Chapter 12: New Couples in School

Sophia's POV

As I woke up beside my brother in our shared room, my stomach immediately cried out for food. I tried to leave the room without waking Soma, but it was no easy feat as he was a light sleeper. Unfortunately, all my efforts failed. We went to the kitchen for dinner, and that was that.

Returning to school felt like someone was attempting to crush my spirit. I was stepping back into a world where my heart had once felt alive but had also been wounded.

As I was collecting my books from my locker, the school doors swung open, and there they were, Kaycee and Alex, walking in like they owned the place. My heart sank; it felt like any remaining hope had been extinguished.

Lily noticed my dejected expression and approached me, "Did you know about this? It was just yesterday, and now they're together." She spoke with the enthusiasm of youth and the innocence of young love.

I couldn't help but look at the two of them walking together and agree, "They really do seem to match each other." It was a bittersweet observation as I grappled with the changing dynamics around me, feeling like a spectator to their newfound happiness.

My morning conversation with Lily came to an abrupt end as Mr. Holman summoned me to the principal's office. I couldn't help but wonder why, but I soon found out the reason. In the principal's office, Mrs. Wes congratulated me for being chosen, along with four other students, to represent our school in the International Mathematics Olympiad (IMO). It was an achievement I should have celebrated, given my passion for math.

However, my joy was tainted by the knowledge that Ross, my ex who I now had mixed feelings about, was almost certainly one of the selected students. There was no need to ask; it was just a matter of time before we would meet the others after school.

Upon leaving the principal's office, I had a strong sense that Lily would be waiting for me. I filled her in on the news, and she expressed genuine happiness for me. But being the curious soul she was, Lily couldn't resist asking if I knew the identities of the other four students. Regrettably, I had to admit that I didn't.

In our school, there was always that one student who excelled in math to a degree that seemed unattainable. Perhaps now, with this new opportunity, I would finally uncover who that student was and whether I could surpass them.