My desk mate, Caleb, was hailed as a "Boy Genius." The reason was simple: in every single exam he took, he secured first place. And every single time, his score was exactly three points higher than the second-place student. No more, no less. Just three points. Yes, I was that tragic, eternal second place. But I knew the truth. Caleb was actually an idiot. He had bound himself to a "Universal Exam System." The system's only law was that his score would always be my score plus three. He thought he could suppress me forever. What he didn't realize was that his grades were actually in the palm of my hand. I studied desperately not because I wanted to surpass him. I did it because I wanted to watch him fall from the highest peak straight into the abyss. 1 "Alright class, the results for the Statewide Mock Exams are in. The first and second place winners are both in our class. Can you guess who they are?" Mr. Harrison, our homeroom teacher, stood at the podium, beaming with uncontrollable joy. I didn't need to guess. I knew the first place would be my desk mate, Caleb Vance. Sure enough, Mr. Harrison announced the result: "Let's congratulate Caleb Vance for once again achieving first place in the state!" Thunderous applause erupted. Caleb sat in the center of the adoration, smiling like a flower in bloom. "Second place is his desk mate, Liam Scott. Let's give him a round of applause too." The classmates clapped reluctantly. Amidst the sparse applause, I even heard a few boos. "Liam buries his head in books all day, yet he's always three points behind Caleb. A nerd is just a nerd; he'll never beat a genius." Caleb was the "Boy Genius." I was the eternal loser. At first, I really thought Caleb was gifted. In school, he was a stark contrast to a grinder like me. I rarely saw him study; he was always chasing celebrities, styling his hair, or playing on his phone. I used to worship him. I even applied to sit next to him. To beat him, I studied even harder. I sacrificed countless weekends and nights, reviewing notes over and over, doing simulation papers, even solving math problems in my dreams. I naively thought that as long as I worked hard enough, I would reclaim first place one day. Until one school exam, I messed up. Strangely, Caleb also "underperformed," but he still scored exactly three points higher than me. I became suspicious. How could it be such a coincidence? Every single time? From then on, I silently observed Caleb's every move. By chance, I caught him muttering to himself, communicating with something called a "System." That's when it hit me. Caleb had bound a "Universal Exam System." The rule was simple: whatever I scored, he scored three points higher. "Liam, you'll never get first place back. Just be content with being number two," sneered Bella from the row behind me. She was Caleb's loyal lapdog. Back when I was first, she used to follow me around. When Caleb transferred here and became famous overnight, she immediately switched sides. I sneered internally: Caleb's grades are dictated by me. The higher I lift him now, the harder he'll fall later. Just wait and see. 2 After class, Mr. Harrison called Caleb to the office with eyes shining like he’d seen gold. "Caleb, congratulations! You've been selected for the Ivy League Early Admission Program." This was a prestigious fast-track program. Our school hadn't had a student qualify in five years. Caleb's eyes lit up instantly. He couldn't close his mouth from smiling. "Thank you, Mr. Harrison. It's all thanks to your guidance." Then, he changed the subject and asked about me. "By the way, what about Liam? Was he selected too? After all, our grades are neck and neck." "Yeah, that nerd was selected too," Mr. Harrison said with a look of disdain, curling his lip. "But when he heard you were also selected, he figured he'd never beat you there either, so he refused. He said he wants to prove himself through the SATs and regular admissions. Talk about a dreamer. When has he ever beaten you?" Mr. Harrison kept rambling, clearly resentful of my choice. Hearing that I wasn't going, Caleb didn't even hesitate. "Mr. Harrison, I don't want to go to the Early Admission Program either." Mr. Harrison's pupils constricted. He nearly choked on his breath. "Caleb, you are my most valued student. Are you sure? Maybe discuss it with your parents?" Caleb spoke decisively. "Teacher, I've made up my mind. I want to be like Liam and prove myself through the final exams." Producing a top-tier university student was a huge honor for a teacher. It would guarantee Mr. Harrison a promotion and a bonus. Seeing the cooked duck fly away, Mr. Harrison's face turned iron-green. It wasn't that Caleb didn't want to go. He just knew that without me, he was nothing. 