I Took My Future Back

At 3:30 p.m. on January 15, I finished filling out my college applications and went to the mall with my parents to celebrate.

While we waited for our coffee, a stream of comments suddenly appeared in front of me.

[You're still celebrating? Chloe, the prettiest girl at school, scored just ten points lower than you on college entrance exam. She hired a hacker to delete your application to Valemont University before you could submit it.

[Your application to Valemont University is gone. If you don't catch it before tonight's deadline, you can kiss that school goodbye!

[When your relatives find out at your graduation party, your parents will never hear the end of it. You'll end up at a community college, where some loser with bleached hair will sweep you off your feet. Before those two years are up, you'll have two kids.

[Years of hard work, ruined in one day!

[College choices close at five. You have an hour to stop this.

[Get home, now!]

I froze. Leaving my coffee behind, I grabbed my phone and ran home.

I turned on my computer, logged into my application account, and stared at my college list.

Valemont University was gone. Someone really had messed with my application!

The school was missing from my list, along with everything I filled out.

I broke out in a cold sweat.

Chloe Sherman and I were both top students at Langford High.

She was prettier than me, outgoing, and always dressed well. Right from freshman year, everyone called her the prettiest girl in school.

I was quiet, kept to myself, and spent all my time studying.

As far as everyone else was concerned, Chloe had me beat at everything except for the one thing I consistently beat her at for three years: grades.

I ranked first in our class throughout high school and scored 1590 on college entrance exam.

Chloe always came in second. She scored 1580, just ten points behind me.

The day our scores came out, she came looking for me.

"Gwen, don't think those ten points make you better than me. Watch yourself."

I figured she was just upset, so I walked away without giving it another thought.

Now, I stared at my account, her warning running through my head. My hands shook.

I added Valemont University back to my list and filled out the application again. Just as I was ready to submit it, more comments appeared.

[No, no, no! You haven't locked the hacker out of your account. They can delete it again before you hit submit!]

My grip tightened on the mouse. My palm was slick with sweat.

I logged out, then hurried to log back in.

My application was gone again.

Valemont University was gone for the second time.

It was 4:10 p.m.

Fifty minutes until the deadline, and I was right back where I started.

Even if I filled everything out again, whoever was in my account could delete it before I hit submit.

My heart hammered in my chest. I jumped, grabbed my phone, and ran for the door.