"Err... B... Maybe you shouldn't look at the board today?" Yoona, one of my minions, intones cautiously.

"Why? I couldn't have done badly? I was so confident in my answers!" I shot back alarmed.

"No, of course not! You did brilliant! You scored full marks! We've checked!" Suzy, another minion of mine, hurriedly answers.

"Well then, lets see whose sorry is number 2 this time, shall we?" I gleefully remark as I saunter over to the board. 

I scan up the list. There, there, my name - Bo, at the... Wait a minute! I'm, I'm .... NOT number one! My name is number 2 on the rank?! But...but I scored full marks! I double check and indeed next to my name and number 2 are the marks of 100. But above me, sits glaringly another 100 marks! And the name next to the top rank ... Zhang Yixing.

WHO IS ZHANG YIXING? WHO IS SHE?!! I've never heard of that name? Is that the Chinese name of Angela Zhang? The daughter of property magnate Zhang Dao? That's the only Zhang I know of in EP. But wait, didn't she already graduate last year? Who is this Zhang Yixing? My head's reeling.

Ping! Our phones vibrate with a message from Gossip Girl.

"Queen B has been dethroned! By a parvenu nonetheless. Who is this Zhang Yixing you wonder? Well, B you're about to find out!"

Ok, a parvenu? So a social charity case? One of the scholarship students? That explains it! I'll suss out my competition later. First thing first, why am I second on the list when we both scored full marks? I'm marching right to the office now to resolve this injustice!

***

"Yes, yes, you both did brilliant and scored full marks but Miss Jones decided that Yixing's creative answer merited some extra points but she couldn't possibly score a 101, so she gave Yixing the higher rank!"

"Creative?! I lost on creativity?!! Just how creative are this Yixing's answers?"

"I don't know, you can always talk to Miss Jones? Or go talk to Yixing, ask to see the paper? Besides, Bo, you always rank first. It's time you share the spotlight isn't it? Be generous, let's not hog the spotlight all the time! Share it with our new student!"

Oho! So she's new! Well, time to induct another minion into my circle. As they say, keep your friends close, but your enemy closer. For now, I shall graciously let this Yixing have her spotlight, she's a scholarship student afterall. Probably needs this in her report card to better answer to whatever foundation that sponsored her. Charity cases!

***

"Yoona, go dig out more about this Yixing girl! And set up a meeting for us!" I command.

"Well, Yixing is from another class...and erm...actually...erm...what was I gonna say...?" Yoona stares airily at the ceiling. Gosh, this girl!

Ding! Message from Jessica: "School's over B! Get dressed n dun b late 4 our double date k? Can't wait 4u n Siwon 2 mt him!"

"Urgh! Our double date with J and her new squeeze! I hope she ditches him and end it by the time I arrive at the club! So I don't have to meet this guy that's probably not going to be worth all our time" I groan aloud. It's a rather possible scenario as Jessica has had relationships that only lasted a day. Or lesser.

"Yeah, about J's new squeeze..." Suzy slowly remarks.

"Yes, Suzy? Spill!" Urgh! My minions are really not the quickest on the uptake! Why do they talk so slowly?

"Oh yeah, I remember what it is about Yixing I wanted to tell you!" Yoona shouts brightly.

I see an incoming call from Siwon, probably hurrying me to meet him at the doorsteps. "Later Yoona!" I reply as I pick up the call and run along to meet my fiancé.