3 When Caleb returned to the classroom, the news from the office had already spread. The classmates turned on me instantly. "Liam, what is your problem? You dragged our Caleb down! Because of you, Caleb gave up the Early Admission Program!" "I didn't expect you to be so selfish. Giving up a guaranteed spot just to prove yourself? You've studied yourself stupid." "Exactly. No matter how hard you try, you're still the eternal second place." "Just drop out. You're an embarrassment." Caleb lowered his eyes, the corner of his mouth ticking up in an imperceptible smirk. He wanted to use peer pressure to force me into submission, to force me to join the program so he wouldn't miss the opportunity. But how could I let him have his way? I pushed up my glasses, hiding the gloom in my eyes. "Since everyone hates me so much, I'll just drop out. Then I won't have to take exams anymore, and I won't fight Caleb for first place." Hearing this, Caleb panicked. He grabbed my hand. "Liam, they're just joking. Don't give up on yourself. I believe if you try hard, you can surpass me." Caleb knew that if I was absent from an exam, his true form would be revealed immediately. His carefully maintained façade would crumble. I didn't stop packing my bag. "Caleb, don't comfort me. I'm just a grinder. How can I beat a genius like you?" Caleb thought I was serious. He slammed the table and stood up. "Liam, I beg you, don't drop out." The classmates looked at him strangely, surprised by his reaction. Realizing he lost his composure, he quickly covered up. "I mean, Liam, give yourself another chance. If you drop out because of me, how can I ever be at peace?" Unmoved, I shouldered my backpack and pushed through the crowd. "Liam Scott, stop right there!" Caleb rushed out and shouted, "If you drop out, I'll drop out too!" I gave a contemptuous smile, too lazy to reply, and waved my hand as I walked out the school gate. I knew that if I entered that program with him, I would never shake him off. Through college, maybe even grad school, he would haunt me, always staying one step ahead. I would live in his shadow forever. Even if I accused him of using a system to cheat, no one would believe me. They'd just think I was crazy with jealousy. I needed a foolproof plan to kick Caleb out of the game permanently. 4 Back home, I sat in my chair, sighed deeply, and opened my computer to play online Chess. Since I was a child, I had a passion for Chess. It trained my logical thinking and sparked my creativity. It helped my studies tremendously, keeping me at the top. But the tall tree catches the wind. Excellence attracts predators. I just never thought I'd become a stepping stone for someone like Caleb. He copied my results without effort, making my hard work a joke. Tears slid down my face silently. Every drop carried my unwillingness. A sense of powerlessness took over my body. "Who made my precious son unhappy?" I didn't notice when my dad had walked up behind me. I took a deep breath. "Dad, I..." I choked on my words. Dad patted my back. "It's okay, son. I know." Caleb and I lived in the same neighborhood, and our fathers worked at rival firms. My dad held a higher position than his. Because of this, every time something happened at school, Caleb's dad would brag loudly at work, insinuating his son was better than me. Yet, Dad never blamed me. Dad pulled out a chessboard. "Son, we haven't played in a while. Let's have a game." My chess skills were strong; Dad was no match for me. I built my strategy step by step. Victory was in sight. But a moment of carelessness led me to place a pawn in the wrong spot. That one mistake rippled out, turning the tide. I lost the game. Dad spoke calmly, "Son, look. You never know who will have the last laugh until the very end." This game was a metaphor. I made up my mind. "Dad, do you trust me?" Dad laughed. "Silly boy, if I don't trust you, who do I trust?" "Even if what I'm about to say goes against everything we know about reality?" He became serious. "Son, I trust you forever." I told him everything about Caleb's system and my plan. He didn't question it. He just asked worriedly, "Are you sure?" "Yes. I believe I can succeed." It was a risky move, but the only way to break the deadlock. Caleb, get ready. I can't fight the system, but I can certainly fight you.
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