Jimmy hadn't expected to make friends in high school. According to the statistics, most people ended up forgetting those bonds just a few years after entering college.
The job crisis would wear them down, and those who truly cared about their futures would set aside fun to focus on building their careers.
"Are you ready?" Victoria asked, glancing at Jimmy, who simply nodded in response.
When Jimmy followed the teacher into the classroom, everyone seemed to be busy with their assignments—though in reality, no one was actually paying attention.
The moment Jimmy stepped through the door, every girl in the room gasped in surprise.
"What are you doing here?" asked Sheldon, his face a mix of surprise and a hint of hostility. He knew Jimmy was about his age, and seeing him in class could only mean one thing: like Sheldon, Jimmy had also skipped several grades.
Jimmy smiled, unbothered, and replied, "This is my class, Sheldon."
Victoria walked to the front of the room and raised her voice. "Everyone, quiet down, please. This boy next to me will be your new classmate. As you can see, he's also advanced in his studies, just like Sheldon. I expect you all to treat him as a friend."
Jimmy looked at Victoria, and she gave him a nod.
"Alright, tell them your full name."
"My name is Jimmy Neutron. If you ever need help with anything covered in class, feel free to come to me." He responded politely, projecting the image of someone who had come to school ready to help anyone who needed it.
The only way Jimmy could avoid becoming the target of older students was by helping them with their assignments. Fortunately, that was something he could do quite easily—he just had to identify who needed support with homework, projects, or exams.
"Very well, Jimmy. You can find an empty seat and sit down," Victoria instructed, trying to avoid a repeat of the awkward situation she'd had with Sheldon on his first day.
After hearing her, Jimmy scanned the room, looking for an available seat.
In high school, students don't have assigned seating.
The ones who waste time on nonsense usually take the back row.
Statistically, most students choose seats in the middle—less conspicuous, ideal for those who believe they don't have much talent but still don't want to appear disruptive.
The front rows, meanwhile, are occupied by the most studious—or by those unlucky enough to have arrived before the others.
In this class, little Sheldon, a very dedicated student, sat right in the middle of the front row. Because of his critical, analytical, and attention-grabbing personality, everyone else tried their best to keep their distance.
Jimmy glanced around the classroom, and as the girls looked up at him expectantly, he walked over to the seat to Sheldon's left and sat down.
His decision didn't surprise many. Most assumed he was similar to Sheldon and quickly stopped paying attention to him.
Victoria resumed the lesson. She was the English teacher, so for many, hers was the most relaxed class. After waiting for the room to quiet down, she picked up where she had left off.
Throughout the lesson, Jimmy listened to Sheldon answer questions and actively participate.
Most of the students looked at ease, grateful that someone in the class was so eager to answer questions—so they wouldn't have to embarrass themselves trying to come up with answers they didn't have.
Jimmy remained quiet, too. He was busy thinking about the design of his console and the name of his future company. He also needed dedicated investors who could handle product distribution and provide funding for the entire process.
Unfortunately, Jimmy needed a wealthy entrepreneur who was hungry for even more wealth. That's why he was only willing to sell ten percent of his company.
Then again, they might not agree to invest unless they got at least a third of the company, especially if the right people saw the value in his creation.
…
Half an hour later, the class ended.
At Sheldon's insistence, Miss Victoria had been forced to simplify the class, express things more clearly, and keep it productive—without being interrupted every three minutes.
Jimmy, meanwhile, had come up with the perfect name for his company, a logo design, and several strategies to avoid being devoured by greedy investors.
When he looked up, he noticed Sheldon had walked up to him at some point, staring at him blankly.
"Something wrong, Sheldon?" Jimmy asked, setting aside what he was working on.
"I'm here to inform you that from now on, you'll never get a chance to answer the questions in math class—or any class, really," Sheldon declared seriously. For the first time, he was feeling a true sense of competition.
Jimmy smiled, deliberately showing a bit of weariness, and said, "If there's one thing I'm good at, it's math. But honestly, I doubt we'll have many chances to be rivals in a place like this."
"I don't really understand what you mean, but I believe this is my victory," Sheldon replied before walking away.