Arnold approached the dorm room with yet the inevitable smile of victory on his face. He never imagined that there was going to be a day like this. After being ridiculed for years due to his poor physical fitness and skills, his finisher made everyone stunned on the last day of his exam.
However, on second thoughts, Arnold was still doubting his chance of being listed as one of those who would be signed to Grindhouse Wrestling. The Ultimate Revolution Wrestling Authority ordered that only fifteen students would be taken into Grindhouse Wrestling every year, and if he were to recollect and calculate, there were even more than twenty students who won more than one match out of the ten, making it clear he wouldn't even get a spot in the top twenty.
"System, are you sure you kinda have a plan through this? My heart is beginning to leave my chest," Arnold asked nervously after entering his room and sitting on his bed.
The dorm room was always littered with scattered books and clothes around so he was familiar with it. This littering could have lasted for months uncleaned, however, the three boys in here wouldn't even spare half a second to give it any attention. As the final exam was approaching, they even forgot to eat sometimes as they spent almost a whole day in the gym, training ring, or the valleys behind the vast expanse of the university.
[I think you are going to have a spot after that incredible clash against Rowan Pierce. Trust me, host.]
Hearing the encouraging words from the system added to Arnold's fading courage and belief. After all, he only depended on the system to help him...
If not the Pro Wrestling System, then no one else.
Arnold decided to rest for the day to reduce stress and didn't leave the dorm room until Ben and Karl came back.
He was lying on the bed while he meditated until Ben walked close and shouted.
"Whoa, Arnold! We can't believe you kicked Rowan Pierce's ass so easily! How did you do that?"
Arnold blinked and stared at his gleaming eyes.
"I guess you watched it, you should have seen how I did it, right?" Arnold furrowed his brows and asked.
"C'mon, man! Why have you been so cold lately? How come you forgot that we are best friends?" Karl slowly shuffled over to meet Ben who was a few inches away from Arnold.
"Friends? Of course, I know we are friends," Arnold stood up and sat, "I mean, everyone in the Rising Impact University is my friend."
He understood their point now.
"That's not the type of friendship we are talking about, Max. We live in the same room and chat together almost every time. Isn't that enough to make us best friends?" Ben smirked and asked.
Arnold cast a disdainful look on the both of them. Now this was the real truth:
Ben and Karl and been roommates with Arnold since he entered the final-year department. These two were from rich homes and didn't lack anything, however, they never thought of helping Arnold one day.
When Arnold was bullied by the rich brats, they would come to notice sometimes but ignore him just because he was inferior. They couldn't even defend their poor roommate when he was being beaten up.
Additionally, even when others gathered and mocked Arnold, he spotted Ben and Karl among these people sometimes even if they tried to pretend as if they weren't against him. With all the money and stuff they had, they wouldn't even help Arnold when he was starving. They only backbite and say sh*t about him and later pretend to be his friend in his face.
Now, would you call that friendship?
"No. No way! You guys are just my room buddies, my friends. Please don't add that 'best' word again. There aren't no best things in this world anymore," Arnold gave an annoying smile, stood up, and left the dormitory for the cafeteria to have dinner.
He decided not to take his meal back to the dorm room and sat to eat in the cafeteria. While eating his red chili pasta and sauce which were bought for 6 dollars, Arnold noticed a beauty on the other corner of the cafeteria.
She had flame-colored hair and pale skin...
"Wait... Flame-colored hair? Isn't she the one the nurse said brought me to the university's hospital?" Arnold pondered.
He quickly tried to recollect what the nurse said, and as he remembered, he came to believe that it was true. Her appearance description rhymed with what the nurse explained except for the scar which he hadn't got to see because the young lady was facing another direction.
"If she truly is the one that helped me, I'm gonna buy her tea," Arnold muttered and stood up. He left his unfinished pasta and approached the young lady wearing a normal blue dress and black flexible academy sandals.
"Hey."
"Heyyy," a charming smile hit Arnold from nowhere. Her face was so smooth, pale, and beautiful. And as he stole a full look on her face...
'Here you go! The scar!' Arnold shouted inwardly.
"Arnold is the name," Arnold did his best to maintain his composure and decency as he spoke.
"Mia," the young lady casually said with a slight smile.
"Oh cool. Mia... Beautiful name you know?"
"Maybe... Thanks anyway," Mia smiled and thanked.
Arnold nodded repeatedly and then asked if he could sit on the opposite chair facing her which she agreed.
"Do you recognize this face?" Arnold said after settling on the chair.
"Of course. The helpless guy at the male dormitory stairway," she blushed and teased.
Arnold shrugged. Of course, he expected that she would recognize him, but he didn't anticipate that she would take the issue casually. She seemed to possess a free lifestyle which amazed Arnold.
Truthfully, not every lady would be as adorable as Mia. She had a simple character, the best amongst many.
"Okay. Ahem... I know I have a price to pay for your help, but I still just wanna..."
"ATTENTION EVERYONE! ALL FINAL-YEAR STUDENTS ARE URGED TO VISIT THE GENERAL HALL THIS MINUTE. QUOTE ME, THERE IS A PENALTY FOR BEING THERE LATE!"
Arnold suddenly heard a loud voice on speaker making an announcement. Unfortunately, it was the school announcer stating that all final-year students should be in the general hall at that moment.
'It must be the result announcement and selection.' Arnold guessed. However, whatever thing that he was doing now, he had to go.
"I'm sorry. This is very important. I have to go now..." Arnold pleaded.
The young lady, Mia who had understood what was going on only nodded with a smile as she watched Arnold dashed out the cafeteria and made his way to the general hall.
"I thought he was the weakest of them all. Why is he still going to the result announcement and selection when he knew he had failed already?"
"Tsk!" Mia hit the tip of her tongue slightly against her teeth.
Meanwhile, Arnold continued running until he got to the general hall. It looked like almost all the final-year students had arrived at the hall before he got there, but fortunately, the announcement hadn't begun yet.
"Pheww..." Arnold let out a sigh of relief.
Just as he walked into the hall, all gazes suddenly fell on him as if like collapsing buildings, and murmurs erupted from different corners, but as usual, Arnold wouldn't spare any attention.
It didn't take too long before Vice Chancellor Mrs May and the two officials from Grindhouse Wrestling arrived at the hall.
Just as they stepped their foot into the crowded hall, one of the officials, a bald man who seemed to be in his early forties stared at a page in the book he was holding on his right hand and whispered.
"Max Fury! Come over here!"
"Huh???"
Arnold's eyes widened in confusion upon hearing his name. However, acting so foolish was the last thing he could do now. Without wasting much time, Arnold walked over to the front of the hall and greeted the officials, including Mrs May.
Just as he saw Arnold's face, the bald man let out a sweet smile and reached out his right hand toward Arnold.
"Congratulations, boy."