I Was Sick Of Second Place So I Took Everything Chapter 01

I Was Sick Of Second Place So I Took Everything Chapter 01

I had always been a show-off—someone who’s dead set on being number one.

When people looked at me with that awed admiration reserved for top students, I felt a rush so sharp it tingled all the way to my scalp.

Until high school, that is. That’s when I became the perennial runner-up.

Later, the student ranked first and the one ranked third started dating.

Another round of test results came out.

I heard someone laugh and then ask, “Why is Estelle always wedged between that couple like a total third wheel?”

Passing by an empty classroom, I overheard the top student tutoring his girlfriend.

“Babe, if you score a few more points next time, our names will be right next to each other.”

That did it. Something in me just snapped.

You want your names side by side?

Fine. I’ll take first place myself—and make it happen for you.

—

I had been competitive for as long as I could remember.

I became the fastest kid in class to master basic arithmetic. Teachers praised me. Classmates envied me.

That was the moment my path in life was set.

As I got older, my vanity only grew.

Before high school, I pretty much had a lock on first place among my peers.

Every time those admiring looks landed on me, I felt that same electrifying thrill.

The joy of showing off was shallow, but irresistible.

I placed first on the high school entrance exam and got into Fairhaven High.

It was the kind of elite school that threw every teaching method at you.

We had monthly exams, and they posted everyone’s rankings for all to see.

And that was where I met Caleb Whitmore.

For two straight years, from freshman to sophomore year, I never once ranked first. Not once.

For someone who loved being in the spotlight as much as I did, being nailed to second place felt like a personal humiliation.

Every time, teachers would comfort me.

“Estelle, you’re already excellent. You’re just a bit unlucky. Be more careful next time.”

But behind the scenes, I heard what they said about someone else.

“Caleb is different. His way of solving problems is so mature. I heard he used to train for competitions…”

Classmates would come to me for help, then stab me in the heart with a smile.

“Estelle, holding onto second place all the time is still amazing, you know.”

“You’re the only one in our grade who can even give Caleb a run for his money.”

On the surface, I smiled, all calm and composed.

“What can I say? He’s just better.”

Inside, I was fuming.

The moment they left, my classmate Jenna Cross leaned in with this look, like she was about to share a secret.

“Estelle, I’ve got some gossip for you.”

“Mm?” I kept my eyes on the worksheet, but I leaned in a little.

“Caleb’s dating someone. Guess who.”

Why should I care?

I finally looked up. “Who?”

“Olivia,” Jenna whispered.

“…Who?” I still confused.

Jenna rolled her eyes. “Wow, Estelle. Anyone who scores lower than you just doesn’t exist, huh?”

“She was ranked right behind you and Caleb on the last monthly exam.”

From Jenna, I pieced together the story.

Caleb and Olivia were in the class next door.

Last semester, Olivia had been somewhere around the top twenty, but this term she had shot up the rankings.

Climbing two hundred places wasn’t that hard.

Jumping from the teens into the very top? That was a different story.

“I heard they’ve been studying together after class since last semester,” Jenna said.

“The top-ranked student, giving her private tutoring. No wonder she improved so fast. It’s like having an Olympic-level coach.”

I remembered who Olivia was.

Jenna wasn’t entirely right. I always paid attention to the people ranked around me after every exam.

Olivia had long, glossy black hair, big round eyes, and soft, curled lashes. She was adorable.

“You seriously have no thoughts about this?”

Jenna nudged me and whispered, “The teachers can tell, you know. They just turn a blind eye because it’s Caleb.”

The school did strictly forbid dating.

But when it came to the first and third ranked students, their version of dating was sitting together doing practice problems. What were the teachers supposed to say?

“None,” I said with a smile. “Why would I?”

Go ahead and date. The sooner both of you drop to the bottom, the better.

The thought crossed my mind, sharp and mean.

When the results of the last monthly exam before the end of sophomore year were posted, a crowd gathered around the ranking board.

I stood near the back, but I could still see everything clearly. Second place. Again.

I was so mad I could eat a full plate of food when I got home.

Before I could even calm down, someone up front said teasingly, “Why is Estelle always stuck between that couple, playing third wheel?”

“Honestly, our grade got unlucky this year. First and second place never change.”

“But Olivia might pass Estelle next time. She’s only six points behind now.”

And that wasn’t even the end of it.

After school, I realized I had forgotten my house key and went back to get it.

As I passed the classroom next door, I saw Caleb explaining a problem to Olivia. They were the only two left.

They sat by the window.

His voice drifted out softly. “Babe, if you score a few more points next time, our names will be right next to each other.”

Being stuck in second place was already bad enough.

But instead of hoping I might finally beat Caleb, it turned out a lot of people were actually rooting for someone else to knock me out of second place.

I laughed, but there was no humor in it. Something in me turned dark.

So the happy couple wanted their names side by side?

Fine. I’ll take first place—and make it happen.