Liam spent the last 3 years of his school life in Merrydale Academy, and was now in his final year.

The school was named after the city's location, and enrolled about 650 students per year. The number was on the higher side due to it being a public school.

The school was open for both gifted and non-gifted individuals. However, gifted were unauthorised to use their abilities without a supervisors permission. Of course, this wouldn't stop most of them from using it.

A non-gifted individual with gifted parents would need to submit a mandatory blood test once per year.

Liam was one of these people. However, he had already submitted his result several days after he got confirmation from the WGO that he hadn't awakened an ability.

There were 3 other high schools located in his district alone, so it was easier to differentiate students based on their uniform.

His school uniform mainly consisted of a maroon blazer with grey trousers or skirts for the girls if they choose, and a striped maroon and white coloured tie.

His school was about a 40 minute walk away from his apartment.

"I'm heading out now, remember to clean up before I get back." Liam said staring at a clone of himself reading on the couch.

*Nods*

[8:26 AM]

Liam stared at the seating arrangement for class [D-04]

This would be his new class for his final year.

Most students would be put in a class based on their average grade.

It wasn't discrimination, but mainly to offer better support.

Classes ranged from A to E, with E being the students with the worst grades.

The "D" stood for his average grade, and the "04" represented the classroom number.

The seating arrangement was to stop friends from interfering with each other's studies, as well as pair some of the better students in the class with the worst. Hoping their studiousness would rub off on them.

"Once more into the fray." Liam said getting ready to head in.

"H-hey L-Liam!" Said a voice that stopped Liam in his tracks.

"Long time no see Akash, how was your holiday?"

"G-good"

Suddenly Liam felt an arm hang on his shoulder.

"Don't forget about me man."

"Of course not. How was your holiday, Lorenzo?"

"Parents got divorced, my hamster died, and my sister is still a whore." replied Lorenzo.

"...I'm sorry to hear that."

"Yeah, I really loved that hamster."

These three had been friends since they started at the academy.

Akash was of Indian descent, with clear brown skin and silky long black hair, standing at around 5'7".

Lorenzo was from a country which had long been overrun by monsters and was now considered a desolate zone. He had white skin with a few pimples around his face, short brown hair, and was roughly the same height as Liam.

*Slap*

A hand slapped the back of Akash's head.

A boy with blonde hair and blue eyes stood in front of the three friends.

He stood at roughly 5'11" and his mannerisms screamed condescending.

"Well if it isn't the 3 rejects, looks like we're in the same class this term."

"Oh.. hey N-N-Nathan."

"Still stuttering like a bitch I see." Nathan said while looking down at Akash.

"It's called Childhood-Onset Fluency Disorder, asshole. He can't help it." Lorenzo said glaring at him.

"It's called, call me an asshole again, and I'll 'borrow' your lunch money this year as well." Nathan said slapping Lorenzo in the face 3 times before walking away.

"I hope Illistad takes him next." whispered Lorenzo.

"Dude, inner thoughts, don't let people hear you say that shit." Liam said.

"Don't act as if you've never thought about it."

"Obviously I've thought about it, I just don't say it out loud." Liam retorted.

*Ding* *Ding* *Ding*

"Class is s-starting" Akash said hearing the bells chiming.

"Talk to you guys later on?" Liam said looking at his two friends.

"Yeah" they both replied as they went to take their seats.

A white middle-aged woman in her late 30's walked into the room and stood in front of the class.

She wore a black tailored blazer with a white shirt and brown velvet trousers which matched her hair.

With one arm in her pocket, she looked at all the students in front of her and addressed them all.

"I hope you all enjoyed your vacation. For those who do not know me, I am Mrs. Lumberg. I will be your homeroom teacher for the year."

"I do not have gifts. I do not like my time being wasted. I do not stand for foolishness."

"That being said, I've been tasked with giving you a surprise mock exam to better understand which subjects you are lacking in, and whether you took your studies seriously during your break."

Groans could be heard from the class when she said that.

"Shut up." she responded.

"Although this is just a mock exam, I expect you to take this seriously."

"The mock exam is a mix of multiple-choice, deduction and theory from different subjects."

"The time is now [8:35]. You have an hour and a half on the clock."

"Begin"

The room was filled with the sound of silence, as students typed away on their virtual holograms.

Liam had a brief look-through of each of the questions to see what he would be dealing with.

Happy with what was to come, he smirked.

========================================

[Q4: Solve 7( f – 5) = 28]

'At least give me a challenge.'

[Q18: Which of the following will lead to an increase of total peripheral resistance?]
A. A decrease in the firing frequency of all the carotid artery baroreceptors.
B. A decrease in the diameter of every arteriole.
C. A decrease in the firing rate in all the sympathetic neurons that innervate smooth
muscles that surround arterioles.
D. A and B.
E. A and C.
F. B and C.
G. A, B, and C.
H. None of the above.

'Too easy.'

[Q43: It is stated that Professor Charlie Xanov's hypothesis on the source of gifted power was proven false due to the first law of thermodynamics. In less than 300 words, explain how this affects research based on this hypothesis.]

'A bit harder, but nothing I can't bullshit my way out of.'

========================================

[10:38 AM]

Finally finished with their mock exam, the students in the classroom gathered around their cliques to have their discussions, mainly about how they all found the mock exam or how their holiday went.

"So, which University do you guys have in mind?" said Lorenzo as he walked towards his friends.

"Gredo-Gredora Institute o-of arts." said Akash.

"Oh right, makes sense considering your family is a bunch of artists."

"I'm thinking of Rochdale, I hear they are accepting more students next year. Honestly, anything that will get me far away from my family." said Lorenzo.

"Wh-what about you Liam?" said Akash staring at Liam who was looking down at his phone.

"University of Avalon" said Liam nonchalantly.

"WHAT?!" They both shouted, drawing the attention of several onlookers.

"Isn't that the University for gifted people?" whispered Lorenzo, feeling a bit embarrassed.

"D-did you f-finally awaken?" said Akash with hopeful eyes.

"Nope" Liam said with a smile on his face.

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