POV Aisha
Aisha arrived at School C with Bela, Nisa, and a few other friends representing their school for the district-level math competition. They navigated through the bustling crowd around the school, which had become the center of activity for the day. Students, teachers, and parents moved in every direction—some carrying papers and clipboards, others just watching. Aisha swallowed hard; her heart pounded in her chest.
They stopped for a quick photo with their supervising teacher, stiff smiles mingling with quiet pride. Then it was time to pick up the participant cards. Aisha's hands trembled as she reached for hers.
"Ugh… I think I'm going to—" she whispered to Bela, cheeks flushing.
Bela chuckled softly. "Come on. You're just nervous."
"Are you not nervous?" Aisha shot back, suspicious.
"No. I don't even care about my score."
"Heh…" Aisha frowned at Bela's calm demeanor. She glanced at Nisa, sitting nearby, still absorbed in her notebook and pen, watching an instructional video.
"Hmmm… Nisa is really dedicated. If only she had a system like mine, she wouldn't need to study so hard."
Her system responded in her mind. "Heh, Host. Not just anyone has me, you know."
"I know," Aisha said, shaking her head, expression flat.
When Aisha's session began, she entered the exam room. A chill greeted her. Concrete walls, neat rows of desks, and computers on every surface. Bright white lights hung from the ceiling, making the room feel stark and sterile.
"System… am I going to win this?" she whispered.
[Host. Trust your abilities.]
"Heh, you're really not going to help me, are you?"
[No, Host. You must do this yourself. If I help, it's a lie. It's cheating.]
"Since when did you become wise?"
[Since my master began to be wise.]
Aisha's face went flat. She exhaled and took her seat. Beside her, a girl from another school was already arranging her paper and pencils neatly.
Before the test officially started, Aisha scanned the room. Cameras were mounted on each computer; any attempt to cheat would be immediately visible. Only one blank sheet of paper and one pen were allowed. No notebooks. No phones. Just integrity.
Feeling the quiet, Aisha greeted the girl next to her. "Mmm… hi!"
The girl turned, slightly startled, then smiled. "Hi?"
"Mm… which school are you from?" Aisha asked, awkwardly.
"I'm from School X," the girl replied.
"Ohhh… I'm from Pondok Pesantren A," Aisha introduced herself. The girl offered a faint smile.
The timer began, and the competition officially started. Aisha focused on her computer screen. The first question appeared: a word problem.
"Adi bought seven bananas at three dinars each, then spent the rest of his money on dates…"
Aisha stared at the screen, mumbling quietly, almost laughing. "Seriously? Who cares how much Adi spent on seven bananas?"
After a moment, she exhaled and returned to focus.
One question after another appeared—algebra, geometry, sequences, logic. Every step Aisha took was deliberate and orderly. The system in her mind stayed quiet, waiting. This was a test of integrity, and she took pride in solving it herself.
The proctor rang a small bell, signaling the end. Pens dropped, screens froze. Quiet whispers rippled as students compared strategies without breaking the rules. Aisha packed her notebooks, heart still racing.
They nodded to each other. Aisha knew this was the start of a friendly rivalry—one that could make them both stronger.
Outside, the sun was warm, the air light. Aisha inhaled deeply, relief washing over her. She was proud—not because of the results, but because she had given her best, maintained her integrity, and tested her abilities.
The results would be posted in seven days.
After the competition, Aisha rejoined her group. Bela, Nisa, and the others had already gathered near the school gate, their faces a mix of relief, exhaustion, and quiet excitement.
They piled onto the bus that would take them back, settling into the worn seats. The hum of the engine was a comforting background as the city blurred past the windows. "I need food," Bela said suddenly, stretching her arms. "I can't think straight without lunch."
"Same," Nisa added, rubbing her stomach.
The bus made a brief stop at a roadside eatery. The smell of grilled meats, spices, and fresh bread filled the air. Wooden tables and benches lined the small dining hall.
Aisha, Bela, and Nisa found a table in the corner, each of them carrying the lingering weight of their morning efforts.
They ordered quickly. Aisha chose a plate of fried rice with egg, shredded chicken, and a few slices of cucumber on the side, accompanied by a tall glass of sweet iced tea.
Bela opted for grilled chicken skewers with rice, while Nisa picked a noodle soup with slices of beef and greens floating on top.
Aisha took a careful sip of her iced tea and exhaled. "Ah… that's better. I can finally breathe."
Bela leaned back, smirking. "So, tell us everything. How was it sitting there with the other students?"
Aisha shook her head, stirring her rice absentmindedly. "I was so nervous. I kept thinking about the cameras, the rules… and the questions. Some of them were tricky. I felt like my brain might explode."
Nisa laughed softly. "You should have seen Bela and me."
Bela groaned. "Hey!"
"I'm serious," Nisa said, eyes twinkling. "She was sitting next to me and kept trying to peek at my answers."
"I was not! I just… wanted to make sure we were on the same page," Bela protested, waving her hands.
"And I told her, 'No, Bela! Focus on your own work.'" Nisa shook her head, laughing.
"Fine! I gave up," Bela admitted, holding her hands in mock surrender.
Aisha giggled into her iced tea. "Wow… so you two sat in the same room, and I was in a completely different one?"
"Yup," Nisa said. "I had the front row, you had the back, and Bela was… well, sneaking around like a little spy."
"I was not!" Bela repeated, but the mischievous glint in her eye betrayed her.
The three of them ate, the tension of the morning melting with every bite. Aisha picked at her chicken while stirring her rice, the sweet iced tea sliding down smoothly. She felt lighter somehow, the nervous energy dissipating in the warmth of good food and familiar friends.