From Sneers to Cheers: Anthea’s Ascent ( Anthea )

Anthea raised an eyebrow, "He's not blind. It'd be weird if he didn't notice me, right?"

Lizzie was momentarily speechless. The logic was irrefutable, leaving her without a comeback.

With a sigh, Lizzie shook her head in resignation. "Ah, discussing this with someone perpetually single like you is pointless."

As the words left her, Lizzie added, "Annie, just imagine, what if he falls for you and makes a heartfelt confession? Would you accept him, marry him even?"

Anthea's tone was nonchalant, "Such a scenario between him and me is impossible, Lizzie. You're worrying about nothing."

Lizzie pouted, "You never know, what if you two hit it off?"

"Never gonna happen," Anthea enunciated clearly.

Lizzie chuckled, "Ever heard of 'never say never'?"

"It doesn't apply to me," Anthea stated. Although she found Sherman appealing, it was nothing beyond that. After all, Sherman was practically a monk in his demeanor. How could there be anything between them? Even if by some fluke, it wouldn't happen.

Lizzie continued to enlighten Anthea about the concept of 'never say never' as they walked and talked. Soon, they reached the amusement park's play area. Being Sunday, the place was bustling with visitors. At the sight of all the fun rides, Lizzie forgot all about their conversation, her excitement palpable. "Annie! Let's hit the roller coaster first! Then the drop tower, and oh, we must try the Ferris wheel!" "Sure," Anthea nodded in agreement.

In her past life, Anthea had been an orphan, always enviously watching other children being taken to amusement parks by their parents. Now, with the means but lacking the desire, this was Anthea's first ever visit to an amusement park.

Whether it was the roller coaster, the sky-high drop tower, or any of the thrilling rides, Anthea found them all incredibly exhilarating. She loved the adrenaline rush.

Lizzie, on the other hand, was different. Though she loved the idea of fun, she screamed her head off in fear. Her reactions formed a stark contrast to Anthea's calm demeanor.

After enjoying several thrilling rides, they headed to the haunted house. The haunted house had three floors, and they had to queue to enter.

Lizzie, who was particularly faint-hearted, barely stepped inside before clutching Anthea's hand, "Annie! You've got to protect me!"

"No problem."

The haunted house was eerily dark, with realistic props that had Lizzie screaming non-stop. She clung to Anthea so tightly she might as well have been an octopus, her eyes shut the whole time. Three minutes later, Anthea led Lizzie out of the haunted house, only to discover that besides Lizzie, two other young women she didn't know had also grabbed her hand in fear. Anthea, with her fair complexion, found her arm pinched red by the three of them.

The two strangers apologized profusely, "Sorry, miss! We didn't mean to, we were just too scared inside!"

"It's okay," Anthea smiled gently.

As the women looked up at Anthea, they were stunned by her beauty. It was too dark inside the haunted house to see clearly, and they hadn't expected Anthea to be so gorgeous! They had thought Anthea was some kind of tomboy, given her bravery. What a turnaround!

Exiting the haunted house, Anthea and Lizzie moved on to bumper cars...

Meanwhile, Baldie was dealing with his own drama. His examination results had been delayed, causing him anxiety as he watched his classmates celebrate their high scores, while his own remained elusive. Tossing and turning at night, he was desperate for closure.

Finally, his results were accessible. The next second, his score appeared: 688! Ranked 89th in the city.

Although getting into Capital University might be a stretch, Apex Ascent College was well within reach. Overjoyed, Baldie rushed downstairs.

"Mom! My results are out!"

It was daytime, and Harriet was cleaning up the barbecue shop, not yet open for business. Hearing Baldie's news, she exclaimed with joy, "Baldie, how much did you score?"

"688!" Baldie confirmed.

"Really?" Harriet's face lit up with happiness.

Baldie nodded, "No mistake."

Harriet clasped her hands together, "Thank the Lord! It's a miracle!" She recalled her nephew, who had also taken the exams this year, boasting a score of 654.