Page 16 of And They Were Roommates

Andrew Parker (98.98/100)

“WHERE AM I?” I shriek at the sign.

A few heads turn my way.

Straightening and stepping away, I clear my throat. In my online classes, grades were weighted out of 4.0. Advanced classes could bump us higher. But at Valentine, where everyone gets all As, they must have to readjust us out of a hundred for there to even be a competition. Here, it comes down to the tenths. I look closer at the board. No, the hundredths.

If they didn’t readjust the ranking system I bet I’d be flying past a hundred. PastJasper.

I scan the list until I hit the bottom.

No Charlie von Hevringprinz. There’s only one explanation. My name isn’t here yet because my online grades never carried over. Relief crashes through me like a tidal wave, nearly making my legs collapse beneath my weight.

Next week, I’ll make the top five. I have to, or else I’ll say goodbye to my scholarship next term. Even though I could barely raise my hand in class today before someone else was already answering. Even though the competition is fiercer than I ever expected.

The relief twists into nausea. I grip my stomach to try to make it go away, to pretend like everything isn’t going wrong for one second.

“Mr. V! Mr. V!”

I spin around, clutching my copy ofOthelloto my chest.

A mash of floral prints and tight pants that could only belong to Mr. Stern rushes toward me, his briefcase jostling against his leg. “You exited my classroom in a dash.”

I swallow away the burning in my throat. “I didn’t mean to.”

“It’s fine. Just didn’t expect you of all people to want to leave my lesson so fast.”

“No, I was fascinated. Especially when you went deeper into iambic, trochaic, spondaic, anapestic, dactylic, and all the stress patterns in comparison to Shakespeare’s meter and length. Anapestic tetrameter has my whole heart—” I’m talking too fast. Embarrassment hits me so hard that I cover my face withOthello. “Sorry.”

Mr. Stern lowers the book. “I was a faculty member who reviewed your Excellence Scholar application. Your personal statement was the best one I’ve read since I was hired.”

“Really?”

“Yes, I’m eager to read yourOthelloessay due next week.”

I smile back. Maybe I can reach close to Jasper’s Rank One. His perfect hundred may be impossible, but Rank Two must be on the table.

Mr. Stern holds out a red note stamped with the Valentinecrest. “Anyway, I chased after you because Principal Grimes called to ask you to her office. Here’s an excused pass for your next afternoon class.”

My blood runs cold. “Did she say why?”

“Just that it’s confidential. And time-sensitive.”

Confidential. Time-sensitive.

That’s it, then. Jasper realized who I am. He told his aunt the truth.

I’m already being kicked out.

Chapter 6THE WOMAN IN WHITE

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4

The office is deserted during lunch, but it is packed with gnomes.Stuffedgnomes, which invade the lobby tables and wall shelves. Heart-patterned pointy hats hide their faces except for their blobby noses and gray-yarn beards. Each has a name stitched on the stomach. DeMario, Kennedy, Ignacio…

I approach the counter cluttered with university prep pamphlets, trading careful looks between the gnomes and the vintage gramophone in the corner. “Für Elise” plays from its aluminum horn. The peaceful melody is a cruel counterpoint to my heartbeat. “Excuse me?”

“Just a moment!” a high-pitched voice calls from the back room.

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