Chapter 64

“Mr. Baker, Mr. Lee, Charlotte just transferred here from another school. She hasn’t learned the material we tested on, so it makes sense that her score wasn’t great this time,” Eleanor said, her voice gentle.
Bald Lee let out a sharp laugh. “That’s not what I heard from the principal. Supposedly, she was recommended by a professor. A science prodigy, they said, admitted because she’s so gifted.” He stabbed a finger at the grade sheet. “Seven points. In all my years of teaching, I have never seen a student get a seven.”
“She single-handedly dropped our school’s average with that score,” he added, looking straight at Eleanor. “And you expect me to believe this is the student we bent the rules for? It’s embarrassing for Vanguard High.”
Eleanor’s face went a little pale.
“One bad test doesn’t mean everything. I’m her teacher. I’ll make sure she gets extra help and catches up,” she replied.
“Ms. Adams Bald Lee cut her off, his tone dripping with condescension. “You can’t fix intelligence with extra lessons. Some kids just aren’t smart enough. No matter how hard you work with them, nothing changes.”
Eleanor hated hearing that. She’d seen plenty of students who started out weak but managed to shine later, just by working hard. Why judge someone for a single test, or worse, attack them personally?
“Mr. Lee, this is the first time any of us have taught Charlotte. We can’t decide her future just because of one score,” Eleanor said, her voice tight with frustration. “And I don’t agree with tearing down students like this.”
Bald Lee straightened up from his chair, glaring at the new teacher who kept challenging him. “Let me ask you. If a student scores in the single digits, how much can you really expect her to improve? Twenty points? Thirty? Maybe forty?” He pressed on. “This isn’t an attack. It’s just obvious she got in through connections, and this is where her ability stops. You could tutor her for years and she still might not pass.”
Eleanor was silent, her heart aching for Charlotte, even though the test results were right there in black and white.
Andrew had been listening, and he was getting annoyed too. He wanted to go over and say something reassuring, but when he glanced at Charlotte, she was just staring at the floor, idly kicking the toe of her shoe, looking completely unbothered.
Seriously? He felt his own cheeks heat up with embarrassment just being in the same room, but Charlotte looked like she couldn’t care less.
Bald Lee turned to the dean. “Mr. Baker, you saw the scores. This student has attitude problems and doesn’t care about her work. Are we really keeping her here?”
Eleanor frowned, determined. “Mr. Baker, I promise her grades will go up by the next exam.”
“Oh yeah? And how are you going to guarantee that?” Bald Lee shot back.
Charlotte finally lifted her head, her eyes cold and clear as she stared straight at Bald Lee didn’t do well last time because I wasn’t feeling great. Next test, I’ll get second place in the whole grade. How about that?”
Second in the grade?
Not just Bald Lee, even Eleanor thought she must have heard wrong. Did Charlotte really mean second in the whole grade? Not just twenty more points. Not top twenty in the class. Second.
This was the same girl who just scored seven points.
Andrew glanced over at her, his lips twitching. “Are you out of your mind?” he muttered. Was she serious? Did she really think saying it would make it true?