17
After this incident, everyone understood
Willow’s true colors, her fake innocence and
stolen achievements.
They instinctively isolated her, but they didn’t
do anything else. After all, everyone in the
advanced class understood that the most
important thing was to sprint through the final
month before the college entrance exams.
And everyone knew that with Willow’s
abysmal grades, without the recommendation,
she was nothing.
She and we would eventually be in different
social classes.
When the results of the last monthly exam
before the college entrance exams were
announced, I went again.
This time, no one could steal my results. So
my name-
Rose Smith
Hung clearly and brightly in first place.
And in second place-
Naturally, my deskmate, Ethan Lee.
In front of the results board, he stood behind
me, his voice still lazy, as if he never fully
woke up.
“Oh dear, you’ve surpassed me.‘
I turned around, grinning:
وو
“It’s okay, let’s keep working hard together.’
Work hard, towards our own paths.
Never stop.
None of us.
Back in the classroom, Josh was actually
waiting for me at the door. He started to
speak: “Rose, I really like you, before-”
وو
く
I raised my hand to interrupt him, calm and indifferent: “I need to study. Don’t bother me.”
Josh didn’t believe me, still thinking I was
angry. He tried to take my hand. I was about to push him away when a figure rushed forward, shrieking: “Rose, you’re trying to
seduce Josh again!”
“You’ve already stolen my recommendation,
now you want to steal Josh! Do you want to
drive me to death?!”
Willow’s face was pale, with two unnatural
spots of red on her cheeks. Her hair was
disheveled, making her look almost demonic.
Before I could react, Josh stopped her, his
voice cold and disgusted: “Rose is so
outstanding, how could she have such a lying
sister!”
I paused.
I suddenly remembered Josh saying
something similar to me before:
<
“Willow is so kind, how could you be so
vicious!”
But the subjects had changed.
I suddenly found it incredibly funny.
In this life, I had barely interacted with Josh,
and my attitude towards him was either
indifference or disgust.
Yet he thought I was outstanding,
independent.
So you see, sometimes kindness and
compromise don’t earn you the same in
return.
But sticking to yourself can earn you respect.
The trajectory of life isn’t unchangeable, it
depends on whether you’re willing to change,
and whether you’re truly making an effort.
I was making an effort.
So, my life had already changed without me
even realizing it.
