bChapter /bb56 /b

bChapter /bb56 /b

Without drinking any bmilk /bbthat /bnightb, /bShermaine didn’t sleep very well. She really wanted to sleep, but her mind would wander off in ball /bdirections sometimes. When she finally managed to fall asleep, she dreamed.

The next morning, Shermaine woke up a little after bsix/bb, /bstill feeling groggy. Once again, she had dreamt of a much younger Ruth, who was telling her bedtime stories with a gentle smile and loving eyes.

After a bworkout /band breakfast, Shermaine finally shook off her drowsinessb. /bShe grabbed her phone and called Joshua.

Soon, Joshua’s pleasant voice came through. “Good morning, Shermaine.”

“Morning,” Shermaine replied.

b“/bbJust /bwoke up?”

“Yeah. Without your milk, I didn’t sleep wellst night.”

“If you like it, I’ll have some sent over today.” Joshua was ready to fulfill all of his fiancée’s requests.

“That’d be great.” Shermaine’s tone was tinged with happiness.

Joshua chuckled softly. “Sob, /bneed something from me?” He knew Shermaine rarely called just to chat.

Shermaine responded, “I need to borrow awyer from your legal team.”

Shermaine arrived at school right on time at 7:20 AM. There weren’t many people bat /bschool yetb, /bbut she could feel the curious, gossipy stares following her, as if they were trying to uncover some juicy secret.

But Shermaine didn’t care in the slightest. Once she made it to the ssroom, she pulled out a book and began reading.

Summer dashed in right before the bell and flopped into her seat with a loud thud. Next to her, Shermaine was engrossed in her book, flipping through the pages at an impressive speed.

Summer nced at the title of the book: A Global History. She had heard of it before, but as a high schooler, she would never read something like this.

She was more into cheesy romance novels.

i‘/iSo this is the gap between a top student and a cker like me, huh?‘ Summer thought. ‘Sheary’s bon /ba whole different level–even the book she reads is

intellectually stimting.‘

Shermaine reads every morning. She has a remarkable memory and never forgets what she has read.

She’d browsed many books in the school library before finally settling on this one. It wasn’t particrly deep, but it was full of useful knowledge.

The first ss of the day was Wallingtonian. As soon as the teacher arrived, she handed out the test papers.

Shermaine’s ssmates weren’t exactly top–tier in humanities, but they weren’t hopeless either. Usually, students in the science btrack /bweren’t bgood /bbat /bWallingtonianb, /bbut they could at least manage to keep ba /bbC /bgrade.

Shermaine, however, was an exception. Since she joined bthe /bss, her Wallingtonian grades had been outstanding, and her essays were particrly excellent.

In the midterm, she lost a few points because she’d missed a minor question. Otherwise, she would have scored an bA/bb+/b.

Rumors spread that she had cheated, but with the level of her work, it was hard to believe that was the case. So, the teachers were ball /bconvinced bthat /bbher /b

bscore /bwas the result of her skill.

bChapter /bb56 /b

bRight /bbnow/bb, /bbMason /bwas bfuming/b. bA ridiculous /brumor bthat /bShermaine bhad /bcheated bon /bthe midterms bwas /bspreading like wildfire bacross /bthe sense yea bdidn’t /bbneed /bbto /bthink btwice /bbto /bfigure out who was behind it–bIt /bhad to be Aliceb, /bthe model student he had defended just days ago.

He bwas /bdetermined to teach Alice a lesson in the parent–teacher meeting scheduled next Monday. She deserved punishment for spreading false rumor band /btarnishing Shermaine’s reputation.

bBut /bthenb, /bunexpectedly, the principal called him and said in an unusually stern voiceb, /bb“/bCome to my office.”

bMason /bimmediately sensed something was wrong, but didn’t rush to ask. “I’ll be right there.”

Half an hourterb, /bIsabel walked into Shermaine’s ssroom. “Shermaine, step outside for a moment,” she said,

Shermaine seemed to have anticipated this. She stood up and followed her out.

In the hallway, Isabel’s face was tight with anger. “Someone reported you to the school district office, and now the officials are waiting in the principal’s office for you.”

