Chapter 1My childhood friend Jason rips my SAT permit to shreds—sixty seconds before lockdown.
"Think you're hot shit, huh? Looking down on Brielle 'cause she barely scraped by? You even trashed her love letter like some stuck-up bitch."
He gets in my face.
"Well, congrats. Someone about to bomb this thing doesn't get to judge anyone."
Brielle pulls him close, all cocky.
"Those answer keys you gave Jason? Yeah, he leaked 'em to me last night. Total lifesaver. We'll buy you Chipotle once we're at Yale."
They slip through. Doors SLAM.
Our teacher blinks. "They don't know you got early admission?"
Nope.
And they don't know those 'keys' were the real stolen exam.
Game on, assholes.
The bell rang.
Everyone else rushed inside.
I stayed out.
Last time around? I went crazy trying to get a replacement permit. Ran everywhere, begged everyone.
Didn't matter. Missed it anyway.
Meanwhile, Brielle took the answer keys I'd made for Jason and shot straight from community college dropout to state school golden girl. Followed him to the same city, landed some big corporate gig, got married, popped out a kid or two.
The dream couple everyone couldn't stop gushing over.
Me? I ended up selling street food in a shithole town, barely making rent.
The day they came back to parade around, some asshole customer had just given me a black eye.
Jason saw my face—beat to hell, hollow-eyed—and actually looked surprised for a second.
I lost it. Grabbed him, screaming.
"Why? Why did you do this to me?!"
He shoved me off like I was trash.
"You kept cockblocking Brielle. Reported us for dating. All because you thought you were so much smarter than her, right? Well, newsflash—besides test scores, what the hell do you even have?"
I hit the ground.
Laughing. Crying.
That's it? That's the reason?
He had no clue I only kept Brielle away because she had a record. Got kicked out of her last school for dragging other kids down with her.
I promised his parents I'd keep him focused till after the SATs.
And for once, he actually tried. Studied for real. Asked me questions. Begged me to make him those prediction sheets.
Who knew he'd rip up my permit a minute before lockdown?
I snapped.
Burned their house down that night.
Walked into the fire myself.
Second life.
I secretly applied for early admission to Harvard. Got in. Asked the school to keep quiet while I prepped like everyone else.
When Jason came begging for answer predictions again, I gave them to him.
Only this time?
Every single one was from the real leaked exam.
If he and Brielle actually use them? They're done. For life.
I mean, getting one question right by accident? Sure, maybe.
All of them?
Yeah. Try explaining that.
I glanced back toward the exam hall, smiled, and left.
After the test, everyone piled back into the classroom to prep for tomorrow.
I sat down at my desk.
Our class captain burst through the door, practically vibrating.
"Yo! Answer key's up online! Check your scores!"
"C-A-B-B-A... wait, shit! Got one wrong!"
"Dude, I had the right answer and then changed it! I'm gonna throw up!"
Someone suddenly shouted.
"Hold up—Brielle got every single one right!"
Everyone turned.
Stared at her. Then at Jason beside her.
"Girl, have you been playing us this whole time?"
"You're like Jason-level smart now?"
"Math was brutal this year and you went perfect? That's crazy!"
"Brielle... you didn't—"
The captain's jaw dropped.
Brielle laughed, flipped her hair.
"What, you think I cheated? Come on."
She tapped her chest, grinning wide.
"I just know how to predict this stuff."
She waved her phone around like she'd won the lottery.
Chapter 2
"That's every single answer I gave Jason. He sent them all to her."
"Wait, Brielle made these predictions? Girl, you're a fucking genius!"
"Your hit rate's even better than Elena's!"
Everyone swarmed Brielle.
She shot Jason a quick wink.
He smiled back. Kept his mouth shut.
People started begging.
"Girl, send it!"
"Me too!"
Brielle waved them down.
"Relax. I'm not posting this in the group. I'll DM you guys.
"But seriously—keep it to yourselves. This leaks? I'm out."
"Don't worry, we got you!"
"Hell yeah. Other classes can stay losing. We might all get into Ivies this year."
Right as they were about to download the stolen exam—
I spoke.
"I wouldn't touch that if I were you."
Everyone turned.
"Wait, didn't Elena forget her permit? She didn't even take math."
"Yo, she skipped an entire section and she's just sitting there? Didn't this girl swear it was Harvard or bust?"
The captain's voice got louder.
"Oh, so now that she's screwed, she's trying to sabotage the rest of us?"
"Right? Don't be a bitch, Elena. You forgot your permit—that's your problem. We all brought ours."
