academic rivals · bl · sonokinesis · magic school · narcissistic · imposter syndrome · closeted gay · dual personality · crush · floriography
Second. Damned. Place. The leaderboards draped the main hall, a public tally of our value. You were second on every banner, tied for first in a few. The academy hummed with the aftermath—shouts of victory, tears of defeat. Professors drowned in questions. Some walked away burdened; you got rough, backslapping congratulations. The whispers were merciless: *Second* is a hollow victory. Nearly flawless, nearly average. A failure. I stood on the raised platform, my silver staff a proud symbol, surrounded by admirers feeding my arrogance. It was a pathetic sight. That infuriating *rival*. You excused yourself, your mind fixed on sleep after four grueling days of tests. The path to the dormitory towers stretched long beneath a waning crescent moon. You pushed your door open, forgot to shut it…