The morning sun shone brightly over Ellicott City, signaling an important day—the SAT results were finally out. For many students, this was a day of nerve-wracking anxiety, where months of preparation and sleepless nights would either be rewarded or crushed.
However, Steven Blake was as calm as ever.
While the entire student body anxiously refreshed their SAT portal, sweating over every second before the results were revealed, Steven was relaxed. He had no doubt that his perfect score was guaranteed. His system-backed hyper-intelligence had made the exam feel like a mere formality.
But he wasn't the only one he had confidence in.
His friends—Veronica, Benjamin, Nancy, and Ethan—had all prepared under his guidance. He had personally tutored them, ensuring their understanding of the toughest concepts. Even Ethan, despite his natural competitiveness, had genuinely worked hard.
Steven had no reason to worry.
The two weeks between the SAT exam and the result passed in a blur.
While others panicked, Steven enjoyed life to the fullest.
He spent his days relaxing, playing video games with Damien, racing supercars with Ethan, and enjoying badminton matches with Veronica, Benjamin, and Nancy.
His parents, Arthur, and Arnold encouraged him to take it easy, knowing full well that he deserved the break.
On the day of the result, instead of anxiously staring at a screen, Steven and his friends were out in the community park, playing volleyball.
For two straight hours, they dived, jumped, and spiked the ball across the court. Sweat dripped from their foreheads, dirt covered their knees, and their breathing was ragged.
Finally, exhausted, they gathered under the shade of a large oak tree, taking deep breaths and sipping from their water bottles.
Veronica wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. "Alright, guys, it's time. The SAT results should be out by now. Let's check."
The group grabbed their laptops, fingers trembling slightly as they logged into the SAT portal. Even Steven, despite being confident in his score, felt a slight surge of anticipation.
The moment the results loaded, their eyes widened in disbelief.
Benjamin wiped his hands on his shorts, his fingers trembling slightly as he opened his laptop. Nancy bit her lip, her nervous energy making her bounce her knee. Ethan exhaled deeply, trying to appear nonchalant, but his hands hovering over the keyboard gave away his tension. Veronica, usually confident and composed, hesitated before logging in.
And then there was Steven. He leaned against the tree, his demeanor as calm as ever. He already knew what his score would be.
After what felt like an eternity, the scores loaded on their screens. Silence hung in the air as their eyes processed the results.
And then—
"YES!" Veronica screamed, jumping up so fast she nearly knocked over her laptop.
Benjamin and Nancy let out relieved cheers, high-fiving each other. Ethan punched the air, his usual smug grin even wider.
Steven simply smirked. He had known all along.
Steven Blake – 1600/1600 (Rank 1, Entire USA)
Xander Hawthorne – 1589/1600 (Rank 2, in the state of Maryland)
Veronica Sinclair – 1568/1600 (Rank 3, in the state of Maryland)
Ethan Lancaster – 1572/1600 (Rank 4, in the state of Maryland)
Nancy Brooks – 1546/1600 (Rank 6, in the state of Maryland)
Benjamin Clarke – 1540/1600 (Rank 7, in the state of Maryland)
The park erupted with cheers.
Veronica turned to Steven, her eyes shining with excitement. In the heat of the moment, without even thinking, she leaned forward and pressed a kiss against his cheek.
The world froze.
Steven's mind momentarily went blank. For all his intelligence, business acumen, and combat abilities—this was the one thing he hadn't anticipated.
Veronica pulled away almost immediately, her face turning bright red as she realized what she had done.
"Uh… I mean… that was just… excitement! Yeah!" she blurted out, waving her hands in front of her as if trying to erase the moment.
Benjamin and Nancy were too busy celebrating to notice.
Ethan, however, arched an eyebrow, a slow grin forming.
Steven finally recovered, clearing his throat. "Uh… right. Celebration.My Place."
Veronica crossed her arms, turning away slightly, but the small smile tugging at her lips betrayed her embarrassment.
