Mid-terms

At last this day has finally arrived. Mid-term exams is only an hour away. With proper attire, the students spent their last minutes before the tests studying. They focused on nothing other than the pages in front of them. While the students studied, a surprise visitor entered the classroom. Most students did not acknowledge him though, many thinks he is a delinquent who is only here to distract them. I would have thought so too if I did not know the person before hand. He twirls his hair repeatedly as he took out a marker.

Ricardo Quilge, he wrote his name on the whiteboard then proceeded to write something else. Slowly all the students in the classroom paused their studying and looked at the board. Once Ricardo finished writing, the students were lost for words.

"Prizes, Yesss!"

Takeshi, the guy in front of me excitedly voiced his feelings for the class to hear. I wonder how he's intending on getting a prize. Not like Takeshi ever took his studies seriously, he doesn't strike me as a prodigy and he always sleep during class. Many other students followed his lead and screamed happily. From what Ricardo has wrote on the board, the students have become extremely motivated. Ricardo left the room without even telling the students he's The Student Council Secretary. The students won't know unless someone tells them. His delinquent appearance has got to go.

The prizes for passing mid-terms were as follows.

"Score > 60 but < 70 will receive free lunch for two weeks.

Score  > 70 but < 80 will receive money and free tutoring on any course you want.

Score > 80 but < 90 has the privilege to know twenty percent of the answers for the final exams in advance.

Lastly if any student's average on the mid-terms is one 100%. That student will have all benefits including the authority of Class Captain.

Get lower than 60 and you're abandoned.

With prizes like this, the tests must be extremely difficult. I have been studying like crazy within the past week. These kids were just getting motivated but I was a long time ago. Getting the highest scores in mid-terms, that's the goal I'm aiming for. It does not have to be in the 90s or 100 as long as it's the highest among the freshman. Nayeli surprisingly walked up to me after finish reviewing her notes. "Victor how confident are you ?" she asks. This was the first time she has ever spoke to me at school so Aoi pinched my right cheek.

"Oww!"

"I studied hard for this test. When I arrive home I immediately hit the books and studied up to midnight. I repeated this routine for over a week now in order to be prepared for this test. I don't want to repeat the year" I told her. The fear of repeating did not motivate me enough to have worked this hard. The prized on the board can't be compared to the promise made last week with Alice.

One week ago, Alice and I helped the teachers for an entire day. We helped them organize posters, we were present during the staff meeting where these prizes were decided upon and we ordered extra chairs and desks for the students. Alice did most of the work while I simply aided her as best as I could. Alice asked me a question while we were renovating some of the classrooms. "Are you ready for mid-terms?"

"Y-Yes, I think I'm ready. I understand most of what is taught during class"

"Take a wild guess, What do you think your average is going to be?"

"Hmm, I'd say around the 60s or 70s. Definitely over the pass mark"

"Really, you ever tried hitting 100? That's my aim this semester"

Alice is aiming for a perfect score. That is by no means an easy feat to accomplish. Sometimes no matter how hard you study, when you sit the test. You'll find a question waiting their to pounce on you. It is not impossible but extremely difficult, most students if not all do not aim for a perfect score. Just getting over the passing grade is enough for them. Same went for me too. "Why you want a perfect score?"  I asked her.

"Stephano is the only student at this school who has ever gotten a perfect average ya know. Everyone thinks he is the only one capable of getting a perfect score because he's the president since his first year at this school. I am going to prove that he isn't the only one capable"

I understood Alice's intent but I doubt it would work. "Sorry but you won't prove anything. If you, All Star Academy's Queen and Vice President received a perfect score. The students will just say, it's expected of the Vice President. Everyone is already well aware you can get a perfect score. The students will say, Alice is smart and that she's the vice president".

"What should I do then? Can you score 100 in my stead?"

At this moment I realized I was trapped. Alice played me like a fiddle. She laughed at me before uttering these mind-blowing words. "If you get a perfect score, you will undoubtedly be famous. You could be an inspiration for other students. The guy who was caught in his underwear scored a 100. Imagine that hahahaha" Alice laughs at me.

"That is way too much work Alice. I don't think I'm capable of getting a perfect score. I have never got one before".

"Hear this, if you get the highest grade among the first years. I'll grant you one wish. As long as it isn't something sexual of course. This is a promise I will keep"

"You serious! You really mean that" I said suddenly enthusiastic.

Alice nodded at me in reply. Consider the top spot among the first years mine. Nothing is going to stand in my way. The true prize for me is Alice's promise.

