Chapter 57


    Uh huh Mirabe replied nonchntly, making it eat the had erased to wonder who had signed her up


    for the


    Jenna Bimbed, skeptical. She didn’t doubt Murales had gotten into Parkside High School on her own


    merits, but she wasn’t quite convinced her friend was top of the ss material


    The tst of students participating in the BrainSpark Tationals was a wher’s who of academic titans, the


    too ten from each made Mabe’s name on that list was likesndstils in the midst of a pristine forest,


    no thatter how shiny her Bades, were they would be eclipsed by the brines of these schrly gards.


    Unless, ofise, she could snag a state ranking.


    “Are you up for this, Queen Mira? Thispetition is no joke, and you know how many people are just


    waiting to make you the butt of their jokes, Huh?” Jenna tried to talk her out of it. It was, after all, better


    to bow out now than to face the humiliation of flunking the prelims


    Perhaps tired of Jenna’s nagging, Mirabe opened her eyes, propped herself up on the edge of the


    desk with a hand. and leaned in augressively. Her eyes, dark and sparkling with a mischievous glint,


    met Jenna’s. Her voice was husky. “Don’t ask if someone’s up for it. Just don’t.”


    Jenna, faced with Mirabe’s alluring daze at such close quarters, felt her heart racing uncontrobly.


    Theid–back, almost wicked charm in that usually androgynous voice was unfairly seductive.


    “Holy smokes,” she thought, “my heart’s about to burst out of my chest.”


    Under Mirabe’s intense gaze, Jenna embarrassingly covered her face with her hands, and then


    slumped back into her seat. “Oh my gosh, Queen Mira, don’t look at me with those beguiling eyes


    again. I’m afraid I will fall in love with you!”


    With a light chuckle, Mirabe found reprieve from Jenna’s chatter and sprawled out on the desk once


    more, even going so far as to cover her head with her chemistry textbook.


    Jenna was bbergasted, “You’re gonna scare off all your friends like that, Queen Mira!”


    Elsewhere.


    “Summer,


    1. can you belleve how delusional Mirabe is?” Madeline gossiped excitedly to Summer, who was


    quietly working on homework.


    Summer paused, with a pen in the hand, and finally set it down to look at Madeline with curious eyes.


    “Hmm?


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    “She actually signed up for the BrainSpark Nationals. Madeline said. Her voice was filled with thrill and


    mockery. “I don’t know where she gets her confidence from. Everyone’sughing at her.”


    Summer’s delicate eyebrows raised slightly. She tilted her head and said calmly. “It’s an open


    competition. What’s there tough about?”


    Madeline scoffed lightly. “Oh, you haven’t heard? The rumor is she got into Parkside High School


    through the back door. With her barely passing grades, It’s hrious that she’d even consider


    competing.”


    After a brief silence, Summer looked up again, with a probing tone in her voice. “Madeline, you didn’t


    start the rumor about Mirabe’s getting into Parkside High School through the back door, did you?”


    Madeline’s eyes flickered guiltily, but she replied firmly. “Of course not. I would never say that.”


    Summer smiled softly. “Good to hear. Mirabe is my friend, after all. Even if she’s not the best student,


    I don’t want people talking orughing about her.”


    Madeline’s eyes betrayed a sense of “I knew it,” and she quickly added, “You’re also in thepetition,


    Summer. Make sure you do well and aim for a state ranking!”


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