The examination was subdued with the students with worried looks on their faces. Malee recognized some of them from her class, mentioning about the beach party not too long ago. She put down the bag at the front of the hall after taking out the stationery. She walked over to the desk assigned to her and sat down confidently. The examination was about to start. Even though it wasn’t the last entrance exam for the university, university lecturers would grade and giving their comments on the results. Hence the importance to the students and to the staff.

As Malee and most students knew, the grades didn’t matter much anyway, since the wealth and influence of their social status meant that the university would not deny them the entry. Even if they were denied of it, they could still go to overseas universities from any parts of the world. The only reason it worried them because it would not look good on their parents when they meet other parents in the high-class parties.

As for Malee, it was more special since her schooling after missing out on it for a few years was approved by the twins. She wouldn’t want to disappoint them for the trust they had placed in her. She let go of a heavy breath and took out the pens and pencils from the metal box. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up to find the professor smiling down.

“Don’t worry.” said the professor before continuing his walk down the hall to the rest of the students. Malee had nothing to worry. If George had said she would get a degree, she would get a degree, even if she had stood up and walked out of the hall at that instance. Likewise, for a few selected students in the hall, whose black rings around the eyes betrayed their intention for the examination and their activities the night before.

The lecturer started handing out the question paper along with the blank papers for the answers as the sun’s rays shone into the hall. The examination had begun. Over the next few days, Malee would experience the same procedures for several times till she had completed her papers for the term. Then the marking of the papers had begun, and the students would only know after a few nervous weeks.

As the week passed by, the lecturers called the students one-by-one to give the results. Unlike public schools, the actual grades were not put up on the board for everyone to see. It would not be appropriate for the students enrolled in the school. Instead, each individual student and their parents were called to the school for a private meeting with the teacher. Malee wondered if Mary would need to come over since there were no parents registered for her. She was wrong.

Finally, Malee was called for a meeting and there were 3 lecturers but no one else. Malee wondered if they couldn’t get to Mary but sat down in the chair in-front of them, anyway.

“Here are your papers.” said the lecturer in the middle, taking out a large stack of paper from the bag in front of them. “That would be all.”

Malee nodded and took the papers in front of her before slowly leaving the room, bewildered by the events unfolded. Outside the room, the professor was waiting for her.

“Well done.” smiled the professor while patting on her shoulder with his hands.

“Just me in the room.” said Malee.

“Yes. It meant there is no explanation needed for the results. Have you seen them?” said the professor, pointing at the papers Malee was holding.

“No.” said Malee as she flipped the papers one-by-one. She aced them all.

“Why? You didn’t ask them to..” said Malee. She couldn’t believe the results she was holding. She knew she did well, but to ace every subject, there must have been something else.

“No. In fact, they marked the papers twice. Have more confidence in yourself.” said the professor before leaving Malee standing still in the hall. Perhaps Georgia was right about Malee, thought the professor. But then, she was rarely wrong about anything, was she?

Malee watched as the professor disappeared in the distance. A smile broke out from her face. She still had a long way to go to reach the goal that the twins had set out for her, but she knew she was well on the way.