Back to the present, Nayeli pointed at Aphrodi and told me "That guy has been suspended for a whole week. He is behind the rest of us. Do you think he'll be okay".

"Yeah, after school I made sure to share my notes with Aphrodi's sister. Bambi should pass the notes I gave her to Aphrodi. If he receive the notes I gave him then he should be fine. I would have preferred to have given it to him personally but he's behaving too distant". Nayeli sighed in relief after hearing my answer. Could be wrong but it looks like Nayeli is worried about Aphrodi. The guy who brutally injured her brother. Has she come in terms that her brother was a terrible person in society? Even if she has, she should still have a bit of hatred in her heart. "I killed her brother. How will she react if I told her that" I wondered.

All studying ceased as soon as a teacher walked in. Miss Emi was supposed to be our Exam inspector but she was suddenly swapped with another teacher. She may have been deemed too soft to observe an exam. The teacher who walked in was our Visual Arts instructor, Mr. Akai. Exams officially begins now. First test was English, the controversial subject. Half of the students finds it easy while the other half finds it incredibly difficult.

"English, this subject is so easy that I studied for it the least. If I can dominate this test then the others are a guaranteed first place for me"

When I was at the last question on the paper, everyone else seemed to be on the second page. I answered four pages in a short amount of time, it almost scared me. These questions are not enough for me to spend time on. "Easy"

"Easy"

"Easy"

"What the—"

The last question wanted me to write an essay about crazy. I closed my eyes and counted to ten. There is no way a question like this exists. I've never seen one before. I opened my eyes and read the last question again. "Write an essay about something crazy. Can be anything, as long as it's amusing". Who wrote this test!

As instructed, I wrote down something crazy. The confidence I had to score 100 dropped after seeing this question. Some assassins use a creative way to get rid of corpses. There is a bit of chemistry involve, nothing too complex so anyone could use this method. Instead of dumping the body in the ocean or burying it, killers can also dissolve the body. A process where people make stew out of their victims. I am not hinting on which kind of people. Heat ten pounds of lye otherwise known as Sodium Hydroxide to 350 degrees in a big plastic container. Add 80 gallons of water to the heated lye and it can easily destroy the skin. Give it couple of hours and the body will be reduced to nothing. This method to hide the body is surprisingly useful, it prevents people from finding corpses and if a corpse isn't found then there can't be a case of murder can there. It takes time but it gives result. Water with sulfuric acid can easily destroy the skin so next time you pick on a guy who is good at chemistry. Think twice or at least be wary of them. They are more dangerous than they let on. Imagine knowing all the world's elements, the reactions between the elements and combinations. Call me crazy but they might be the closest thing to a god because of their knowledge.

As instructed, I wrote down something crazy. I bet who ever reads my paper will see Chemistry teachers and Scientists in a different light.

Two hours flew by fast. Mr August gave us a ten minute break before sitting the next test. We get three test per day so our mid-term exams will end in the next three days on Thursday. The students wasted no time talking to their friends. Discussing their answers and express the worries they have for the next test. Aoi Quin was the worst at English in our class. Hope she passes. Soon after taking a break, the students sat their math test while I slept. I can't even call what I did sitting an exam, everything was so easy. The examples shown in class was much harder. "Just you wait Alice. I'm going to have you date me"

After math, the students sat Chemistry while I slept through most of it. I could tell that the students were glaring at me which made me happy. I watched when many of them was sleeping during class and didn't take it serious. I am proud to be glared at, it means they have recognized my hard work. Before Chemistry was over, an idea struck me. These questions were too simple, they dont pick the students brain in the slightest. For the great All Star Academy. they should have exams that are truly challenging. At the end of my paper, i wrote down tips and exam questions the school could use in the future. Hopefully they will take thrir time out to read them. After school, Aoi and I headed to the library to study together. I tried cramming as much knowledge as I could in her brain before tomorrow. Aoi realized today that her methods of studying weren't working. Normally she summarize big topics in a small amount of words. That is helpful but can backfire. Because she summarizes, she missed out many key details that were important. She knew the big picture but ignored everything else. As usual, she didn't say a word to me while I tutored her.

When this week ended, so did mid-term exams. Mr August told us "Results will be on the notice board next week Monday. Rewards will be distributed the following day".

The only student who posed a challenge in Class 1B was Xavier Foster. He has experience with these tests, I imagine that most of the questions repeated so he has an advantage. Besides him, Aphrodi seems to always finish his tests minutes after me. He might be a threat to my goal as well. "She'll grant me any wish", just thinking about Alice's words make me excited for these results.

"Hahahaha" I'm going to have her date me.