Jason stayed quiet.
Just stared.
Same as before.
Last time, when I went insane screaming at him for ripping up my permit, everyone sided with him.
We grew up together. Jason was always sweet to me.
So obviously I must've lost it and blamed him.
Same script now. He didn't say a word. Didn't have to.
I looked away.
If they wanted to walk into the trap, fine.
But then—
Brielle walked over.
Dropped a shiny new permit on my desk.
Grinned.
"Got you covered, Elena.
"Yeah, you missed math, but there's still time. Ace the rest and you'll land somewhere decent."
Everyone stared.
"Brielle is such a saint."
"For real. Elena's over here crying while Brielle is out here solving her problems."
"Guys, come on!"
Brielle cut them off. "We're all in this together. That's what friends do."
Pure golden girl energy.
Guys looked at her like she'd just saved a puppy from traffic.
I locked eyes with her.
Smiled.
Picked up the permit.
Tore it.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Brielle's grin died.
Jason's face twitched.
"Elena! Why the hell would you rip up the permit I just got you?!"
Brielle's voice cracked.
"You done playing pretend?"
I stared her down.
"You think I don't know you told Jason to shred my permit right before lockdown? So I wouldn't have time to fix it?"
Her face went ghost white.
"This was your game from the start. Now you're playing hero like you're doing me some favor.
"Brielle. You should win an Oscar."
Chapter 3
Brielle froze mid-breath.
Then she turned, dropped into her seat, and slammed her book down.
Thud.
Head down. A single tear hit the page.
Jason rushed over, hand on her back, eyes locked on me like I'd just kicked a puppy.
"Elena. Say you're sorry."
I laughed. Cold. Didn't even look at him.
But everyone else? They snapped.
"Elena, what is wrong with you?! Brielle busted her ass getting you a new permit and you're gonna accuse her of—what, sabotage?!"
"Oh, I see what this is. You're jealous Jason picked her over you, so now you're dragging her through the mud in front of everyone!"
"Apologize!"
"Yeah! Right now!"
Guys crowded around Brielle like she'd been shot.
Rubbing her shoulders. Shoving water bottles at her.
Brielle bit down hard, voice cracking.
"It's... it's fine. I shouldn't have brought up the permit thing. Elena's already stressed. I should've just... left it alone.
"Guys, don't be mad at her..."
The more she talked, the worse her voice shook.
The guys weren't buying it anymore.
"Elena! Apologize!"
"Look at her! Just say you're sorry!"
"Apologize?"
I stood. Shot one ice-cold look at Brielle—still playing victim.
"Not gonna happen."
Grabbed my bag. Headed for the door.
"Have fun cramming. I'm done with this joke of a test."
"Excuse me?"
The captain stepped in my way.
"You think you can just walk out?"
"After what you just pulled?"
A few guys blocked the exit too.
I frowned. "Move."
"Apologize first!"
"I said no."
"You gonna say it or not?!"
Someone yanked me backward—hard.
Grabbed my collar. Almost sent me sprawling.
A couple of Brielle's friends grabbed my arms, dragged me over to her desk.
Shoved me down. Forced my head toward the sharp corner of the table.
"Apologize or we'll smash your face into this thing. Your call."
My cheek hovered an inch from the edge.
"Stop! Guys, stop!"
Brielle's eyes were red. "Don't do this! I don't want anyone getting hurt because of me..."
"Brielle..."
One guy's voice broke. "You're too nice! That's why people like her keep stepping all over you!"
"For real. You made us answer keys. Got her a new permit. You've done everything right."
"You're too good for your own good. We're not letting this girl treat you like trash anymore!"
"Elena—say sorry right now, or we're all ditching the SATs tomorrow. You go to the hospital. We go to jail. Pick one."
They shoved my head down harder.
"Fine! I'm sorry!"
The second I said it, they let go.
I glared straight at Brielle. Jaw tight.
"I'm sorry. I was wrong."
"Good."
Someone shoved me back. "See? Not so hard, was it?"
Jason gave Brielle's shoulder a light squeeze.
Shot me a look colder than ice.
"You really shouldn't throw her kindness back in her face like that."
I didn't answer.
Just stared.
Tugged at my ripped sleeve.
Let out a sharp breath through my nose.
Walked out. Didn't look back.
Jason blinked.
Watched me leave. His brow twitched.
At home, my phone buzzed.
Jason: It's just one section. Don't give up now.
Jason: You're smart enough to still get into the same school as me. You know that, right?
I didn't reply.
Powered off.
Went to bed.
