“Austin,” Mr. Hasatin's voice resonated through the classroom, causing all the students to turn their attention to the front. The air was thick with a mix of anticipation and dread as he scanned his list of names before looking up at the boy, who sat frozen in his seat. Austin's gaze flickered nervously around the room before finally settling on Mr. Hasatin, whose expression was stern yet tinged with disappointment as he continued, “Your test score is 10 out of 100!” The words hung in the air, punctuating the silence and eliciting a wave of murmurs and gasps from the other students. Austin, who was short of words, quickly forced a lump down his throat as the reality of his test score slapped his face. More whispers from other shocked students emerged as they lingered their gaze on the boy who had never missed a class and was regarded as not only Mr. Hasatin’s disciple but the best student of his course. “Oh my God, I can't believe this!” A girl sitting in front of Mason excla
After the test scores were announced and the dean of students exited the classroom, several chairs scraped against the floor as the students, still reeling from the shock of the results, slowly filed out in a somber group, reminiscing about the surprising twists of the test. At the back of the line, Mason and Jeremiah lingered, their expressions different from those of the others. Meanwhile, Mr. Hasatin stood at the front, his piercing gaze fixed on the two boys as if he could bore into their skulls with his eyes.In seconds, they confidently strode to the entrance of the faculty, capturing the attention of several pairs of watchful eyes. Rumors of their outstanding test score had rapidly spread throughout the university, creating an unmistakable buzz that refused to be ignored, and other students who didn't know who they were exchanged looks of curiosity.“Bro, I think I have become popular!” Jeremiah muttered, panning his eyes at the notifications popping up on his phone screen. Mas
The streets of Aleric City were filled with enthusiasm as dusk lingered in the sky. The holiday season was coming to an end, and the beginning of a new semester was fast approaching. Every returning student on campus would consider it as the best time of the year, but for Mason Williams, this evening was like any other one, where he had to work overtime to meet up to his upkeep. In this part of the city, things were not only expensive, but one must have a stack pocket for society to take them seriously. Mason stared at the watch in his hand. It was 8 pm, and It was the perfect time for him to pick up his birthday cake since he had just finished cleaning more than thirty rooms at Skyhigh Hotel. A normal human being would be exhausted by now, but as for Mason, hardship was his background. The MSM Bakery was the best in town, and Mason smiled as the image of his lovely girlfriend formed in his head. Natalia had always wanted to taste a cake from one of the most expensive bakery shops,
He couldn't believe the sight. Natalia lay naked on the floor with her eyes closed and another figure slamming into her from behind. Mason's heart skipped a thousand beats at the moan that escaped her parted lips. He felt his lungs cut short of air and his jelly.Jacob was the first to notice his presence. "M…Mason!" Jacob stammered, jumping up from Natalia, clamping both hands to cover his manhood, then briskly picked up his clothes from the wooden floor. "M…Mason!" Natalia's voice followed, and her hand quickly dragged the duvet to cover herself. Her face turned pale at the sight of her boyfriend. "Y… You're home!" She stammered, staring from her boyfriend to Jacob, who she was cheating with, and guilt spread across her features.In that instance, Mason's world was crumbling in the blink of an eye. "This can't be happening!" Mason muttered to himself. His heart ached like a shattered glass pounded by a heavy metal.Mason would never believe anyone if he was told his beloved girlfrie
The taxi stopped at the entrance of the central hospital, and the old taxi driver hastily opened the door for Mason, who glided out from the back seat with Helen's unconscious body in his hands. The old man nodded for Mason to go ahead and leave the fee, considering his emergency, and Mason wore an appreciative look and moved toward the building. The hospital was bustling as it was the weekend and was filled with emergency patients. He headed straight to the ER. "Excuse me!" With Helen in his hands, Mason charged forward, and people who saw him cleared his path. "Nurse!" Mason's voice shivered as he stared at Helen, who was still unconscious. Mason was familiar with the wreck of losing a loved one, and it was a nightmare he had yet to overcome. The thought of losing another sent tremors down his body. "Nurse!" He screamed louder. "Right here," two female nurses quickly approached him with a stretcher. "What happened to her?" One of them inquired while the other took Helen from his
Mason exited the hospital in despair; the last couple of hours had taken a toll on him. He was consumed with thoughts. The pain of betrayal still lay in his heart. He tried not to think about it and focused his energy on raising the money for Helen's treatments. Dismissing the idea of going home, Mason wandered the street to look for jobs to raise money. After numerous rejections, he found a night job with extra shifts that ran through the night till the next day. Though the pay was small, it was an encouraging start for Mason. The next day, it was 10 am. Mason exited the restaurant kitchen; he was done with the dishes and cleaning the entire kitchen, which was busy the previous night due to the large number of customers patronizing the local restaurants. He sat on the chair outside the manager's office, waiting for her arrival. "Good morning," Mason greeted the Lady who had entered the hallway. She reciprocated his greeting with a nod before opening the door to her office. "Y
"Why are you harassing my girlfriend?" Asked Jacob, holding Mason's gaze.Natalia's face beams the moment she sees Jacob. She turns to Mason with irritation. "Babe, can you believe this lowlife is accusing me of stealing his money!"Jacob scoffs, staring at Mason. "Have you lost it, Mason, or is this the aftermath of your poverty?" His eyes were sharp as those words flew out of his mouth.Mason ignored his insult, as the only one that hurt was Helen's. "All I want is the money this cheater took from my bag," Mason replied, turning to Helen. "Did you hear that? Mason just called Natalia Hallow a cheater. What's going on? Were they dating?" a curious voice murmured from the crowd. "How can you say that? Helen would never date someone as poor as him," May, who was beside her friend, retorted at the statement. "Give me back my money, Natalia!" Mason yelled, causing Helen to shiver at his sudden outburst.Jacob, who saw this, pretended to be shocked when he heard Mason's words. He burst
Mason opened his eyes and was surrounded by immersive bright light. It Took him time before his eyes could adjust to the intensity of his environment. 'Am I dead? Is this heaven?" Mason muttered to himself, constantly turning his head, bewildered by the presence of nothing. The light surrounding him was the same above and below him. It was as if he was floating in the absence of gravity. "No, stupid, you are not dead yet," a voice echoed. "And this is definitely not heaven." The voice added. Mason spun in fear, searching for the person who spoke to him, but no one was around. The reverberation of the voice made it difficult to locate its direction. "Is that you, God?" Mason asked, swallowing hard. It was the only thought that came into his mind. "No stupid, down here," the voice said, and Mason looked down at who said those words. There was a tiny emoji with a puzzled look staring at Mason. "What the!" Mason was taken aback. "You're not God; you are an emoji!" Mason muttered.