In my previous life, it was precisely because I discovered the serious waterlogging in that section of the road that I had begged everyone to leave immediately. But even then, we nearly missed the exam.
Now, without my persuasion, we left five minutes too late.
It would take a miracle for us to arrive at the exam venue on time.
After getting on the bus, Nina handed me a lollipop with an apologetic look, saying, "Cassie, I'm sorry. I was just worried that everyone would be nervous, so I went to buy lollipops for the whole class."
Before I could speak, Brock snatched the lollipop away and hugged Nina to comfort her.
"Nina, you didn't do anything wrong, so there's no need to apologize. Selfish people like her don't deserve to eat the lollipop you bought!"
The other students also consoled her.
"Yeah, Nina, there's no need to blame yourself. We all volunteered to stay and wait for you."
"It's just a few minutes of delay, it's no big deal. You're always thinking of us, and we'll remember your kindness forever! We're not as cold-hearted as certain people!"
Listening to their thinly-veiled insult, my lips curled into a smirk.
This is great!
I wonder if they would sing the same tune 30 minutes later.
These lollipops would cost them the most precious 15 minutes of their lives.
The sweetness in their mouths right now would brew bitter fruits that taste a thousand times stronger!
They ate lollipops and sang songs, treating the exam as a picnic.
But soon, some of them started noticing that something was wrong.
There were more and more vehicles around, and the speed of the bus was getting slower and slower.
"I just received news that the section ahead is seriously flooded, and the road has been blocked. We need to detour, so we might get there late," the bus driver said with a heavy face, and the originally lively atmosphere in the bus suddenly fell into silence.
Brock was in disbelief.
"That's impossible... absolutely impossible. How can this road be blocked?"
Everyone started panicking.
"What should we do? If I can't make it to the exam, my life will be ruined!"
"Driver, think of a way! I can't be late!"
The driver shook his head helplessly.
"If you want to get to the exam venue as quickly as possible, you can only change to a different vehicle and wade through the flooded area."
I watched them coldly.
In my previous life, after my dad heard that we were stuck on the road, he immediately mobilized over a dozen large bulldozers from his company nearby and successfully sent everyone to the exam venue in time.
But not only did these people not show him any gratitude, they even spread rumors about my dad online, saying that he took a fee of $200 from each of them.
Since they were so ungrateful, I naturally wasn't naive enough to ask my dad for help again.
At this time, Nina suddenly declared confidently, "Don't worry, everyone, I know a shortcut. We'll definitely get there in time."
Hearing that, everyone instantly relaxed, as if Nina's words had a magical power.
Yeah, that's right, go ahead and believe her!
I was aware that, in the eyes of these people, I was just an envious and jealous girl while Nina was their perfect goddess.
That was because I would always force them to study, while Nina wouldn't.
I specially asked my dad to buy mock exams from other schools for them, which cost a lot of money, but they couldn't compare to Nina's lollipops.
Even when I arranged for Nina to clean the classroom because it was her turn, they would say that I was bullying her.
"You're so resourceful, Nina, unlike some people who just stay silent when we encounter a problem. No sense of responsibility at all."
Brock said excitedly while giving Nina a hug. He also didn't forget to mock me.
I lowered my face and scoffed, still clenching my phone.
Are you sure Nina is kind enough to point out a shortcut for you?
As I expected, Nina's shortcut didn't help at all.
In the bus, the students were no longer noisy. Uneasiness could be seen on everyone's face.
Every time the number on the electronic watch jumped, their faces turned a shade paler.
"Are we really not going to make it?"
A classmate, Jason Wesley, asked the driver desperately, but all he got was the driver's contemptuous snort.
If these students hadn't stubbornly insisted on delaying their departure by 15 minutes, they wouldn't be in this situation.
When the bus arrived at the exam venue, the exam venue had been sealed off and no longer allowed any candidates to enter.
Brock got out of the car with a pale face.
"There's no way," he remarked in disbelief upon seeing the cordon.
Jason wanted to break through the cordon, but was stopped by the police.
"The SAT has already started. No one is allowed to enter the exam venue without permission."
The other students also got off the bus. Some of them were shaking in fear.
As Brock said, missing the exam could ruin their entire life.
I looked at them with a cold smirk, a trace of schadenfreude flashing in my eyes.
Weren't you guys willing to risk your future for Nina?
Why are you crying and screaming now?
Brock suddenly said, "Don't worry, everyone. We were late because of a valid reason. We can explain the situation to the teacher in charge. They'll arrange for us to take a make-up exam."
