Chapter 4

The application deadline arrived soon after.

I was asleep in my hotel room when my mother called.

“Sweetheart, the deadline is tonight. Log in and check every application again. Don’t let anything go wrong. I saw a story yesterday about a student whose college list was changed by a relative at the last minute. Just check yours one more time.”

I had never told anyone my username or password, so I thought it should be impossible for anyone to get into my account.

Still, to be safe, I took out my laptop.

But the moment I logged in, I froze.

One of my top-choice applications, the one I had already submitted, had somehow been withdrawn. In its place, someone had added a tiny for-profit college I had never even heard of.

My heart nearly stopped.

I silently thanked my mother over and over.

I immediately restored the application, confirmed the submission status, and checked every document, every essay, and every school on my list.

Then I called my parents.

They were shocked too, but they quickly calmed down and told me to change my password, secure my email, and enable two-factor authentication on every account.

A while later, my father sent me an IP address.

The moment I saw it, I understood.

It really was that bastard Ethan.

He had tried to drag me down with him.

Most of my old passwords were connected to my birthday. He must have guessed one of them and used it to get into my application account.

Thank God my mother had reminded me in time.

Even though I was overseas, I wanted to fly back immediately and tear him apart.

I lost all interest in going anywhere that day. I stayed in the hotel and watched my application portals until the deadline passed, terrified that something else might go wrong.

When the final deadline closed, I finally let out a breath.

But before I could fully relax, my phone buzzed.

Lisa had sent me two photos.

The first was a screenshot of the for-profit college that had been added to my list.

“You couldn’t afford a school like Harvard or Yale anyway, so I helped you choose somewhere more realistic. Low tuition. Perfect for a poor loser like you.”

The second was a photo of her and Ethan kissing, their arms around each other.

“I should thank Ethan. Without him, I never would’ve known your password.”

I looked at the messages once, then blocked her.

My application had already been fixed.

They would not be smug for much longer.

Decisions from the top schools came out a few weeks later.

The night before the official school announcement, my guidance counselor called and asked me to come in the next morning. She said the school wanted to congratulate me in person and take a few photos for its website.

I went as she asked.

But when I arrived at school, I found that many of my classmates were there too.

Ethan saw me first and sneered.

“What are you doing here? Today is for people waiting on Ivy League decisions. Community college enrollment doesn’t need a ceremony.”

The crowd burst into malicious laughter.

“Let her stay,” someone said. “At least she can see what an acceptance from a real school looks like. This is probably the closest she’ll ever get.”

Their mockery did not affect me.

The truth would come out soon enough.

Just then, someone shouted, “The counselor is here!”

Everyone turned toward the hallway.

Our guidance counselor walked toward us with a folder in her arms. Her expression was tense.

Ethan was the first to rush forward.

“Where are the rest of the acceptance packets? Are there too many to carry? I can help.”

The counselor looked at all of them, her face dark with anger.

“What is going on with you people? I checked with the admissions offices this morning. None of you were admitted.”

The hallway went silent.