Chapter 2

Selena waved a stack of forms and tapped them against the teacher's table to square the edges. "These are leave-of-absence forms. Sign one, and you don't have to come to class anymore. Just show up for the exam when it's time."

Todd Norton was the first to lunge for one, signing his name without a second thought. "Whatever Selena says goes. Anyone who doesn't sign is an idiot."

Phil Owen hesitated for two seconds before following suit. Once someone had taken the lead, everyone crowded in, scrambling to fill out their own forms.

"Sign fast and go home to game. See you all in your dream universities!"

In the end, only one form was left. Selena looked over at me, still sitting in my seat, and held it out. "Riley, aren't you gonna sign?"

I stared back at her, expressionless, making no move to take it.

Selena's composure slipped for a second, her face flushing red. "Don't tell me you're scared. Everyone else already signed. What are you so afraid of?"

Todd chimed in, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "She's the top student in our grade. Cutting corners with the rest of us? Beneath her, probably.

"Three years of busting her ass studying, and now she finds out we can get into our dream university with one line of text. All that effort, wasted. Wouldn't that sting?"

A few muffled laughs rippled through the room.

Selena's tone turned pitying. "Riley, I get that you're bitter, but even at your best, you wouldn't make it into the top university on your own merit."

She sighed, looking at me like she was looking at an idiot. "There's a way for you to get in easy right now. Why won't you take it?"

My boyfriend, Grayson Statham, looked down at me, his patience clearly running out. "You're the only one left who hasn't signed. What's your deal?"

He tilted his chin up, open contempt in his eyes. "You've got a golden ticket, but you'd rather make things hard for yourself."

Selena tugged at his sleeve and turned back to me, putting on a show of concern. "Are you really not going to sign? You'll be the only one left in the whole class. Doesn't that bother you?"

Grayson let out a scornful laugh, his eyes mocking. "She can't stand watching the rest of us catch a break. She busted her ass for three years, and now we get in with one line of text. Of course she's bitter."

Todd jumped in, his voice sour. "Everyone signed except her. Acting like she's the only sane one here. What's the point of the act?"

Selena picked up the form and waved it in front of my face. "Riley, last chance. Are you signing or not? Don't say I never gave you the opportunity."

When I didn't react, she let out a theatrical sigh. "Once everyone but you gets into our dream universities, don't come crying to me."

I looked around the room, slowly, and finally spoke. "No."

Selena's smile froze, her eyes reddening at the rims. "Riley, tell me the truth. If you're not signing, are you planning to report us?"

The whole room went dead silent. She bit her lip, her voice trembling slightly. "If you have a problem with me, take it out on me directly. This concerns everyone's future. Don't make the whole class pay for it."

Her words lit a fuse. Everyone's expression turned in an instant.

"That's why she wouldn't sign! She's been planning something behind our backs this whole time!"

Selena waved her hands quickly, playing the peacemaker. "Everyone, calm down. I was just asking. Maybe that's not what Riley meant."

Grayson slammed a fist on my desk, hard enough to rattle it. He leaned down, his face inches from mine, eyes full of disgust. "Riley, are you going to go rat us out? What the hell is wrong with you? Why are you so selfish?"

His chest heaved. He ground his teeth and spat out, "If you don't sign this form today, we're done. We're breaking up."