The Prodigy Series

"I..." I trailed, looking away. I couldn't look at Miss Jones in the eyes. I couldn't put how I felt at the moment into audible words.

"Wyatt," she started, making me look up at her. "You're an A-plus student with a lot of potential. You didn't have to cheat, so why did you?" she asked, looking straight at me with the look of before — disappointment.

"I don't know. I was panicking. I..." I trailed off, sighing as I looked down at her smooth wooden desk that was covered in piles of paper. I really didn't have a reasonable excuse, I should just stop trying to come up with one.

"Paranoid for what reason?" she asked, making me look up at her face that was cupped with her waving brown neck lengthy hair. I shrugged, looking away.

"I don't know. I just had a feeling Ji-Hun would do better than me," I admitted, staring at a part of the desk before looking back up at her. Miss Jones stared at me with a confused look before sitting up on her seat and crossing her arms over her c.h.e.s.t.

"So what you're saying is that you wanted a higher score than him?"

My face reddened at that. The way she'd said it so plainly made what I did sound ridiculous and selfish. I wanted to tell her that that wasn't it, but there was really no other way to put my feeling into words in a way that they wouldn't sound like that.

"So what if you weren't caught? What if you wrote the test and got the highest mark? Something I'm sure you could do without the paper but that's not the point I'm trying to make now," she sighed, letting out a pained laugh before continuing, "Would you have been comfortable with the fact that you didn't write the test on your own? Won't you have felt discredited?" She asked, making me look towards her.

"I'd feel bad..." I admitted. "But I can't really explain it, but when I took the paper I wasn't sure how to put it back, and anytime I thought about throwing it away I was afraid that someone would find out."

"You should have come straight to me in the beginning and explained," Miss Jones said. "You're like a son to me, I don't want you to be afraid of me," Miss Jones said as I looked straight at her. She looked hurt, and it made me feel equally as bad.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled, feeling my words shake with my body. I was blinking back tears, but I wasn't sure if I was going to to be able to hold it in for long.

"I know you are," she said, reaching out to tap my hand affectionately. "Any praise you receive from cheating is false, and tests and exams shouldn't be about topping the class or someone else. It should be about being the best you can be. You should only compete and compare yourself to the person you were before," Miss Jones said taking my hand. I nodded at her words, cleaning my wet eyes with the back of my hand.

"There's no need to cry," she muttered, sighing. "Since you already saw the test questions I'd have to set a different test for you. Have you been feeling well? Hiding this must have been bothering you for a while."

"I'm not doing too well... I'm glad I got this off my c.h.e.s.t," I admitted, sniffling as I cleaned the tears from my eyes again. "Thanks for not handing me over to the disciplinary committee."

"There's no need to thank me," she muttered, reaching out to clean my tears.

She let me sit in her office for ten more minutes before asking me to leave.

I walked out into the lab, spotting Ji-Hun at the far end, scrolling through his laptop with a set of earpiece on. I wanted to make a run for it, but his eyes moved to me when I started to head for the door.

"Wyatt, we need to talk," he said, letting out a sigh as he ran a hand through his hair. I couldn't really pin the emotion that was written on his face at the moment. I just nodded at him, watching as he got up from the stool before unplugging his earpiece and closing his computer. He picked it up with his books, before heading to me.

"We can't talk here, but the gym's open, so let's go there," he said before walking past me and out the door. I looked on at the door that was left wide open before following behind him like a lost puppy.

I walked behind him, not really knowing what to do. He knew what happened- and he might have listened in on my conversation with Miss Jones... I'm not sure. We got down the main hallway before making a turn for the gym.

Ji-Hun pushed the door open, looking inside. "It's empty, let's go in," he said, walking inside. I followed him, wandering into the empty gym.

I followed Ji-Hun to the topmost spot in the bleachers. He sat a stair above me, looking out onto the gym without saying anything. I stared down at my hands as the silence continued. Well, wasn't he going to say anything?

"Why did you do it?"

Ji-Hun's voice was low but clear. My shoulders slumped. I didn't have the courage to turn back and look at him so I just stared blankly at the gym.

"Why did you report me anyway? I could have gotten in trouble," I said, changing the topic.