Shermaine nodded slightly.

b‘/bThese seniors have gone too far. We work so hard to teach them, yet instead of being considerate of our situations, they did something like this without knowing the true story,‘ Isabel thought.

“And that’s not all,” she continued. “The person who reported you also used Mr. Moe of epting bribes to cover up your cheating. If you bdon’t /bprove your innocence, he could be suspended and investigated.”

“Got it. No need to worry, Ms. Vaughn,” Shermaine said calmly. “Proving I didn’t cheat is easy. I’ll take a more difficult test in front of the district office staff. Once the results are out, everything will be clear.”

Isabel knew Shermaine was right, but she couldn’t help feeling frustrated with the students who doubted Shermaine’s abilities. Rumors were always ba /bmessy mix of truth and lies, such as those celebrity dating scandals that always turn out to be fake.

The students should focus on their studies instead of wasting time bon /bsuch pointless gossip.

Soon, Shermaine and Isabel reached the principal’s office.

“This is Shermaine Shue. She got straight A’s in the midterms,” Mason said. Then he turned to Shermaine and continued, “This is Mr. Collins from the school district office.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Shermaine said coolly.

She looked soposed and confident that Christopher Collins, the staff member from the school district officeb, /bfound it hard bto /bbelieve she had

cheated.

But appearances could be deceiving, so the investigation was inevitable.

Shermaine got straight to the point. “Mr. Collins, I understand it was hard for some to ept that I got straight A’s. But honestlyb, /bit was bino /i/bchallenge for me. If you don’t believe me, feel free to give me a tougher test.”

‘A tougher test? She’s much too confident,‘ Christopher thought.

Determined to handle this fairly, he decided the best way bto /bdeal with it was to see for himself ihow /iwell Shermaine could performb. /bb“/bAlrightb, /bbI /bbdo /bhav some difficult senior–year tests. You can take it right here in the principal’s office. I’ll supervise you myself.”

Shermaine nodded slightly.

Soon, someone brought in a desk and chair. Shermaine sat down and said, “Could you hand me the test papers band /bba /bbpen/bb?/bb” /b

Mason handed her the papers with an encouraging nod.

bi2/3 /i/b

bChapter /bb56 /b

Shermaine thought, ‘Rx. Your teaching career bwon’t /bend here!

Christopher sat nearby, watching closely.

The first test was math. Shermaine picked up the pen and, without a moment’s hesitation, began working on the multiple choice bquestions/b.

Christopher couldn’t help but notice how fast she was filling in the answers, without pausing to think or looking back. He raised an beyebrow/bb, /bbthinking/b, she even taking the time to read the questions? This test is pretty challenging.‘

About twenty minutester, Shermaine finished the math test, then picked up the physics paper and got to work on that. Afterward, she breezed bthrough /bthe chemistry test, the economics test, and the rest of the papers.

During the break, Hannah went to see Alice. The two found a secluded spot to talk.

“Alice, someone from the school district office showed up. Shermaine’s definitely getting expelled today,” Hannah said.

Alice smirked smugly. “Of course. A cheater doesn’t deserve to stay at this school, and she definitely doesn’t deserve Leslie’s attention.”

Time flew by, and two hours passed in the blink of an eye.

Christopher started grading Shermaine’s every subject.

spapers. By the time he finished reviewing all of them, he let out a deep breath. She had scored full marks in

Christopher appreciated students with excellent grades. Shermaine had impressed him and earned his respect.

He then turned to the principal and Mason. “Shermaine’s performance on the tests is more than enough to prove she didn’t cheat on the midterms. We will take action to ensure the students who spread these false rumors are severely punished.”

Shermaine gave a slight smile. “Thank you, Mr. Collins. I’d appreciate it if iyou /icould clear my name in front of all the senior students and their parents next Monday.”

Before thest ss of the morning started, Shermaine returned to the ssroom.

Her ssmates, looking worried, asked, “Sheary, are you okay?”

Shermaine nodded and said, “Don’t spread the word yet. The school district office will set things straight for me next Monday.”

Meanwhile, at Basterel University, Erin had just finished ss when someone rushed inb, /basking, “What the hell, Erin? What did you do?”

Confused, Erin saw awyer and uniformed police officers walking in. His face instantly turned pale.

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bChapter /b57