The students gathered around the notice board, buzzing with excitement. Victoria was being hailed as she ranked second among the top ten students for the year. Her signature confidence and radiant smile lit up the crowd, drawing admiring glances from everyone.
Just then, Williams walked in, and an almost reverent silence fell over the students. He was the overall best student, as he had been for as long as anyone could remember. No one dared challenge him. His presence commanded respect—or fear.
Victoria's eyes lit up at his arrival, and she rushed to him in her usual flirty manner.
"Look, Williams, our names are out on the top again! We're just the perfect match. You're wealthy, I am, and our parents are business partners! Oh, Williams…" she trailed off, her voice a mixture of glee and boastfulness.
Williams remained silent, his hands tucked neatly into his pockets. Without a word, he brushed past Victoria and moved toward the notice board. His expression shifted subtly as his sharp eyes landed on the third name listed.
I was standing at the back, my stomach tight with dread. I hadn't dared check the notice board until now. I had spent countless sleepless nights studying, desperate to see my name among the top ten. My heart raced as I slowly looked.
Everyone craned their necks to see what Williams was pointing at.
"Strange," he muttered under his breath, glancing at me.
My heartbeat skipped a beat. My eyes widened in disbelief.
Everyone stared. It was me.
Adora, my best friend, practically sprinted to the notice board, her excitement bubbling over.
"We did it, Ife! Those nights we stayed up together weren't in vain!" she shouted, jumping up and down.
I stared at the board. My name—Ife Okeke—was listed third, just below Victoria's. Adaora's name, my best friend, was sixth. I was stunned. I had always been unpopular, always doubted myself, but now… now, it seemed I had actually made it.
Williams walked toward me. My heart seemed to leap into my throat, and I instinctively shut my eyes tightly.
"Well done," he whispered softly before walking away, his expression unreadable.
The sound of Victoria's angry voice cut through my moment of triumph.
"Why is he taking interest in a lowly brat like her?" she hissed, storming toward me.
Her sudden closeness startled me. Before I could react, she shoved me.
"I know you slept with the lecturer to make your way up here, slutty bitch!" she spat, her friends joining in with snide laughter and cruel glances.
I fell to the ground, pressing my hands to my face as humiliation washed over me.
"Stop it! She's a human like you! She didn't sleep with any lecturer—my friend studied for this!" Adaora shouted, standing protectively beside me.
I wanted to tell her to stop, to step back, but her words only fueled the fire.
"When did her dog learn to bark?" Victoria sneered, her voice dripping with malice. The students erupted into laughter, leaving Adaora and me in shame.
Once the crowd dispersed, Adaora gently helped me to my feet. Tears were streaming down my face, but I tried to compose myself.
"For how long are you going to continue quivering at that bully's hands? You're somebody, Ife—even if you come from a poor background. I will always be your friend, and I don't like seeing you cry," Adaora said firmly, her voice steady and comforting.
I stared at her helplessly, feeling the familiar pang of inadequacy. Even now, despite the achievement, I couldn't shake the belief that I wasn't enough.
"I'm trying, Adaora," I admitted, dabbing at my tears. "I just… I felt numb for a moment. It's overwhelming."
She gave me a small smile. "Numbness fades, Ife. What stays is what you've worked for. Don't let them take that from you."
I nodded, swallowing hard. Slowly, a small spark of pride and determination began to flicker inside me. Maybe I was good enough. Maybe I deserved to be here.
As I took a deep breath, I noticed Williams walking away, his expression unreadable as always. There was something strange about the way he had looked at me, something I couldn't quite place. My heartbeat thudded in my chest, both from the lingering humiliation and… something else, something unfamiliar.
I knew this was only the beginning. The competition, the challenges, the subtle games of power and privilege—they had only just begun. And somehow, I had a feeling that Williams, Victoria, and the world of law school itself would force me to grow faster than I ever imagined.
For the first time in a long while, I felt… ready.