EXTRA CREDIT | ONC 2026

At Westbrook High, winning isn't optional. It's legacy.

English teacher Clara Bennett has ruled the academic rankings for years. Her class, 11-A, has always been untouchable, despite her long-simmering rivalry with history teacher Evan Cole, all confidence, crooked smiles, and smug remarks. And everyone knew.

Then one test flips the scoreboard.
11-C takes the lead.
And rivalry turns into a full-war.

When the administration announces a district-wide ranking, Clara and Evan stop pretending it's just professional. They push each other harder, sharper, closer.
What they don't notice is that their students notice everything first.

The arguments that linger, the tension crackling during shared periods, the looks that don't match the insults.

The rumors start quietly.

Then the shipping begins.

Then the whole school is watching.

Forced proximity, late nights, and a competition that feels dangerously personal blur the line between hatred and desire.

Because winning feels different when the person you're trying to beat is also the one you can't stop thinking about.

And some rules are hardest to follow when the classrooms are empty.

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Written for Open Novella Contest 2026
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Prompt chosen is:
55. Two teachers at the same school are determined to outdo each other by having the top-scoring class. But when their students start enthusiastically shipping them, the rivalry takes a very unexpected turn.
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