The class is quiet, unsually quiet.

The teacher grins to herself, satisfied. For once, she has made her point.

"As I told you before, this test consists of 20 marks." She pauses, building the suspense. "The lowest scored for this test is ... 4."

She glares at one girl in particular.

"Why did you score such a low mark?" she asks. The girl quakes under the force of her eyes. It is as if lighting is coming out from those deep, dark and scary orbs.

Everyone is thinking the same thing. Why didn't I study harder? But they know it is not their fault. The marker. It is all the teacher's fault for marking so strictly.

Or at least, that is what they are trying to convince themselves.

One girl goes up, shaking. So many people before her had failed or did badly... The one who scored 15 had already gone up... What would her fate be?

With trembling hands, she takes her paper. She takes a peek. Then another. And another and another.

Stiffling her emotions, she goes back to her seat.

"How much you got???" are the immediate questions. She shakes her head, giving them a sad look. They stop their questions quickly; they know how sensitive she gets.

"How much did you get?" she asks some people quietly. They all watch her face fall.

Internally, she's....

She's....

She's...

She's....

She's...

...................................................