"If I wanted you to get in trouble I would have told Mr. Richard. Miss Jones is understanding, I knew she'd question you first," Ji-Hun said before sighing. "Now stop ignoring my question. Why did you do it?"

"I was paranoid," I finally managed, looking down at my hands. I'd dropped my books beside me, and I gave them a quick glance before looking back at the fists I'd created.

"But you're always paranoid during exams. Aiyana told me. What happened this time?" Ji-Hun asked.

There was a period of silence before Ji-Hun's voice came from behind me. "Come on Wyatt, if you're not looking at me at least talk to me."

"I don't know how to explain it..." I trailed, burying my face in my hands. How was I supposed to tell Ji-Hun that he was the reason that I'd tipped over?

I heard Ji-Hun get up from beside me, and soon the arm of his long sleeve shirt was brushing against my n.a.k.e.d one. I wasn't sure if his nearness made me irritated or calm.

"I'll just sit here until you're ready to talk to me," he said, placing a hand on my knee. "I won't judge you. I just want to listen and see if I can be of help."

"Miss Jones already said she'll give me a separate test. Things have been sorted out. I'm fine," I said, emphasizing on the fact that I didn't want to talk. I rose my head, turning to find Ji-Hun looking at me with a hurt expression. He didn't leave, he just sat there as he put on a more determined look.

"I'll wait here until you talk to me."

We sat there in silence until the siren marking the end an exam rang through the school building.

"I'm leaving," I finally said, breaking the silence. I made to get up, but Ji-Hun took a hold of my hand.

"We need to talk—"

"Damn it Ji-Hun! I don't want to talk about this!" I blew up, taking my hand away from him. Ji-Hun looked shocked. I didn't blame him. I wasn't the one to shout, but right now I was unstable and unable to think things through properly. I felt embarrassed, angry and undeserving of his sympathy all at the same time.

"Do you really want to know why I cheated?" I asked with a scuff as I looked down at him. Ji-Hun nodded, but his expression told me that he hadn't gotten over his initial shock.

"If you hadn't transferred here, if you were maybe just a bit less intelligent I wouldn't have done it," I stared down at him.

He looked up at me with confusion as his lips parted to let him speak. "Wyatt..." He trailed, not saying anything afterward. I stared down at him, waiting for myself to calm down but I soon realized that that wasn't happening anytime soon.

"I was afraid that I'd lose my spot at the top. I didn't want you to beat me, being intelligent is all I have..." I trailed in a calmer tone, embarrassment soon becoming my most dominant emotion.

"Academics isn't a darn competition!" Ji-Hun started. I could see his eyes had glazed over, like he was forcing himself not to cry. "Aim at getting better than your self, not better than someone you feel is 'ahead' of you," he continued, letting out a short sigh as he covered his face with his palm.

"Ji-Hun..." I trailed when he didn't raise his head after a while.

"Are you okay?" I asked, squatting down so that I was at his level.

"How in the world do you think I'd be okay?" he asked with a pained chuckle. "I just realized that I've been over the moon about our relationship while you were going about an imm.a.t.u.r.e scheme to cheat and 'beat' me—"

"Ji-Hun—"

"Do you even like me, Wyatt?"

His question made my heart fall. Of course, I liked him!

"I do," I started, reaching outdoor his hand that was resting on his t.h.i.g.h. "I really do," I repeated again, trying to emphasize on the fact.

"How are you going to prove that?" Ji-Hun asked, taking his hand away from mine. I blinked back tears that were threatening to fall. I hadn't meant to hurt him.

"How do I know this wasn't just some sick plan to distract me?" Ji-Hun asked, gesturing at himself. My lips parted open but nothing came out of my mouth.

I closed it, shaking my head while muttering, "It's not like that," under my breath.

"I..." He trailed before groaning in frustration. "You know what? Forget it, I need some time alone," Ji-Hun said as he got up. I watched him pick his laptop and book from the top seat before heading down and out the gym door.

I heard the door slam shut behind me before I took a seat and covered my face with my hands. I couldn't control the tears that followed — they were automatic.

What have I done? I thought as I sobbed. I hadn't meant to hurt him. Why in the world was this happening?