Part 2The Three-Point Curse

After class, Mr. Harrison called Caleb to the office with eyes shining like he’d seen gold.

"Caleb, congratulations! You've been selected for the Ivy League Early Admission Program."

This was a prestigious fast-track program. Our school hadn't had a student qualify in five years.

Caleb's eyes lit up instantly. He couldn't close his mouth from smiling. "Thank you, Mr. Harrison. It's all thanks to your guidance."

Then, he changed the subject and asked about me. "By the way, what about Liam? Was he selected too? After all, our grades are neck and neck."

"Yeah, that nerd was selected too," Mr. Harrison said with a look of disdain, curling his lip. "But when he heard you were also selected, he figured he'd never beat you there either, so he refused. He said he wants to prove himself through the SATs and regular admissions. Talk about a dreamer. When has he ever beaten you?"

Mr. Harrison kept rambling, clearly resentful of my choice.

Hearing that I wasn't going, Caleb didn't even hesitate. "Mr. Harrison, I don't want to go to the Early Admission Program either."

Mr. Harrison's pupils constricted. He nearly choked on his breath. "Caleb, you are my most valued student. Are you sure? Maybe discuss it with your parents?"

Caleb spoke decisively. "Teacher, I've made up my mind. I want to be like Liam and prove myself through the final exams."

Producing a top-tier university student was a huge honor for a teacher. It would guarantee Mr. Harrison a promotion and a bonus.

Seeing the cooked duck fly away, Mr. Harrison's face turned iron-green.

It wasn't that Caleb didn't want to go.

He just knew that without me, he was nothing.