Chapter 136: Chapter 136: We’re All Classmates

Mr. Parker arrived soon after, and the other students gradually trickled in until everyone was there.

"A toast to our classmate Chloe, for becoming this year’s top scorer in the college entrance exam!" Mr. Parker raised his glass, gesturing for everyone to clink theirs together and congratulate Chloe York.

Chloe felt awkward. She hated being the center of attention in a crowd.

She followed suit, raising her glass and clinking it with the others in the air before downing her drink in one go.

After sitting down, Chloe York picked up her chopsticks, ready to eat. But as the top scorer and a potential future big shot, her classmates had all been instructed by their families to get on her good side and make an impression.

"Wow, Chloe, you’re the top scorer! You’re going to have such a bright future!"

"Seriously! I feel like I have major bragging rights now, just telling people I was in the same class as the top scorer!"

"You’re telling me! My relatives, my old middle school friends, my neighbors—they’re all green with envy when they hear I was in the same class as the top scorer!"

The compliments from her classmates came one after another.

"You all did great, too. You all got into good universities."

Before coming, Chloe York had specifically looked up her classmates’ scores and the universities they had been accepted into.

Aside from Brooke York, who had done so poorly she couldn’t get into any university, Stella Winters’s results were the weakest.

"What do our scores even count for? Compared to you, *this* is what you are!" a male classmate said, giving her a thumbs-up.

"Yeah, I always thought our class president would be the top scorer," Clara Bell commented faintly at that moment.

The moment she said that, the atmosphere instantly turned awkward.

And that was exactly what Clara Bell intended. She had seen the class president, Henry Ford’s, score.

A 725. Compared to Chloe York’s 749, it was a huge gap. It was also a bit lower than Evan Shaw’s and Ethan Prescott’s scores.

Back then, among all the students in the class, the ones considered most likely to contend for the title of top scorer were Henry Ford and Brooke York, though Brooke was never quite on Henry’s level.

But no one expected such a huge disparity in their final results, especially Brooke York, who scored a straight zero.

And while Henry Ford’s score was still decent, it was a step down from his third mock exam.

Henry Ford’s expression flickered, but he quickly returned to normal.

He couldn’t deny that his score on the actual exam had indeed dropped quite a bit compared to his mock exams.

And he knew the reason why—it was because of Chloe York.

That’s right, he was jealous of Chloe York. Her sudden academic improvement made him deeply uncomfortable.

’I worked so hard to get the score I have now. Chloe used to get zeros on every test. How could she improve so much in just one month? By the third mock exam, she was practically my equal.’

’Now, it’s even worse. She’s the top scorer, while my score is worlds away from that title among the vast number of test-takers.’

’Now everyone is fawning over Chloe York, and no one is paying any attention to me. Before the results were out, I thought this reunion would be all about everyone fawning over *me*.’

"Clara Bell, if you have nothing nice to say, you can just shut your mouth. A few more words from you, and I’m afraid people will think you bought your way into university."

Stella Winters retorted directly. Her words were a clear double entendre.

First, it implied she was so tactless that her score seemed bought. But everyone knew Clara Bell’s family had no money, so the second meaning was a jab at her for being poor.

"Stella Winters, what’s that supposed to mean? I was just making a joke! Do you have to make it a personal attack?"

"A personal attack? What did I even say? You’re being way too sensitive and insecure!" Stella Winters’s nonchalant tone left Clara Bell speechless. She looked like she wanted to fire back but couldn’t find the words.

In the end, she could only sit back down resentfully and say no more.

Brooke York had no intention of speaking up for Clara Bell. She could barely fend for herself at the moment.

From the moment she walked in, she felt that her classmates wanted nothing to do with her. What’s more, she kept catching mocking glances directed her way, whether intentional or not.

"Alright, alright, we’re all classmates. After this gathering, who knows when we’ll all see each other again," Mr. Parker said, trying to smooth things over.

"Yeah, that’s right! We’re all classmates. When we’re out in the real world, we’ll probably look back and think this group of ours was the best!"

The awkward atmosphere that had just formed was instantly swept away, and everyone resumed chatting and laughing.

But while Henry Ford maintained a smile, he felt extremely bitter inside.

His resentment toward Clara Bell grew. ’This whole table is full of delicious food, but it still can’t shut her mouth. It seems to have clogged her brain instead.’

’Serves her right. She got put in her place.’

Chloe York didn’t say another word and just ate quietly. They were just classmates, so having a meal together was enough. It was a way to bring their three years together to a close. She really couldn’t think of anything else to talk about.

After dinner, everyone prepared to leave. Chloe York and Stella Winters planned to head back together.

"Chloe, want to go back together?" Brooke York suddenly walked up to Chloe York and asked, trying to create the impression that they still lived together.

But Chloe York didn’t fall for her act. "I moved out a long time ago. We’re not going the same way at all!"

Brooke York hadn’t bothered to lower her voice, so Chloe didn’t lower hers either. The other students heard everything and turned their gazes toward the two of them.

Brooke York was a bit embarrassed. She had thought Chloe would just give her a look and leave without saying anything. She never expected her to call it out directly.

Ignoring Brooke York, Chloe left with Stella Winters.

The others could see Brooke York’s awkwardness and also said their goodbyes and left.

"Brooke, what are your plans?" Clara Bell asked, walking up to Brooke York’s side.

What she really wanted to know was whether the York Family would find a way to get Brooke York into a university, just like they had for Chloe York back in the day.

If so, and they ended up at the same school, she would continue to be her little follower.

If not, she would start hanging out with that girl she met on the day of the exam.

’That way, Brooke York won’t see. Maybe I can keep both of them on the hook. Then, after graduation, I’ll have another safety net.’

"What plans? What plans could I possibly have other than repeating the year!" Tossing that line out, Brooke York got into the car that had come to pick her up.

Clara Bell watched the car drive away with a shocked expression.

"Repeat the year? Brooke York is going to repeat the year?"

Clara Bell’s tone was filled with disbelief. "Chloe York got in that way, but when it’s their own flesh and blood, they’re not willing to do it? She has to repeat the year?"

Clara Bell suddenly felt that the York Family actually treated Chloe York pretty well. It seemed Brooke York, the one raised on the outside, just didn’t measure up.

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