Chapter 4

On the eve of the college entrance exams, light spilled from every window of the Hogan residence.

A lavish catered party filled the house, with hundreds of guests gathered to celebrate Jared becoming the state's top scorer before he had even sat the exam.

Fireworks lit up the backyard for hours.

Dressed in a custom designer gown, Sienna approached Jared and held out the keys to a brand-new Ferrari. In her other hand was a custom diamond band.

"Jared, once the exam is over and you take the top spot, let's make our engagement official. What do you say?"

Jared raised an eyebrow, then accepted both gifts. As the guests cheered and teased them, he slipped the ring onto his finger. "What's the rush? I haven't even taken the exam yet. But I suppose I can accept the gesture."

The house rang with laughter as everyone celebrated a victory that hadn't happened yet.

Meanwhile, I was living in a basement room near the school. I had moved out of the Hogan estate the day I signed the papers cutting me off from the family. The room was barely a hundred square feet.

My phone lit up. An email from Westbridge Academy of Art had arrived. It read, "Congratulations! You have been selected for early admission to our prestigious International Honors Program. Your official acceptance package will arrive shortly."

I stared at the screen for a long moment. Only three students in the world had been chosen. That was all I needed.

…

The college entrance exams began the following morning.

The Hogans hired a fleet of ten Rolls-Royces to escort Jared to the testing center. The cars stretched down the block, bringing the entire street to a standstill.

My bus was stuck behind the convoy, unable to move an inch.

Sienna leaned out of one of the car windows and spotted me on the bus. She laughed. "Can't even make it to the testing center, Riley? I guess some people are destined to stay at the bottom."

I didn't waste time responding.

I climbed out through the bus window, unlocked a rental bike with my phone, and raced through the side streets. I burst into the testing center with less than a minute to spare and took my seat beneath the proctor's disapproving stare.

When the first test landed on my desk, I skimmed the language arts section and marked C for every multiple-choice question.

I left the essay blank. Then, I used the empty space on the answer sheet to draw 25 distinct skulls.

I did the same thing for every other subject. Four answer sheets. One hundred skulls.

After the final test, reporters packed the sidewalk outside the testing center. The moment Jared emerged, they swarmed around him.

Facing the cameras, he wore a smile that was equal parts confidence and arrogance. "I did exceptionally well. I'm expecting a perfect 750."

One reporter leaned closer. "750 is the full score. Are you sure about that?"

Jared gave a casual shrug. "Let's just say I wouldn't be surprised if I broke the state record."

I slipped out through a side entrance, avoiding the cameras entirely.

On the day the scores were released, I went to the celebration.

Jared had reserved the grand ballroom of the most exclusive hotel in the city. A massive banner hung above the stage. It read, "Congratulations to Jared Hogan, the state's top scorer!"

Rows of cameras lined both sides of the ballroom. Nearly every major media outlet in the state was in attendance, along with representatives from the Board of Education.

I arrived in a cheap white T-shirt, only to be stopped at the entrance by one of Sienna's security guards.

"What are you doing here?" Sienna emerged from the ballroom and looked me up and down with open disdain. "This celebration is for the city's elite. Are you here for a free meal, or are you looking for a handout?"

I reached into my pocket and pulled out an official invitation bearing the seal of Westbridge Academy of Art. Sienna faltered. Before she could recover, I walked straight past her and into the ballroom.

I found a seat in the most secluded corner. As luck would have it, there was a platter of lobster right in front of me.

I helped myself to one. Not bad.

At exactly noon, the online score portal went live.

The ballroom fell silent as everyone gathered around the main stage.

Dressed in a bespoke designer suit, Jared strode onto the stage beneath a storm of camera flashes.

Beaming, he waved to the cameras. "Good afternoon, everyone. I'd like to thank the press for joining us today. Now, let's witness history together."

He sat down at the computer and entered his exam registration number.

The entire ballroom began counting down. "Three, two, one!"

Jared pressed the Enter key. The display refreshed, and his results appeared on the massive screen behind him.

More than 300 people stared up at the same number.