I Studied With the Last-Ranked Boy… Then Came in Second Chapter 02

I Studied With the Last-Ranked Boy… Then Came in Second Chapter 02

Next week’s exam was the first one since the class reshuffle.

Whoever ranked last in the STEM class would be transferred back to the General Education class.

Based on our pop quizzes, that was definitely going to be me.

My Math Olympiad scores were terrible. That one subject alone put me dozens of points behind everyone else.

After Evening Study Hall, I stayed in the classroom to study.

Page by page, I worked through the College Calculus textbook Declan had lent me, memorizing the key formulas he’d written down for me.

Sienna covered her mouth with a smile.

“She’s working so hard, Adrian. Looks like she really wants to pass so she can stay in the same class as you.”

“Wouldn’t it be funny if our names end up at the top and hers and her desk mate’s are at the bottom?”

I ignored her and kept memorizing formulas.

Just as I finished reviewing the rules of calculus and reached to turn the page, a long hand pressed the book shut.

Adrian closed it.

“You can’t even do basic arithmetic and you’re reading this? Go to bed. Stop wasting the classroom’s electricity.”

Last week in math class, I’d been called up to the board during math class.

I’d gotten stuck halfway through the problem.

So I’d asked Adrian for help.

He didn’t even move.

“That problem’s too easy. I’m not interrupting my own studying for something like that.”

“Just wipe the board and get down. Or are you trying to make us laugh with that mess?”

The classroom had erupted in laughter.

My thoughts became a mess. I even miscalculated simple multiplication.

After that, whenever I asked Adrian a question, he always brushed me off the same way.

“What’s the point of asking about advanced problems? You’d be better off buying an elementary school arithmetic workbook.”

I pushed his hand away.

Before, I would’ve blamed myself.

I would’ve convinced myself I just wasn’t smart enough for the STEM class.

But after spending only one afternoon sitting beside Declan, I’d already mastered three problem types Adrian had insisted I’d never understand.

“My desk mate’s spent the whole afternoon teaching me. I’ll definitely pass the exam.”

Adrian blinked, then laughed.

“Declan?”

“The only things he’s good at are smoking, fighting, and pretending to be impressive in front of clueless people like you.”

He looked at Sienna.

“Sienna, let’s go. We’ve got to get up early tomorrow for speaking practice.”

“Okay.”

They walked out side by side.

Watching them disappear down the hallway, I let out a breath.

Finally, peace and quiet.

I found another problem, solved it, and sent a picture to Declan.

He called me almost immediately.

The background noise was loud—sounded like he was at the internet cafe.

“Your approach is right. But you ignored the domain.”

He prompted me.

“Draw the graph.”

It clicked. I knew exactly why my answer had felt off.

I rewrote the solution and sent him another picture.

A few seconds later, his reply came.

“Perfect.”

“You’re improving fast. Get some rest. You’ll do fine on the exam.”

The moment I heard those words, my eyes stung. Tears rolled down my face before I could stop them.

It felt like…

It was the first time anyone had ever believed in me that much.