"Yeah we need to tell the good news to our parents too." Benjamin said. The group dispersed with a promise to meet in the evening at Steven's family restaurant.
That evening, Steven's parents shut down Heavenly Dine for the night, dedicating the restaurant to celebrating their SAT success.
Arthur and Arnold joined the party, raising a toast to the group's incredible achievements. Damien arrived late, still in disbelief over his own respectable score of 1427. Even Steven's school teachers and principal of Sunny Heights High school called and congratulated the students.
Over plates of mouthwatering food and cups of rich hot chocolate, the friends discussed their college plans.
Steven, Veronica, Ethan, and Benjamin would be heading to MIT in Cambridge. Nancy had secured her place at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Damien, ever the gaming enthusiast, planned to study Game Development at the University of Maryland.
As the night wound down, Steven and Veronica found themselves strolling through the quiet streets, away from the noise and laughter of the restaurant.
The soft glow of streetlights illuminated their faces as they walked side by side, the cool night air carrying a gentle breeze.
Veronica finally broke the silence.
"… About earlier," she muttered, keeping her gaze ahead.
Steven turned his head. "Yeah?"
"The… uh… kiss. I… I didn't mean to surprise you like that."
Steven smirked. "You're saying you regret it?"
Veronica glanced at him sharply, but the redness on her cheeks gave her away. She sighed, rubbing her arm.
"I mean… it wasn't exactly planned, but…" She hesitated, then exhaled. "No. I don't regret it."
Steven stopped walking. Veronica turned to face him, confused.
"Veronica," Steven said, his voice quieter, but firm. "I like you. Do you like me?"
Veronica froze, staring at him for a second before looking away. Then, after a moment of hesitation, she smiled softly.
"Yeah," she admitted. "I like you too."
Steven chuckled. "Then we can be together."
She let out a small laugh, her smile widening.
Steven reached for her hand, his fingers intertwining with hers.
For the first time in a long while, Steven wasn't thinking about business, strategy, or achievements.
Just this one perfect moment.
As Steven returned home, still savoring the warmth of the moment, he noticed something odd.
A car was parked outside the restaurant.
His brows furrowed.
"That wasn't here when I left."
As he entered, his eyes narrowed at the sight of two familiar figures—his Uncle Larry and his cousin Kevin.
Steven's mood soured instantly.
These two had vanished when his family had struggled. And now, when things were going well again, they showed up uninvited?
"Steven! There's our boy!" Uncle Larry grinned widely, acting as if they were the closest of family.
Steven crossed his arms. "What do you want?"
Larry chuckled, waving a hand. "Straight to the point, huh? Well, listen, kid. Kevin here ranked fifth in Philadelphia—1498! That means he's headed to a prestigious university!"
Steven remained silent.
Larry's grin turned sharp. "I need to borrow 500 grand from your parents to buy Kevin a car and a brand-new laptop."
Steven's jaw tightened.
500 GRAND?!
What kind of car and laptop cost that much?
His parents exchanged uneasy glances, clearly uncomfortable.
"We… can help with 200 grand," his father offered.
Larry's smile vanished. "That's not enough. You guys are doing great—don't be selfish."
Steven snapped.
"If you think you're entitled to money just because we're family, then you should give me money too."
Larry laughed mockingly. "You? What do you need money for? You didn't even get into a prestigious school."
Silence fell.
Steven's eyes darkened.
"I ranked #1 in the entire country with a perfect score. There isn't a single university that would reject me."
Larry and Kevin froze.
Kevin's face turned pale. His father had just insulted the top-ranked student in the USA.
Desperately, Larry pointed at the BMW and Audi parked outside.
"Well—at least give Kevin one of those cars, along with 200 grand."
Steven's patience snapped.
"Get. Out. Or I'll call the police for trespassing."
Larry and Kevin stiffened, realizing they had lost.
Without another word, they stormed out, slamming the door behind them.
Steven let out a deep sigh.
"Some things never change."
But for Steven Blake?
Everything had changed.