Chapter 3

Bianca looked Victor in the eye and said deliberately, “I don’t think he’s a nobody at all.

“He’s brave, and I like a guy who steps up.

“Doing the right thing matters more than being smart!”

Then, she brought up something from freshman year.

During summer break, the class organized a trip to the beach.

When they noticed a small boy was drowning, all my classmates just stood by and watched.

I was the only one who dove in without hesitation and saved the boy.

She said she thought I was incredibly cool and fell in love with me right then.

When she was little, she had also nearly drowned, but someone had saved her.

She knew how terrifying drowning was, and she knew just how heroic it was to save a life.

Then, it dawned on me. That was why she had feelings for me.

I was never one to act on impulse. I always thought things through, played it safe, and steered clear of risk.

However, when I saw that little boy drowning, I jumped in to save him without a second thought for my own safety.

I just felt it was worth it.

I had no idea that I would win Bianca’s heart at that moment.

Victor looked utterly disdainful when he heard this.

“Only an idiot like him would risk his life to save someone.

“Average people contribute nothing to society. If they die, who cares?

“But a genius like me? My life is worth more than gold!

“I’m meant to stand alongside Newton, Gauss, Archimedes, and Einstein!

“Why would I risk my life for some kid I don’t even know?”

Bianca grew even angrier. “Victor, you’re just selfish! You’re a total narcissist! A real genius isn’t heartless like you. It’s someone with a big heart!”

Shamed into a rage, Victor threatened, “Bianca, you’re going to regret picking him!

“I’ll win a Nobel Prize one day!

“A guy like him will be lucky to teach math in elementary school.”

Just as he was about to say more, I said, “Victor, how about we make a bet?

“If I come in last, I’ll drop out and call you the ‘true genius’ publicly.

“But what if I come in first?

“Are you going to drop out and call me the ‘true genius’ publicly?”

He was stunned for a moment. Then, he burst out laughing.

“You? First place? Yeah, right. In your dreams!

“Sure, if you get first place, I’ll drop out.

“Forget calling you a ‘true genius’ publicly. I’ll even do a silly dance just for you!”

I smiled. “Alright! Deal!”

“Good. You’d better warm up those vocal cords,” he said. Then, he scoffed and left with his friends.

Bianca looked at me with a frown as she asked angrily, “Why would you make a bet like that?!

“It’s hard enough to get in. Why would you gamble with your future like that?”

I looked into her eyes and said seriously, “I love you.”

She instantly blushed.

Just as she was about to say something, I said the same in Spanesh.

She blushed harder. “I heard you the first time. You don’t have to say it again in Spanesh.

“If someone hears you, it’ll be embarrassing.”

I smiled and said those same words in another language.

She didn’t understand and looked confused. “What did you say?”

“That’s ‘I love you’ in Garmann.”

Then, I said it in yet another language.

“That’s ‘I love you’ in Fraync.”

As she sat there dumbfounded, I went on to say “I love you” in Portugesh, Itallik, Dutsch, Swedesh, Danesh, Norvish, Finnesh, Japen, Koreesh, Russik, Polesh, Aravik, and Hebrou. I said it in twenty-seven languages.

Finally, I told her seriously in Inglesh, “I’m not a nobody; I’m secretly a genius. I was just keeping a low profile before this.

“But because of you, I’m done hiding it. I’m going to prove to everyone that you didn’t fall in love with a loser, and that I’m worthy of you!”