Too Late to Hold Me Back novel Chapter 367

"Why are they holding a decathlon during our senior year?"

Seniors were already drowning in work. Usually, these competitions were reserved for underclassmen. While the specialized training sharpened critical thinking and test-taking skills, it was an immense drain on time and energy. Plus, the competitions focused on obscure, hyper-advanced theories that offered very little practical help for the standard college entrance exams.

Once the semester started, teachers would be rushing through curriculums, burying students in mock exams every single week. Squeezing in decathlon prep was a nightmare.

Mira was more focused on pulling capital out of the stock market to fund her tech company's massive burn rate. The decathlon held zero appeal to her. She preferred sticking to the standard curriculum.

Elara didn't mind either way, as long as it didn't disrupt her regular studies.

Seeing their lack of enthusiasm, Mr. Harth quickly sweetened the pot. "This is a national-level competition. Elite universities offer early admission to the top scorers. If you place high enough, not only is there a hefty cash prize, but you could get a full ride to a top-tier university and bypass the entrance exams entirely."

Bypassing the exams? If she could lock in her acceptance early, that would free up months of her time.

"Alright, I'm in," Mira said. She could sacrifice a little sleep. She was young; if she didn't hustle now, when would she?

"If Mira's doing it, I'm in too," Elara echoed immediately.

Mr. Harth blinked. 'Do you listen to Mira, or do you listen to me?'

Spots for the decathlon qualifiers were fiercely limited. Most students begged for a chance and still didn't make the cut. Subject teachers would nominate their top students, who then had to pass a grueling school-wide exam. Only the top ten were allowed to represent the school at the district qualifiers, fighting their way up to the state and national levels.

If her read on the situation was correct, Mara was swamped. She was playing corporate spy for Shane, getting drilled by Evelyn Crowe, and plotting to sabotage Julian's race car. Where exactly did she think she was going to find the time for an academic decathlon?

Because of Mara's abysmal grades, none of the teachers approved her application. However, she brought Evelyn in to vouch for her, claiming her academics had 'skyrocketed' over the winter break.

More importantly, Adrian Mercer had just made a multi-million-dollar donation to Melvion Central High School right before the holidays. The blatant bribe was specifically to ensure Mara received VIP treatment. Bending to the pressure, the principal granted Mara a special exemption to enter the qualifiers.

After school, Liora complained non-stop. "It's so unfair. Cara Dawson has way better grades than Mara, and she couldn't even get into the qualifiers. Why does Mara get a free pass?"

Mira gave her a sideways look. "Welcome to the real world, Liora. Life isn't fair. This is a private academy, it's a business. Taking care of your top donors is standard practice."