Chapter 13
A story about an underdog becoming the top STEM student would create way more hype than another top student doing well.
Howard feigned deep thought. “I suppose that’s true. None of us in the family ever expected Sophia to do so well.”
The reporter turned to Heather, and Howard introduced her as his mom.
“Mrs. Chandler, how do you feel right now knowing your daughter has become the top scorer among STEM students?” the reporter asked.
Heather recalled the fierce look on Sophia’s face when Sophia had threatened her. She felt a strong urge to reveal Sophia’s true colors to the reporter, but she held back. Her smile looked totally forced.
“Honestly, I’m shocked, but also very excited,” she said. “This kid has never needed much guidance from us growing up. To put it nicely, she’s independent. Bluntly? She’s just a total rebel.
“She’s super quiet and barely talks. Some months, she wouldn’t even say ‘Mom‘ or ‘Dad‘. She never shared anything with us, not even about taking
the SAT.
“We tried to help, but she thought we were just nagging. Eventually, we just backed off, figuring she’d grow up and get it someday.”
The reporters caught the edge in her voice. Something felt weird, but they figured she was just humble–bragging. After all, which parent wouldn’t be thrilled if their kid became the top scorer among STEM students?
Abruptly, Howard asked, “Will your interview be broadcast?”
The reporters were momentarily stunned. “Of course. We even have a livestream running here.”
Howard flashed a smile–thinking he looked charming. “Hey, if any of my
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fans are watching, help me spread the word. Sophia totally wants everyone to know she topped the STEM rankings.”
The reporters went dead silent, totally confused.
Finally, a reporter spoke up. “Mrs. Chandler, which college would you like Sophia to attend?”
Without hesitation, Heather replied, “Halinston University. My oldest daughter’s there, and she topped the STEM rankings two years back.”
As she spoke, her face lit up with pride and joy—a stark contrast to her indifferent demeanor when discussing Sophia earlier.
The reporters were left speechless.
Meanwhile, the livestream blew up with comments.
[Why does this feel so strange? If I were the top scorer among STEM students, my mom would be hugging me tight and crying tears of joy.]
[If I scored that high, my parents would lose their minds. They’d spam Instagram, telling everyone–and I mean EVERYONE–about it.]
[When she talked about Sophia, she looked totally grossed out. But when it came to her other daughter, she couldn’t be more proud. Both of them are top scorers among STEM students, so why the big difference?]
[Didn’t you hear what Howard just said? Sophia was a total underachiever and a troublemaker when she was younger. Who would’ve thought she’d turn things around like this?]
[Exactly! Good grades don’t make Sophia a good person. When her own family can’t stand her, something’s definitely wrong.]
[I thought Heather was just humblebragging. But Sophia did really well on her own–she’s definitely got her own mind and some serious personality.]
[Howard is so handsome! This is his natural look, isn’t it? And his mom
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looks so young and classy. No wonder she has such a good–looking son like Howard.]
[Oh my gosh, check out this place! Howard’s living large. Look at that mansion, and they’ve got servants. Howard is really a rich kid.]
Regular viewers went quiet, watching those strange comments flooded the livestream.
*****
Howard and Heather’s words during the livestream quickly went viral, hitting the trending lists on all major platforms.
The headlines read: [Howard’s Sister Tops STEM Rankings], [Howard Trashes His Own Sister’s Grades], [From Slacker to Superstar], [Underdog’s Crazy Academic Comeback], and [Meet the Rebel Genius].
With Howard’s star power combined with Sophia’s impressive
achievement, the topic quickly surged into the top 10 trending discussions
online.
After watching clips from the livestream, most netizens were left puzzled.
[Can a total slacker really top STEM rankings?]
[Is it possible for a slacker to score 1,574?]
[Why does Heather seem so dismissive and distant toward Sophia? Her smile looked super fake, and something felt off.]
[Even Howard acted in the same way. Shouldn’t a total slacker becoming a STEM champ be something to celebrate? Why are they both throwing so much shade?]
[Wait, did you guys catch that? Heather said Sophia never even mentioned taking the SAT. So she had no clue her daughter was taking the test? Something’s definitely not adding up.]
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[Oh my, I didn’t notice it. I just rewatched it. No doubt–Heather had zero clue Sophia was taking the SAT. And when Sophia topped the rankings, instead of being excited, she looked totally checked out. Is she Sophia’s
mom?]
[Holy crap! I rewatched the video too, and it’s absolutely mind–blowing.]
Many viewers watched the video again and quickly picked up on Heather’s odd behaviors. Their suspicions were building–until Howard’s hardcore fans took over.
[Howard is amazing! Being his sister must be the luckiest thing in the world. Does he need a sister? No? Then maybe a wife. Marry me, Howard!]
[Hi, Sophia, I’m your sister–in–law!]
[Howard’s bare–faced, and his skin is flawless. Wish I could just glide down that nose. Oh, his smile lights up the whole world!]
Other viewers just stared–some fan girls could be seriously creepy.
*****
Yvette stayed at home, scrolling through her phone non–stop. When she saw Sophia trending online as the top scorer among STEM students, a faint smile crept onto her lips.
The whole buzz started because Howard gave a high–profile interview. Yet, the official website remained silent about Sophia topping the STEM rankings.
“The more noise, the better,‘ Yvette thought, smirking. ‘Sophia, isn’t this the spotlight you’ve been craving? Enjoy your moment.’
Sophia, still hungry after lunch, came downstairs for some fruit, only to see Yvette staring at her phone with a scheming face. Instantly, Sophia’s inner alarm bells started ringing. Keeping her face calm, she quietly pulled out her phone.
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Earlier, she’d been swamped with calls and hadn’t noticed Howard and Heather had gone for an interview. Now, seeing the trending topic, she instantly knew what Yvette was up to.
“Sophia, looks like those reporters are here for you. Want to go take a look?” Yvette walked over with a soft smile, her tone as sweet as honey.
Sophia chuckled. “Two idiots are more than enough.”
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Sophia trending online as the top scorer among STEM students, a faint smile crept onto her lips.
The whole buzz started because Howard gave a high–profile interview. Yet, the official website remained silent about Sophia topping the STEM rankings.
“The more noise, the better,‘ Yvette thought, smirking. ‘Sophia, isn’t this the spotlight you’ve been craving? Enjoy your moment.’
Sophia, still hungry after lunch, came downstairs for some fruit, only to see Yvette staring at her phone with a scheming face. Instantly, Sophia’s inner alarm bells started ringing. Keeping her face calm, she quietly pulled out her phone.
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Earlier, she’d been swamped with calls and hadn’t noticed Howard and Heather had gone for an interview. Now, seeing the trending topic, she instantly knew what Yvette was up to.
“Sophia, looks like those reporters are here for you. Want to go take a look?” Yvette walked over with a soft smile, her tone as sweet as honey.
Sophia chuckled. “Two idiots are more than enough.”
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Yvette sighed dramatically. “I didn’t expect you to do so well. Unlike me- even when I gave it my all, I still ended up two points behind you.”
Sophia nodded. “I have an excellent memory. Trying to compete with me would just make you look bad.”
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