Chapter 1My twin sister's got this thing. "Sibling rivalry disorder."
Every time I beat her score, she can't sleep. Starts cutting herself with razors.
The shrink's fix? Make ME tank.
Crazy, right? But my whole family went for it.
Mom messed with my alarm. I woke up late, ran for the door.
She turned to Sloane and said, "Now your sister's gonna be late."
My brother said he'd drive me. Five minutes in, the car "died."
I got out, started running. Saw him in the mirror. Smiling.
My best friend pulled me aside, talked to me like a kid: "Just bomb it once, yeah? You're smart. What's one gap year?"
Just like that, Sloane's scores kept going up. Everyone thought their plan was working.
SAT day, they handed me a water bottle. I looked at it for a second. Drank it anyway.
Ten minutes later? I'm bent over, running out of the exam room.
They all looked at me. Same look. "We did it."
The last bit of hope I had? Gone.
Best part? They don't know they messed with the wrong sister.
Oh man, I can't wait to see their faces.
---
I was fucked up. Couldn't even stand up right.
My legs wouldn't stop shaking. Had to lean on the wall to get out of the bathroom.
They came over. Pretending they cared.
Mom looked at me. "Harlow, don't be mad."
"Sloane's gonna flip out tonight if she doesn't get into Princeton or Stanford because of you."
"Just be cool. Let your sister have this."
My brother Kade didn't even look worried. "Can't get into a good school? Don't worry about it. I'll handle it."
My cruch Micah tried to make it sound okay. "You're smart. Just take it again next year."
Eighteen years. Busted my ass for eighteen years.
All because Sloane made up some fake disorder.
And they just kept messing with me.
I didn't say anything. Started leaving.
Mom grabbed my arm. "Sloane's still taking the test. Stay."
My lips were white. I was holding my stomach. Felt like I was dying.
They didn't see any of that.
Only cared about Sloane.
The exam bell rang.
Sloane came out. Face all sad and everything.
"Harlow, you came out so fast. Bet you finished early, huh?"
"Knew it. Can't beat you."
She looked at a tree. "Maybe I should just run into it."
"Better than failing and looking stupid in front of everyone."
Mom hugged her right away. "Baby, stop."
Kade laughed. "Come on. Harlow's got nothing on you."
"She doesn't even remember what she ate this morning. Ran out after ten minutes."
"Spent an hour in the bathroom."
Sloane looked at them. "You're not messing with me?"
Micah put his hand up. "Swear I'm not."
"She wasn't supposed to leave till the last thirty minutes, but she bailed after ten."
"That's against the rules. They didn't even let her back in."
I watched them trash my exam just to make Sloane feel better.
My heart was already dead. But it still hurt.
Took them forever to even look at me.
"Harlow, tell Sloane. That's what happened, right?"
They all stared at me. Waiting.
"Yeah. Left it blank."
Sloane's eyes lit up.
I kept talking. "Zero on Reading. Even if I took the rest, I'm screwed."
"Not doing the other sections."
"Harlow, you serious?"
I nodded. "Yeah."
Chapter 2
After the exam, Sloane was all over Mom. "Mom, Harlow didn't take it, so I felt great."
"I probably got a perfect score. Maybe even top in the country."
Mom patted her head. "Of course you did. You're amazing."
"Harlow's got nothing on you. So what do you want?"
Sloane tilted her head. Looked at me. "I did so good, and you're buying me stuff? Give it to Harlow instead."
"Like, to make her feel better."
That's Sloane's thing.
Pretends she cares. But she's just rubbing it in.
Kade pulled out his phone. "Harlow, you did awesome, thinking about Harlow like that. You deserve something."
"Harlow didn't even take the test, but you asked for her anyway. Sending you both money."
Both our phones buzzed.
"Kade! Oh my god! Hundred sixty grand!"
"I love you!"
Sloane screamed. Kissed his cheek.
"Harlow, check yours! How much did he give you?"
I didn't move. Micah grabbed my phone. Opened it.
One cent.
Sloane acted shocked. "Kade, that's not fair."
"Why'd you give Harlow so little?"
Kade shrugged. "You're blaming me for no reason."
"I'm being fair. You got a perfect 1600, so a hundred times that is a hundred sixty grand."
"Harlow didn't even take it. One cent's generous."
Sloane nodded. "Yeah, okay. That makes sense."
"Harlow, don't blame Kade. Your stomach messed you up."
I grabbed my phone back from Micah.
