The Mocked Miss’s Hidden Crowns novel Chapter 309

Back in Class C, Charlotte peeled off her damp uniform jacket and stuffed it into her desk drawer without a second thought.

The sound made Andrew glance up. He caught sight of her in a plain white short-sleeved shirt, her pale arm resting on the desk, face tilted down, eyes looking distant and cool.

Thinking she was anxious about the exam, Andrew tried to be reassuring. "Charlotte, your hand hasn't healed yet. It's fine if you skip the test this time. I asked around, and there's a chance for a make-up."

Charlotte shot him a look. "Who said I'm not taking it?" Her hand was hurt, not broken. She turned away, clearly done with the conversation.

Before long, it was time for the exam. Charlotte grabbed a pen, her expression unreadable, and headed for the exam room. Andrew, Parrish, and Shirley trailed after her.

As they walked down the hallway, other students automatically stepped aside. Their eyes flickered from Charlotte's face to her right hand. The bandages were gone, but it was obvious her hand wasn't fully recovered.

"I heard her hand's injured. She can barely hold a pen. Why even bother with the exam?"

"Yeah," another girl chimed in, "she got first place in physics last time. Her class was so proud."

"But this is the national exam. There are so many people. I wonder if she's any good at other subjects. What if she comes in dead last?"

"Her other subjects must be bad," a girl said knowingly, arms crossed. "If she was good at everything, do you think Lamplighter College would've let her go?"

That actually sounded pretty reasonable.

"She already finished last at Vanguard High before. I'm just worried she'll be last in the whole country this time." Vanguard High students always ranked near the top. If Charlotte really finished last, the school would never hear the end of it.

Charlotte walked into the exam hall and found her seat. She pulled a pen from her pocket and sat down, silent, then pulled out her phone and scrolled.

Two minutes earlier, Anthony had messaged her: [Don't put too much pressure on yourself.]

Charlotte just smiled a little and patted her on the shoulder. "What if I can crush it even with an injury?" She walked off toward the school gate, her steps a bit hurried.

"Crush it even with an injury?" Shirley blinked at Andrew, who was staring at a sports car parked nearby. She lowered her voice. "Why doesn't Mr. Blair ever give you a ride when he picks up Charlotte?"

Andrew rolled his eyes. "Because Charlotte is obviously more important than me."

"That's so unfair!"

Andrew just grinned, looking a little too pleased. "Tonight, I'm not the one who’s in trouble. It's Charlotte."

"Huh?" Shirley was totally lost.

Andrew leaned in and whispered, "I just told Anthony that Charlotte's hand is fine for writing." She could write but kept using her injury as an excuse to skip homework. Tonight, Anthony was definitely going to have words with her.