Everyone scribbled down their votes for class president, handing them in as the teacher collected each slip.
Adanna won, of course she did.
This wasn't about leadership or qualifications—it was a popularity contest. The girls voted for her because they admired her, practically obsessed over her. The guys? They were just captivated by her beauty.
After the election, we had to turn in our personal smartphones. In exchange, the teacher handed each of us a sleek, school-issued device.
"Sir, what is this?" Daan asked, turning it over in his hands.
"A smartphone," the teacher replied dryly. "Can't you tell?"
A few students chuckled.
"I know it's a smartphone," Daan said, frowning. "But something feels... off."
"Good observation," Van Bossen said. "These are custom-made devices, designed exclusively for students of this school. You won't be able to connect with the outside world. No calls, no social media, no internet access beyond what we allow." He let the words sink in before adding, "For the next four years, you'll be completely isolated from the outside world—holidays excluded, of course."
A stunned silence filled the room.
Rosa was the first to speak. "So I won't be able to contact my family?"
"No. Not unless it's an emergency. The same applies to them reaching out to you."
"I had no idea..." Fatima murmured.
"Next time, read the terms and conditions before signing up for anything," Van Bossen said. "Consider this a life lesson."
I crossed my arms. "That's pretty underhanded of you to hide something this important in a section no one reads."
Van Bossen smirked. "Underhanded, you say? Well, welcome to Utrecht Metropolitan Self-Development School, Benesha. If you want to succeed here—or anywhere, really—you'd better learn to be underhanded yourself."
I narrowed my eyes. "Does that mean there's a way for me to move up from Class D?"
"You already want to leave us?" Rosa asked, her voice tinged with hurt.
"Shut up. I wasn't talking to you," I shot back.
Van Bossen ignored the exchange and turned on the Digi-board at the front of the room. The screen displayed the class rankings, along with something labeled Class Credits (CC):
Class A – 5,000 CC
Class B – 4,000 CC
Class C – 3,000 CC
Class D – 2,000 CC
Class E – 1,000 CC
"There are two ways to move up," he explained. "The first is through performance. The class with the highest combined scores—exams, assignments, and other evaluations—earns the most credits. The higher your credits, the better your ranking. It's entirely possible for Class D to become Class A, but you'll have to work much harder than those already ahead of you."
"And the second way?" I asked.
He smirked. "I was hoping you wouldn't catch on so quickly. The second way is to buy your way into a higher class."
I raised an eyebrow. "Buy my way in?"
"Every student has Individual Credits (IC), which they earn based on personal performance. If you want to move up, you'll need more IC than the class president of the tier you're aiming for."
"So how much do I need to get into Class 1-A?"
"The current Class 1-A president is Hannah Katz. You'll need more than 6,000 IC to replace her."
I laughed. "That's easy."
Van Bossen gave me a knowing look. "It's that attitude—your arrogance and impulsiveness—that landed you in Class D in the first place."
"What?!"
"Never underestimate this school," he warned. "We won't make it easy for any of you to climb the ranks. Whether you try to advance as a class or as an individual, you'll be met with challenges."
"So we were placed in lower classes because of our flaws?" Kaya asked.
"Flaws, weaknesses—call them what you will. Some of you lack academic strength. Some lack physical ability. Others... well, some of you are just difficult."
I exhaled sharply. "Are we done here?"
"Yes. You're free to explore the school now."
I didn't waste a second. I was out of the classroom before anyone else, with Tshikuta and Adanna right behind me.
"Eleanor, wait!" Rosa called after us, but I didn't stop.
"I was going to suggest exploring in groups..."
Adanna glanced back at her. "The three of us will explore together. You can split into groups however you like."