Hard Work Pays Off

Present day...

Sophie walked through the school gate, still feeling a bit groggy from the lack of sleep. She had been thinking about Alexander, his girlfriend, and Trisha all night, and it had left her feeling restless and anxious. But as she saw Emily waiting for her, she forced a smile onto her face.

"Hey, Emily!" Sophie said, trying to sound cheerful despite her fatigue. "What's up? I'm so glad you're here, I really need some distraction today."

Emily looked at her with concern. "Not much, Sophie. You look tired, though. Everything okay? You seem a bit out of it."

Sophie shrugged, not wanting to burden her friend with her worries. "Just didn't sleep well, that's all. I was thinking about stuff and couldn't stop."

Emily nodded sympathetically. "Well, maybe we can grab some coffee and pastry before class. That'll help wake you up and take your mind off things."

As they walked towards the cafeteria, Sophie couldn't help but think about Alexander again. She had been trying to push him out of her mind, but it seemed like her brain was determined to keep him front and center.

As they strolled through the bustling hallway, Emily turned to Sophie with a bright smile, her eyes gleaming with enthusiasm. "Sophie, how was your day yesterday?" she asked, her voice tinged with a hint of excitement, her gaze piercing through Sophie's attempts to hide her true emotions.

Sophie shrugged, attempting to appear nonchalant despite the butterflies fluttering in her stomach. "Nothing special..." she replied, her voice barely above a whisper, her eyes avoiding Emily's probing gaze.

Emily's eyebrow shot up, her expression a mix of surprise and disbelief. "Why?" she asked, her voice laced with a hint of curiosity, her eyes sparkling with intrigue. "Yesterday, you went with Alexander in his car. Still, you're not happy?" Emily's words were like a gentle prod, trying to coax Sophie out of her shell.

Sophie's face remained impassive, but her silence spoke volumes. She couldn't reveal the turmoil brewing inside her, the confusion and uncertainty that had been plaguing her since the previous day's memories.

Emily's gaze didn't waver, her eyes boring into Sophie's soul. "Are you not anxious about today's result?" she questioned, her voice full of excitement, her words dripping with enthusiasm. "I mean, we've been studying for weeks, and the suspense is killing me! Don't you feel like our entire future is hanging in the balance?" Emily's words were like a gentle nudge, trying to rouse Sophie from her funk.

Sophie hesitated .She had been trying to push the Maths results to the farthest recesses of her mind, but now that Emily mentioned it, she couldn't help but feel a flutter in her chest.

"Well...A little bit," she admitted finally,her words laced with a hint of vulnerability. She tried to downplay her nerves, but her eyes betrayed her, flashing a glimpse of the turmoil brewing inside her.

Emily's grin was like a ray of sunshine, bright and reassuring. She winked at Sophie, "Don't worry, we will get a good score!" she said, her words dripping with conviction, her tone a gentle balm to Sophie's frazzled nerves.

Sophie felt a small smile tug at the corners of her lips, her anxiety easing slightly under Emily's infectious optimism. She took a deep breath, letting her friend's confidence seep into her pores, and nodded, her eyes locking onto Emily's.

"Yeah, you're right," she said, her voice a little stronger now, her words laced with a hint of resolve. "We've studied hard, and we can do this!"

Sophie couldn't help but laugh, feeling a bit better. Maybe today wouldn't be so bad after all. After grabbing something in the cafeteria, they walked into their math class, Sophie's heart began to race. Today was the day the maths results would be declared, and she couldn't help but wonder how she had done. She had studied hard, but she had no idea if it had been enough. Their math teacher, Mr. Herold walked into the room, a stack of papers in his hand.

"Today, Maths exams results will be declared. I will distribute your mark sheets now," he said, his voice firm.

Mr. Herold began distributing the mark sheets, his movements methodical and slow. Sophie's eyes followed him, her mind racing with possibilities. Had she done well? Had she made it to the next round? She felt Emily's hand on her arm, a gentle squeeze of encouragement.

And then, she heard it. "Miss Sophie." Hearing her name being called, she was nervous. As she approached to take the paper from him, her heart racing with anticipation. "Miss Sophie, ranked 7th in the whole class. Well done for your achievements," Mr. Herold said, a hint of a smile on his face, his eyes shining with pride. Sophie's heart swelled with joy, her face beaming with a mix of surprise and delight. She took the paper from him, her hands trembling slightly, her eyes scanning the page to confirm the news. Ranked 7th in the whole class! She felt a surge of pride and accomplishment, her hard work and dedication paying off. "Thank you, Mr. Herold," she said, her voice barely above a whisper, her smile still plastered on her face.

She couldn't believe it. She had actually done it. She had worked hard and achieved something amazing. Emily turned to her, a huge grin on her face. "I am so happy for you, Sophie! You totally deserved it!" she exclaimed. "You've been studying so hard for months, and it paid off!" Sophie smiled back, feeling a sense of pride and accomplishment wash over her. "Thanks, dear. You also have done incredibly well in this exam," she replied, trying to compose herself. "We did it, Emily! We actually did it!" Emily laughed and threw her arms around Sophie. "We sure did! We made it happen!" Emily cleared her throat, a smile still on her face. "Well, congratulations are in order, ladies. We both have made our mark. Keep up the excellent work!" Sophie beamed with pride, feeling on top of the world. "This is just the beginning," she whispered to Emily.