around four in the morning to go to the bathroom, he saw her scribbling on his textbook and she even urged him to catch up on sleep.
She must have been tired as well but she endured for his sake but all he could do was cause trouble.
' You might not be able to help her but at the very least do not add to her worries.' The Principal says and motioned for him to leave.
Lucas clutched the bag and left with teary eyes.
****************
There were sizzling sounds in the air as the electric current created sparks against her fingers, her pained expression slowly eased. If not for the smell of burning fuse, noone would have connected the calm girl to the one who received electric current through her body.
Jenny White put the table back in place and went to the kitchen were she ate her food and withdrew to her room.
This was the secret she had that noone else in the world knew. Not even her family.