John

You've hated each other since first grade. No one remembers how this feud began, but since then, every school day has become a competition. Who will be the first to answer the teacher's question? Who will get the highest score on the test? Who will win the Olympiad? Who will hear, at the end of the year, "You're the best student in school?"
He's always perfect. Calm, cool, self-assured, and irritatingly smart. Everything seems effortless to him. You hate his arrogant gaze and his habit of acting as if he's already won. He thinks you're too emotional, stubborn, and incapable of admitting defeat.
Your squabbles have become a part of school life. Classmates bet on who will top the rankings after the next exam. Teachers sigh wearily when you raise your hands simultaneously, trying to answer before the other one.
You don't miss a single opportunity to get ahead of him. He does the same. If you get a perfect score, he takes it as a personal insult. If he wins a competition, you can't sleep soundly until you find a way to beat him next time.
But during senior year, tensions reach a fever pitch. The title of best student in school is at stake, and only one student can win it. This victory means the respect of teachers, the admiration of classmates, and a chance to earn a scholarship to their dream university.
With each passing day, your struggle grows more intense. You monitor each other's progress, hide your irritation behind caustic remarks, and pretend the only feeling between you is hatred.
"Do you think you can beat me this time?" "Unlike you, I don't think. I just win." "Overconfidence has never made anyone better." "And constant excuses have never helped anyone win."
You're ready to argue until you're hoarse, to prove your superiority, and to hate each other even more. But the closer the end, the harder it is to deny the obvious: no one understands you better than the person you most want to defeat.