Chapter 22 Zero Points
Jade's POV:
I approached Mrs. Hanson's desk with my completed AP Calculus exam, watching her face twist with thinly veiled contempt. Twenty-five minutes—not even a third of the allotted time. Most students were still hunched over their papers, frantically working through the first few problems.
I walked out of the silent exam room, feeling the weight of her stare on my back. In my former life, I'd calculated missile trajectories and sniper bullet paths in my head while running at full speed. AP Calculus was child's play by comparison.
With nearly two hours to kill before I'd normally be heading home, I made my way to the school's athletic field. The afternoon sun felt good on my skin as I started my workout routine—push-ups, sprints, and core exercises. My body was getting stronger every day, the muscle memory from my previous life gradually returning.
After a solid workout session, I showered in the locker room and changed back into my regular clothes. As I was walking through the school's main exit, I spotted Emily and her friends coming out of the building, having just finished the exam.
"Look who finished early," she said loudly enough for me to hear. "Probably couldn't answer a single question."
Her friends snickered, nudging each other as I approached.
"Playing with computers and making a few bucks doesn't make you smart," Emily continued, eyes narrowing as I passed by without acknowledgment. "Mom's going to flip when she finds out you failed again."
One of her friends leaned in. "How does she even have money for those clothes? That's definitely Calvin Klein."
Emily's smile tightened. "Who knows? Maybe she's stealing. Mom says there's no way she could be making that much from some computer stuff."
I kept walking, their voices fading as I left the school grounds. Their opinions meant less than nothing to me.
---
Max was waiting by the kitchen table when I arrived home, his eyes bright with excitement.
"You're back early," he said, checking the time. "It's only 4:30. How was the test?"
"Easy," I replied, setting my backpack down. "Finished in twenty-five minutes."
Max's eyes widened. "Twenty-five minutes? That's—" He shook his head, then broke into a grin. "Actually, that doesn't even surprise me anymore. Listen, I've got news. Big news."
"What is it?" I asked, opening the refrigerator to find something edible among Linda's collection of expired condiments.
"Princeton University reached out," Max said, his voice dropping to an excited whisper despite us being alone in the house. "The Dean of Admissions and Edward Sheldon both contacted me through Reddit. They want to offer you early admission and a full scholarship."
I closed the refrigerator door. "Based on that physics problem I solved?"
Max nodded enthusiastically. "Edward Sheldon himself said your solution was revolutionary. He's been working on it for months, and you solved it in thirty minutes! They're practically begging to have you visit campus."
I leaned against the counter, keeping my face impassive. "I'm not interested."
"What?" Max's smile faltered. "But... it's Princeton. One of the best universities in the world."
"I don't care about physics," I said flatly. "I don't want to spend my time with a bunch of old professors doing boring research."
Max's shoulders slumped slightly, but he recovered quickly. "You don't have to major in physics. You could—"
"I'll still apply to Princeton," I interrupted.
Max studied my face, trying to understand. What I couldn't tell him was that Princeton's location was perfect for my real plan. The strongest East Coast branch of the Shadow Organization operated less than thirty miles from Princeton's campus. It was time they got a taste of their own medicine. C4 made a particular sound when it detonated—a sound I was looking forward to hearing again.
"Whatever you decide, I support you," Max said quietly.
My expression softened slightly. "Would you want to go to Princeton?"
"Yes, but I want to earn it myself," Max replied, his eyes sincere.
I reached out and gently ruffled his hair, an unusual display of affection. "I'll see you at Princeton, then."
---
Later that evening, I passed by Max's room and noticed him staring at his computer screen, his finger hovering over the keyboard. He was looking at messages from Edward Sheldon and the Princeton admissions office. After a moment of hesitation, he typed a brief response:
"Thank you for your interest, but we're not in a position to accept at this time."
He hit send before he could change his mind, then blocked the accounts. Within minutes, new messages appeared from different accounts—Edward trying again. Max ignored them all.
I stepped away from his door, a small smile playing on my lips.
---
A week later, the AP Calculus exam results were posted outside the mathematics department. Students crowded around, searching for their names.
"Orion got a 98!" someone announced, and a small cheer went up from his friends.
"Ashley dropped to 103rd place," another voice said, followed by hushed whispers about the video scandal.
I spotted Emily pushing her way to the front, her finger tracing down the list until she found her name. "87," she muttered, disappointment evident in her voice. "That's not right. I should have scored at least in the 90s."
I scanned the list but couldn't find my name anywhere. I checked twice to be sure, then stepped back from the crowd, keeping my face expressionless. Emily caught my eye as she walked away from the board, a smug smile spreading across her face.
"Can't find your name?" she asked. "Maybe they don't list zeros."
I ignored her and walked away. I had more important things to worry about than her petty jabs.
---
"Mr. Peterson," I said, my voice cutting through the classroom chatter as the teacher prepared to begin the day's lesson. "I didn't receive my AP Calculus exam results."
The classroom fell silent. Mr. Peterson adjusted his glasses and looked at me with barely concealed disdain.
"That's because you received zero points, Ms. Morgan."
Murmurs rippled through the classroom.
"Zero points?" I repeated, keeping my voice perfectly calm. "Why?"
"Because, Ms. Morgan," Mr. Peterson said, his voice hardening, "the proctors and I agree that no student could complete that exam in twenty-five minutes without cheating. Especially not a student with your... academic history."
I felt my eyes narrow slightly. "I didn't cheat."
"You didn't show any work," Mr. Peterson countered. "You wrote down answers with no calculations, no problem-solving steps. Just answers. That's impossible."
"Not for me."
The classroom was dead silent now, all eyes moving between us.
"We've confiscated your exam," Mr. Peterson continued. "The Academic Integrity Committee will review your case tomorrow. Until then—"
"I can solve the problems again," I interrupted. "Right now. Different methods, same answers."