Perfect Score,Broken Voice

I was already squirming from the way everyone kept staring at me. My hands were clammy, and I could feel my body tensing up. Just as I opened my mouth to say something, Mike stormed to my desk.

“I heard you were the one that took the money and blamed it on Nora. Is it true? I can’t believe you did that.”

My mouth parted slightly and I blinked.Did he really just say that?

Before I could even say a word, someone else was already at my table.

“Olivia, did you actually set her up or is this just a rumor? I can't believe the things I saw in the group chats this morning.”

My body started shaking even though I tried hard enough to stay calm. Then it kept going from one voice to another. And before I could even breathe properly, almost half the class had gathered around me.

They didn’t come for answers. They came to attack. No one let me speak. No one cared to listen. It felt like they were going to eat me alive, burying me under their questions, judgments, and disgust.

I was trapped.

Andre and Lola tried pulling people back, but they couldn’t do much. The crowd was too thick and too loud. My own friends were helpless.

Then,there was a big bang!

A loud slam echoed across the room.

Everyone froze.

Heads turned backward.

Silence fell.

It came from Jack’s desk. He barely spoke to anyone, he's always quiet and usually kept to himself. I think he played the piano sometimes with a few other music kids. But today,his voice was louder than any chord he’d ever played.

“Can you all stop disturbing my ears, please? You’re making a hell of a noise. I can’t even concentrate. Maybe you all want to scrub the toilets again this session”.

That caught their attention.

He was right after all. Last term, Mr. Smith had made a whole group of students clean the toilets for causing too much drama in class. I still remember it. I had to hold back my laughter while watching them with gloves and buckets.

Reluctantly, the crowd scattered. A few murmured. A few gave Jack dirty looks as they went back to their various sits.

But he saved me. Whether he meant to or not,I was grateful.

We’d never talked before. I didn’t even know if he knew my name. But I glanced at him. He had his head down like nothing just happened.

I wanted to say thank you loudly. Maybe even smile. But it would probably mean nothing to him.

Still, I felt like I owed him.

I once overheard some girls talking about him. About how he was tall, could play piano very well, and had this fine, no-nonsense face. He didn’t talk much, but he had that thing—presence. He doesn't say many words whenever he talks but his presence is always acknowledged.

And yes, I agree he’s very handsome. I’m not blind to not see good things and not appreciate them.

Lola and Andrew came over, concerned all over their faces. I didn’t wait for them to speak. I just nodded. That was all they were getting from me. Not after how they acted.They didn't actually with dignity and they still need to apologize to me.

Mr. Ben returned to the class not long after. His time was almost up, but he walked in holding the quiz sheets from last week.

“Who is Nora?” he asked, looking around. “Please stand up.”

“Sir, she was suspended a few days ago,” someone replied.

“Really?” Mr. Ben looked confused. “How come I didn’t hear about it?”

“Maybe you were busy chasing your sweet-hearted Rosie Rosie,” Mike blurted from the back.

Laughter burst across the room.

Miss Rose was our new school nurse whom Mr. Ben introduced us just last week. We all saw the way he smiled like a kid when she spoke. Pretty, dark-skinned, and bold. She had the whole staffroom in a chokehold.

Mr. Ben raised an eyebrow. “Why are you all laughing like criminals?”

Thankfully, he didn't hear Mike’s comment.

Still chuckling, he flipped through the sheets. “Well… in the absence of Nora,” he said, “Olivia had the perfect score as usual.”

My name felt like a punch.

I got up slowly, collected my paper, and walked back to my seat. Perfect score again.

But I felt empty and also heavy .

If Sara were still here, I’d probably be second.

I sank into my seat with my paper script in hand, and swallowed the lump in my throat.

I wasn’t proud nor was I very happy. Everyone was staring at me,not with admiration, but with suspicion. With doubt. With silence that was too loud to explain away.

They didn’t clap nor smiled.

And I didn’t either.