Besting you

3.

"Right, term two results are in!" The teacher announces. 

After a relentless term of studying, results were finally about to be revealed. Lumine and Childe both hadn't paid much mind to each other all for this moment. 

Childe looked over at Lumine and they made eye contact, a mocking smirk plastered onto his face. Lumine mimics his expression, poking her tongue out at him. Lumine then turns away and listens intently to what the teacher had to say. 

"I will hand out your paper to each of you and as you all know by now, your ranking in the class will be at the top along with your grade as a percentage. Good luck to you all."

The teacher started handing out test papers to the people sitting closest to him. A quiet chatter filled the classroom and you bounced your leg in anticipation. 

The teacher placed Lumine's paper in front of her. "Great job, Lumine. I haven't seen grades like yours and Childes in a long while."

"Thank you..." Was all Lumine managed to mutter out, disliking the fact that even her own teacher compared the two.

Amber clapped her hands together. "Turn it over Lumine!"

Lumine slid her test paper closer to her. "Hm, let's see yours first."

"Why? So you can feel better about your own grade? No thanks."

Lumine shrugged and flipped her paper over.

Amber whistles. "93.21% Dayum girl! Aaaand... oh."

Lumines gaze darkens at the other number. 2nd. That number swirled around in her head. At the same time she could already feel Childes smug gaze boring into her and there was no way in hell she was giving him the satisfaction of her defeated look. She busied herself by going over the answers she got wrong. Though Amber could clearly tell how dejected her friend was.

"Uhhm, if it makes you feel better, I got 42%... Better than what I did last term...?" Amber says. She hadn't seen her friend look so glum at her test score, not that 93.21% was anything to be upset about. 

Amber sighs. It's just a ranking. "Lumine, your grade is really good. I hope you realize that." 

"I know that. It's just..." 

Lumine finally brings herself to look across the room where Childe was sitting. He met your eyes and sent you the most shit-eating grin. She just wanted to punch him in the face at that point. Why does he have to be so smug about it? Probably him getting back at me for last term. The technical side of her brain replies. 

You scowled and turned away. You couldn't look at him much longer or Lumine might've screamed. 

This must be how he felt last term, huh?  And little did Lumine know, she was right. Childe was a stranger to losing, having topped all of his classes for the past years. This year was no different except for the one class he shared with her. And coincidentally the same situation with Lumine. She wanted to top all her classes this year like she did with the others and she wasn't about to let this one be the exception. 

Luckily for Lumine, the teacher decided to start his class and brought her attention to the front of the class.

Throughout the lesson she furiously scribbled down notes and from time to time glanced in Childes direction. One time he caught her eye and smirked. It took all of Lumines might to not just get up and hit him right then and there.

Even throughout the lesson the teacher could notice the glances and smug looks that were being shared amongst you two. He felt a bit amused at how competitive you both were. It's just a grade. All of the other students he had would say. The teacher turns to see Lumine scribbling down notes from the board furiously into her book while Childe kept glancing over to you to see what you were doing. He turns around and smiles to himself. He hasn't had such hardworking students in a long time.

"Uhh Lumine, maybe you should write a little softer? You're putting holes in the paper." Amber points out.

She stop writing, only to notice that your book was a mess, different to Lumine's usual tidy and organised notes. "Argh! What time does this period end?" 

"Pretty soon, like 5 minutes."

"Good. I need some air."

"Maybe you should-"

"And what is the answer to this question, Amber?" The teacher calls knowing full well she wasn't paying attention. 

Amber quickly spun around and stood up. "Uh, you see sir, I've er- well, the thing is-"

The teacher pushes up his glasses. "Pay attention Amber. Don't let it happen again."

"Yes sir."

Lumine sends Amber an apologetic look and she sends her a discrete thumbs-up.

"Childe, why don't you answer this?"

Your ears perk up at the sound of his name. Please get it wrong please get it wrong.

Much to your dismay, he had given the correct answer. The teacher was pleased. "Good job. This is what to expect of our top student."

Lumine clenches her pen harder. He got one question right and he gets praised? What the hell. Top student my ass. In that moment, Lumine came to the conclusion that the teacher was bias towards Childe, or maybe the whole male population. Whatever it was, the world just seemed to be against her right now.

Childe sat back down and made eye contact with her for what seemed like the hundredth time today. At that moment the bell went off signaling lunch. Finally. 

She quickly packed her belongings and left the door. Lumine couldn't take anymore of his smug ass grin.

Childe watched as you left the room. He shoved his books into his bag and slung it over his shoulder. "Hey Kaeya,"

Kaeya looks up from his bag. "Yeah?"

"If you were second in your best subject, how would you react?"

He laughed. "If I was second in any subject I would probably throw a party."

Childe nodded. "Heh, I would know." 

Kayea chuckles knowing full well what he meant and they both exit the classroom. Childe and Kaeya conversed about something as they exited the classroom. 

Victory sure feels nice. It was one-all for Lumine and Childe and Childe was determined to prove that he was the smarter one between the two. 

Next term will decide it.