The Same Coin

Chapter One

"Most people have never learned that one of the main aims in life is to enjoy it."

Samuel Butler

Chapter One

When you have the whole school watching you it's easy to feel pressure. That pressure can, if used the right way, help lift you into higher areas then you ever would have gone.

I know this from experience, I after all am one of the smartest people at my school. Only, at my school things are a little different than at a normal high school.

The smartest people here rule the school, while the bumpkins just try to fly under the radar. As mentioned, I am one of the smart kids. So, naturally, I am constantly being looked up to and have more friends than I care to hang out with.

I shut my locker and rearranged the books in my arms. Eventually, you get used to the weight but the awkwardness of the bundle is something I always struggle with.

"Casey!" I hear my friend, Hannah shout from down the hall. I wait for her as she rushes towards me. Her brown hair is all in her face and her cheeks are a little red from the morning air.

"You won't believe what just happened!" Hannah told me excitedly.

Hannah was actually one of my few friends that I could actually tolerate and liked. She wasn't rude to others like most of the other "friends" I hung out with, and she was really nice to most everyone.

"Hannah!" I smiled, shifting my books in my arms once more. "What's not believe? What happened?" I asked, interested in the news. Around here, there was hardly anything exciting that happened.

Just about the only time there was ever a buzz around the school, was when exams came around, because everyone was anxious to see who would get the highest grades. Hannah's light blue eyes lit up with great anticipation, as she began to tell me, in great detail, what had happened.

"You beat Jeremy at the last test in history!" Hannah squealed. The rivalry between the two of us was the talk of the school. They loved to see who was winning at any given time. Only, Hannah new the real reasons for the rivalry. Hannah knew about my lack of money and need of scholarships.

And anyway, Jeremy started the whole charade by trying to set me up for failure. But, thats a whole different story.

I relaxed a little when she told me my grade. A perfect score. Hannah gave me a knowing smirk, she always knew when I was worried.

"Good." I gave her a smile and she laughed at me. We started to walk to class and she caught me up on everything that had happened over the weekend. I wasn't paying attention to the hallway and the people around me, too caught up in laughing. Someone bumped into my shoulder, hard. I glared at the person and he smirked back at me.

"Watch yourself, Jeremy!" I ground out. His blue eyes were cold as he stared back at me.

"I'm not the one who needs to watch it." Jeremy spoke confidently.

"What do you mean?" I asked confused. He looked at me quickly as if he was searching for something.

"You'll know soon enough." He smirked back. I shook my head and turned away from him. I didn't have time to be messing around with the jerk. He might play mind games with everyone else but not with me.

When I reached the classroom my teacher, Mr. Miller, called me up to the front.

"You're grade has been changed, Ms. Moraceae. It has been brought to my attention that my grading key was wrong. You now have a 98." My mouth dropped, I was tied with Jeremy now.