All the students suddenly lit up, like drowning people grabbing at a lifeline. They shouted, asking to see the teacher in charge.
The school principal approached with a group of teachers, looking livid.
Seeing the principal's expression, for some reason, Brock had a bad premonition.
"Delaying the departure by 15 minutes on purpose, what exactly are you people thinking? Don't even think you can sit for a make-up exam. You should be grateful I'm not banning you guys from taking the exam for 3 years!"
After the principal had finished speaking, some of the parents who were waiting outside the exam venue in the rain also pointed fingers at the latecomers.
"How can you be late for such an important exam? Aren't you being too irresponsible?"
"If you were my son, I would beat you to death!"
The parents' words made everyone even more desperate.
Jason grabbed Brock's collar and roared, "You said Cassie was lying because she was jealous. You told us there's no need to worry and we have to wait for Nina. Why can't we enter the exam venue now?"
The others also turned to Brock with angry faces.
Brock seemed to be drained of energy. He lowered his head, looking regretful.
Nina choked up and said with a sad face, "That road was never busy. Why would it be blocked without warning on the day we're running late?"
She sounded like she was blaming herself, but she was actually leading them to a certain conclusion.
Suddenly, Brock looked up at me and said with bloodshot eyes, "Cassie, did you do this? Is it because you're jealous of Nina and want to make her miss the exam?! You failed to do that back at school, so you asked your dad to send people to block the road! You're so vicious! You ruined all of our futures because of jealousy!"
What an absurd accusation.
In order to help Nina shirk responsibility, Brock actually came up with such a ridiculous excuse.
"I didn't do anything…"
I started to explain, but he grabbed my hair and dragged me to the bus.
When the principal saw this, he wanted to stop Brock, but Brock shouted loudly with bloodshot eyes, "I saw her send a message to her father with my own eyes. She ruined the futures of all the students in our class. Are you sure you want to protect such a vicious student, principal?"
The other students surrounded me without saying a word and stared at the principal and the teachers coldly, expressing their attitude with their actions.
Nina looked at me with a pitiful expression and said, "Cassie, I know you don't like me, but even if you want to take revenge on me, you shouldn't involve our classmates."
Brock slammed me against the bus.
Bang!
My head bled.
I heard Brock's angry voice say, "Cassie, you made everyone miss the exam. Even though you're my girlfriend, I'll make you pay."
He slammed me against the bus again and again. The excruciating pain felt worse than death.
But I knew I couldn't give in.
The reason why Brock was trying so hard to slander me was to exonerate Nina.
After all, everyone missed the exam because they were waiting for Nina.
I shouted desperately, "It was you who delayed the departure time. Missing the exam has nothing to do with me."
Brock gritted his teeth.
"You still wouldn't admit it."
Meanwhile, Nina pointed her phone's camera at me.
"Chat, this is the girl. Because she's jealous of me, she made our entire class miss the SAT."
I looked up and saw the triumph in Nina's eyes.
At this point, Nina had decided to stop acting.
The SAT was a hot topic online, and Nina's accusation attracted more than 100,000 people to her live stream. The comments were full of angry curses.
"Poor Nina. I'll subscribe to show my support. I'll support you from now on no matter what you choose to do!"
"That girl is evil. For her own selfish reasons, she ruined the future of all her classmates."
"Which school is this? Whose daughter is this? Tell me the address, I'll go over right now and make her suffer."
Jason lunged at me and questioned me loudly, "It's the SAT! How can you be so cruel?"
Although the other students didn't lunge at me, their eyes told me that they wanted to tear me apart.
In just a few minutes, 300,000 viewers poured into Nina's stream. Most of them cursed at me and said that I should die. They even cursed at my dad.
Nina's expression became more and more triumphant, but she made sure the audience couldn't see her face.
She seemed to be sure that I would not be able to turn the tables.
"You vicious scum! You should just die."
Just as Brock was about to slam my head on the bus again, a loud shout came from the crowd.
"Stop!"
My dad pushed through the crowd with a group of bodyguards and ran over.
Seeing the blood on my forehead, my dad hugged me, looking pained.
"Why are you beating my daughter?"
Jason said in a hoarse voice, "Cassie made us miss the SAT! She deserves to die!"
"Nonsense!"
My dad raised his phone and shouted loudly, "The real culprit who made you miss the SAT is Nina Holiday. I have surveillance footage as proof!"
