Chapter 8 — Pride And Scholarship

The whole school meeting the following Monday morning made Bao Tran feel cornered. In the presence of all students, the principal publicly announced the results of the investigation, affirming that Hoai An was completely innocent, and at the same time strictly warned against the act of spreading false information that harms the honor of others.

“The school will strictly handle all cases of violation of rules on civilized behavior on social networks,” the principal said, his voice stern, his eyes scanning the crowd of students as if searching for the culprit, “no matter who it is, regardless of family background.”

Bao Tran sat in the front row, feeling like all eyes were on her, even though she was not the one directly posting. She glanced at Diem Quynh sitting not far away and saw her friend also looking down, clearly equally worried.

After the meeting, when rumors about the origin of the anonymous post gradually spread in the school - although there was no official conclusion, many people began to suspect Bao Tran's close friends - she felt her reputation was seriously affected, an unfamiliar feeling that she had never experienced during her three years at this school.

“Do you know anything about that?” A curious classmate asked Bao Tran during recess, her eyes full of doubt.

“I don't know anything,” Bao Tran replied, her voice stiffened, trying to remain calm even though inside she was seething because she was put in an awkward situation.

That night, Bao Tran summoned Diem Quynh to her house, her voice filled with anger when the two were alone in the room. “You got me involved,” she said, “now the whole school suspects our group is behind this.”

"I'm sorry," Diem Quynh bowed her head, her voice somewhat apologetic, "I didn't expect things to go this far. I simply thought I wanted to help you."

“From now on, don't do anything related to this anymore,” Bao Tran ordered, her voice resolute, “if you are discovered, you must take responsibility, don't drag me into it.”

Diem Quynh nodded, even though she couldn't help but feel sorry for herself at the cold, decisive attitude of the friend she always considered her closest friend. After Diem Quynh left, Bao Tran sat alone in the room, the feeling of confusion and disorientation gradually overwhelming her initial anger.

She opened her laptop and once again searched for information about Hoai An, but this time, instead of a pure feeling of jealousy, a curiosity mixed with reluctant admiration arose in her heart for the way Hoai An faced adversity - never wavering, without asking anyone for help, just silently proving his innocence with his own ability and determination.

“Why do I feel so uncomfortable because of someone I don't understand so well?” she wondered, closed the laptop, lay down on the bed but couldn't sleep. Feelings of jealousy, anger, and something like curiosity about Hoai An's completely different life were mixed in her mind all night long, causing Bao Tran, for the first time in her life, to question the very values she had always believed in absolutely.

The next morning, when entering class, Bao Tran saw Hoai An surrounded by a group of classmates, everyone was busy asking questions and congratulating them after everything was completed. clear. That scene, even though it only happened for a split second, made Bao Tran feel a strange loneliness creeping into her heart - although she was always the center of attention in school, most of that attention came from her family position, from fear or the desire to please, not from sincere love like what she was witnessing in Hoai An.

During class, Bao Tran could not concentrate as usual, her mind kept absentmindedly thinking about what she had just observed. She glanced at Hoai An and saw her attentively taking notes, occasionally turning to exchange notes with Minh Khoi. The two laughed freely and naturally.

“Why do you suddenly pay attention to it?” Bao Tran thought to herself, trying to dispel idle thoughts and return to focusing on the lecture. But no matter how hard she tried, the image of Hoai An's confidence and resilience still haunted her throughout the entire lesson, arousing a feeling of both jealousy and curiosity that she had never experienced before towards anyone.

During recess, while passing by the schoolyard, Bao Tran overheard a conversation between two teachers standing nearby, discussing Hoai An's difficult family situation - the mother was seriously ill and had to undergo regular dialysis, while her daughter worked part-time while studying to make ends meet. That information made Bao Tran stunned, a complicated feeling rose in her heart, mixed between surprise and a little bit of vague shame at what she had done.

She stood still for a moment, looking at the two teachers walking away, her mind reeling with new thoughts. While she often complains about the pressure to study and the heavy expectations from her mother, Hoai An has to shoulder both studying and taking care of the family at the same time, and is still able to achieve such excellent results.

At noon, while eating with a group of close friends in the cafeteria, Bao Tran suddenly asked a question that she was surprised to say. “Do you know anything about Hoai An's family situation?”

The group of friends looked at each other, somewhat surprised by this unusual concern. “I heard that her mother is very sick,” one person replied, “she has to study and work part-time to earn money to support the family.”

Bao Tran remained silent, continuing to eat in silence, but her mind still kept thinking about what she had just heard. She looked back at her own life - full of material things, not lacking anything, but always feeling empty and lonely amid cold expectations from her family.

“Why are you suddenly so interested in it?” Diem Quynh asked, her voice a bit questioning.

“Nothing,” Bao Tran replied, avoiding the question, trying to hide the confusion that was gradually forming in her heart, a confusion that she knew would continue to haunt her until she found a satisfactory answer to the complex emotions she was experiencing.

That evening, when her mother, Mrs. Kim Ngan, rarely came home early to have dinner with her daughter, Bao Tran suddenly asked a question that stunned her. “Mom, do you ever feel pressured to always be on top, to always be perfect?”

Mrs. Kim Ngan looked at her daughter, a bit surprised by this unusual question. “Why do you ask that?”

“I'm just curious,” Bao Tran replied, bending down to look at the bowl of rice first face, not daring to look directly into her mother's eyes, "I feel so tired lately, I always have to try not to be inferior to anyone."

Mrs. Kim Ngan was silent for a moment, her eyes flashed with a rare contemplation. "I understand that feeling," she said, her voice softer than usual, "but honey, in this world, if you're not strong enough, you'll easily be overtaken by others, looked down upon. I just want you to always be in the best position so no one can bully you."

That answer, even though it came from love in a mother's own way, made Bao Tran feel even more lonely, because it never touched the core of the real question she wanted to ask - whether her mother loved her for who she was, or just for her achievements, the number one positions that she always tried to achieve at all costs.

After dinner, when Mrs. Kim Ngan returned to the office to continue her unfinished work, Bao Tran sat alone in the large but empty living room, her eyes following the figure of the maid cleaning the table. This luxurious villa, although fully equipped, completely lacks the warmth of a real family.

She recalls the image of Hoai An surrounded by her mother's love, even in poverty and illness. She remembered the stories about how Hoai An still spent time taking care of her mother, no matter how busy she was. An unwanted comparison kept appearing in her mind, making Bao Tran feel a new jealousy, no longer simply because of her academic achievements, but because of a warm family affection that she always craved but never really had.

She stood up, walked up to her own room, reopened the old family photo that she kept in the drawer, looked at it for a long time before carefully putting it back, telling herself that, no matter what happened, she would not let herself become weak, even though inside, the complicated feelings about Hoai An, about her family, continued to smolder, waiting for an opportunity to explode into something bigger in the near future.