Chapter Eleven — Amelia's POV
The morning of the Quiz Team Trials came faster than I expected.
The air in Triple H College buzzed with tension—like the entire campus was holding its breath. The walls were plastered with posters reading "Represent Triple H with Excellence!" and "Brains. Bravery. Belief."
I'd been up since 4 a.m.
My Bible was open beside my notes, and the smell of black coffee drifted across the dorm. I'd spent the last three days fasting and praying, asking God for wisdom and calm. Not because I doubted myself, but because I wanted peace—peace to face whatever the outcome might be.
Doja had groaned when I refused to join her for breakfast.
"Girl, you can't compete on an empty stomach."
"I'll be fine," I said with a smile. "Man shall not live by bread alone."
She rolled her eyes. "There it is. One Bible verse for every argument."
But she hugged me before I left. "Go win that thing, Amelia. You deserve it."
The science lab was already filled when I arrived. Desks had been arranged in neat rows, each labeled with a candidate's name. I spotted Hilda near the front, her posture straight, her hair perfectly braided, her face unreadable. When she noticed me, she smiled—tight, polite.
"Kamen's not here yet," she said.
"He'll come," I replied softly.
Moments later, he walked in—cool, calm, his usual expression hiding any sign of nerves. He nodded at both of us, and for a brief moment, I caught a flicker of something in his eyes—determination, maybe, or quiet pride.
When the exam began, the silence was thick enough to hear a pin drop. Pens scratched against paper, the clock ticked mercilessly, and every second felt like an hour.
Physics questions twisted like riddles, Chemistry demanded precision, and Mathematics—well, Mathematics felt like war. But I remembered every long night, every whispered prayer, every word of encouragement from my friends.
When the final bell rang, I dropped my pen and exhaled slowly. My hands trembled, not from fear, but release.
Outside, the courtyard buzzed with chatter. Students compared answers, argued about equations, and tried to predict who would make the team. I found a quiet spot under the oak tree and bowed my head.
"Thank You, Lord," I whispered. "Whatever the result, I did my best."
That's when I heard footsteps.
"Praying again?" Kamen's voice asked softly.
I smiled without looking up. "Always."
He sat beside me, stretching his long legs in the grass. "You think you did well?"
"I think I did what I could," I said. "The rest is up to God."
He gave a small laugh, low and warm. "You really believe that, don't you?"
"With everything in me."
He nodded, silent for a while, then said, "You're different, Amelia."
I looked at him. "Different how?"
He shrugged, avoiding my gaze. "Most people… they want to win so they can be seen. You just want to do well because it means something."
"It's how I was raised," I said softly. "My parents always taught me that excellence without humility is empty."
He smiled faintly. "I think they raised you right."
⸻
The results came out two days later.
Students crowded around the bulletin board, voices rising like a wave. My heart pounded as I pushed through the sea of bodies, Doja and Anita close behind me.
And there it was:
Triple H College Quiz Team Finalists
1. Kamen Dela
2. Amelia Reynolds
3. Hilda Grant
4. Joseph Mensah
Doja screamed so loud I thought the heavens might echo her. "She did it! Amelia, you did it!"
I stood frozen, eyes wide, heart pounding. My name—second on the list. I'd made it.
Kamen appeared through the crowd, calm as ever, but I saw the pride in his eyes when he looked at me. He gave a small nod, the kind that said well done.
But not everyone shared the joy.
Hilda stood a few feet away, her hands trembling as she stared at the list. She was third—qualified, but barely. Her lips moved silently, as if she couldn't believe it. Then her expression changed—anger, confusion, disbelief all twisting together.
Later that evening, I found her in the hallway outside the dorms, sitting on the floor with her knees pulled to her chest.
"Hilda?" I said softly.
She didn't look up. "I should have been first."
"You still made it—"
"It's not the same, Amelia!" she snapped, then sighed, pressing her palms to her face. "I studied so hard. I wanted this more than anything."
I sat beside her. "You did your best. That's what matters."
She shook her head. "It's not enough. Maybe I'm not enough."
Her words broke something inside me. I reached out and took her hand gently. "Hey. Don't say that. You're one of the smartest people I know. Maybe this is just God's way of reminding us that victory isn't always about being first. Sometimes it's about learning grace."
Her shoulders shook, and tears slipped down her cheeks. I pulled her into a hug.
"Don't let this define you," I whispered. "You'll shine in your own way."
She didn't answer, but she didn't pull away either.
⸻
That night, after lights-out, I stayed awake with my Bible open. My heart was full—grateful for success, burdened for my friend, uncertain about what the future held.
Kamen's message came just as I was closing my notebook.
Congratulations, Reynolds. You earned it.
You too, I replied. Proud of you.
Thanks. For what it's worth… I don't think I'd have made it this far without you.
I stared at the message for a long time before typing back.
Maybe God crossed our paths for a reason.
He didn't reply right away, but I didn't mind. Some things didn't need words.
⸻
The following week, the teachers announced a three-week break before the next term. The quiz team would reconvene after the holidays for final preparations.
I should've been thrilled—but part of me felt restless. I was going home, yet a part of my heart wanted to stay right here, under that oak tree, with the quiet boy who had unknowingly become my peace.
That evening, as I packed my books, I whispered one last prayer.
"Lord, thank You for this chapter. I don't know what You're writing next, but I trust You with the story."
And somewhere in my heart, I felt it—a quiet assurance.
This wasn't the end.
It was only the beginning.