Rewriting My Score

I let out a cold laugh.

"That's even more reason for me not to take the exam. If I mess it up and Kingsford pulls my offer, which one of you is going to take responsibility for that? Instead of standing here talking about me, you should be studying so you can scrape together a few more points.

"Especially you, Tyson. You're third from the bottom and still waiting on a miracle. Don't hold your breath."

Tyson's expression hardened.

"Kieran, my grades slipped because of you! You owe me for that. Take the exam and compete with me fair and square. If you hadn't stolen my guaranteed spot, I wouldn't have spiraled and ended up dead last! Beating you is the only thing keeping me going, so if you don't show up, you're screwing me over."

I stared at him, completely confused. I had never taken anything from him.

Before I could say a word, everyone had already decided I was guilty the moment he said it.

"Wow, Tyson treated him like a brother, and this is how Kieran pays him back."

"And now he's trying to mess with Tyson's head before the exam. That's seriously messed up."

"Kieran, just do something decent for once! He only wants to compare scores, not ruin your life."

I knew exactly how these people worked.

They weren't defending Tyson. They just wanted something to watch, and I happened to be the easiest target.

I had no interest in arguing, so I turned and walked out.

When I refused to agree, Tyson stepped in front of me and blocked my way.

I called a teacher over. The entire class glared at me, but I didn't bother looking back and went straight home.

This time, I wasn't even planning to set foot in the testing center. I wanted to see how Tyson was going to pull off swapping my score if I never showed up.

I never expected what happened next.

At 5 a.m., Paul showed up at my house with a group of people and forced their way inside.

Before I could react, he swung a stick and hit my head. Pain burst through my skull as I clutched at it, but they jammed something into my mouth before I could even cry out.

"Tie him up and get him in the car, then find his ID and admission ticket." Paul clamped a hand around my throat and stared me down. "Whether you take that exam isn't up to you."

I tried to fight back, but he kicked my leg out, and I collapsed.

They dragged me all the way to the testing center, even though I had no intention of going in.

Students I didn't even recognize pushed me forward and told me to hurry and check in, and the proctor had already taken my ID.

Once I was forced into my seat, my thoughts started to race.

If I stood up and left now, it would cause a scene. Skipping the exam might make Kingsford question my ability and cancel my offer.

While I was still thinking, the exam began.

"Please use a No. 2 pencil to fill in your answers," the announcement echoed across the room.

An idea came to me.

I slipped the No. 2 pencil into my pocket and picked up a red pen instead. By the time the proctor noticed, I had already finished more than half the test.

He hurried over and said, "You can't use a red pen. It'll be marked as cheating, and you'll receive a zero."

I didn't even look up. "Then mark it as cheating. I don't care."

I used the red pen for the entire test.

By the last section, the proctor finally couldn't hold it in anymore, so I said, "I've already been accepted to Kingsford University. I just wanted to see how hard the exam really is. If I use red ink, it won't even get scored."

When he heard that, he relaxed.

The night the exams ended, I got on a plane and started my graduation trip.

The class group chat stayed quiet for a full month.

When it finally became active again, it was because Tyson was getting engaged to a wealthy woman named Scarlett Poole.

[Tyson really got lucky. He turned his grades around in three months and landed a rich fiancée.]

[So are you getting married right after graduation?]

[Mr. Jenkins, please help me get a job!]

I scrolled through all the flattering messages and paused at the name "Scarlett Poole". It sounded familiar. When I looked closer, I realized she was the daughter of one of my father's executives.

Tyson replied, [When we check our scores at school tomorrow, I'll bring invitations for everyone.]

Our school had always carried a strong reputation. Every year, there were students who surprised everyone, along with a few who were fought over by top universities.

That was why we all had to go back in person to check our scores and collect our admission letters. The media would be there.

In my last life, Tyson ruined me the day we picked up those letters.

This time, I would be the one surprising him.

When I arrived, a crowd had already gathered around him and was praising him nonstop.

"Tyson's got it all. He turned things around in three months, and now he's engaged to a rich girl!"

"Yeah, he's calling it around 1550. I wouldn't even put myself at 1400."

I let out a quiet laugh. A 1550 was out of the question. A zero sounded a lot more believable.

Someone spotted me and shot me a look dripping with contempt. "Kieran, we'll see if you're still smiling when the scores come out."

Tyson met my eyes and said, "You got lucky once, riding off someone else's score. Don't tell me you actually think you're smart now."