Stood up. Started walking out.
They were celebrating Sloane no matter what. Didn't need me there.
"Harlow, are you mad I did well?"
I hadn't said anything. But Mom and the others all looked at me like I did something wrong.
Like I was gonna ruin Sloane's day.
"Nah. Going to my room. Getting your gift."
I went upstairs. Saw stuff on my desk I used to care about.
Stanford pin. Micah gave me that. Said he'd wait for me there.
Brass pen. Kade gave me that. Said I'd do great things.
Lucky charm. Mom got it from church. Said I'd kill it on every test.
I didn't want any of it now.
Just like I didn't want them.
Grabbed everything. Went back down.
"Here."
Mom's face changed.
"Harlow, that's the charm I got you."
I smiled. "Yeah."
"Don't have money for new stuff."
"So she's getting the things I used to care about."
Mom blinked. "Didn't I tell Kade to give you money?"
Kade scratched his head. "Sloane's been a mess. Spent it all on her."
"Harlow doesn't need money. She's helping with Sloane anyway."
Right then, I got it.
Sloane's grades were trash. She was "unstable." Got whatever she wanted.
Me? Couldn't even buy practice tests. Had to work.
They never saw me coming home late from work. Too busy with Sloane.
I didn't matter to them.
Fine.
If Sloane mattered that much, I'd give them something.
"Mom, didn't Sloane say you should get me something?"
"I don't need anything. Just get her something new."
Mom looked at me. Smiled like I was finally being good.
"What do you wanna get her? I'll pay."
"Let's throw her a party. Invite everyone. Celebrate her being top scorer."
Chapter 3
"Yes! Sloane killed it. We gotta celebrate."
They all crowded around her. Talking over each other about the party.
Micah pushed me out of the way to get closer.
I tripped. My head hit the corner of the coffee table.
Loud bang. Nobody noticed.
Big red bump on my forehead. I didn't say anything.
Just got up. Left.
They wouldn't care anyway.
And I had to go make money for college.
At the karaoke place, I changed into my work clothes. Went room to room selling drinks.
Then heard someone I knew.
Opened the door. Sloane stared at me.
"Harlow?"
I froze.
Mom, Kade, Micah—they all turned around.
Mom looked at my uniform. Her face went red.
"Harlow, you trying to kill me?"
"You got a zero this year, but you're retaking it, right?"
"You're smart. You really gonna be a waitress your whole life?"
Kade frowned. "You trying to ruin yourself?"
Micah grabbed my hand. Started dragging me to the door. "Let's go. Now. We're going home. You're studying."
I looked at them. Wanted to laugh.
They wanted me to fail. Now I did, and they're pissed?
Next few days, they locked me in my room. Made me study.
This "attention" they're giving me? I hated it.
Party day. Sloane was freaking out about her outfit.
"Mom, is my dress ready?"
"Today's my day!"
Mom ran over with a box. "Baby, got you custom designer. Two hundred thousand."
Kade pulled out a velvet box. "This is from me. Pink diamond necklace. Five hundred grand."
Micah wasn't backing down. "Check this. My mom got this crown at an auction. Over a hundred million."
Sloane took everything. Looked like a princess.
The princess got in a fancy car. They all went with her to the hotel.
I got left in my room.
Later, my phone buzzed.
"Harlow, just get to the hotel."
I didn't say no. Today mattered. I wanted to see the show.
When I got there, I was drenched in sweat. My shirt stuck to my back.
Mom saw me. Made a face.
"Why do you look like that? Today's Sloane's day. You're making us look bad."
Making them look bad?
If I had money, I wouldn't have walked here.
But I didn't wanna explain. They wouldn't listen anyway.
Kade found a server outfit somewhere. Threw it at me.
"Put this on."
"Don't sit at the main table. Go find a corner."
"Don't mess up Sloane's party."
The party started.
Everyone crowded around Mom. Going on about how great Sloane was.
Then the doors opened. People started whispering.
"Oh my god, is that Stanford's admissions guy?"
"Yeah! That's the MIT one too, right?"
"Damn. Columbia sent someone. This girl's going places."
Sloane looked at Mom and the others. Smug as hell.
"Told you. I killed it. Probably top scorer in the whole country."
Micah's parents grabbed Sloane's hands. "You're incredible. Pick Stanford or MIT, and Micah'll have company."
They used to say that to me.
The admissions people rushed over to Sloane.
"Harlow Bennett!"
"Come to our school. We'll make it worth it."
