Chapter 2

Honestly, I didn't feel like I'd lost anything. I just thought Ben was being an idiot.

He thought threatening to throw away his future would get Kate a spot she'd never qualify for on her own. What he didn't get was that the only spot he'd actually given up was his.

And me? I hadn't done a thing, and somehow I was the one who came out on top.

I had barely sat down when Kate Seager's perfume hit me.

She planted both hands on my desk and leaned in, looking down at me with a smug smile she could barely hide.

"So I heard Ben tore up your admission form."

I didn't even look up. I opened my test-prep book and did a couple of problems to clear my head.

When I still didn't respond, she raised her voice. "What's the point of working so hard? You stay up late studying every night, come in second year after year, and still end up with nothing.

"Sometimes hard work just isn't enough. Some things come down to luck."

She tossed back her freshly curled brown hair and laughed, looking ridiculously pleased with herself.

"Me? I'm lucky. I've got Ben looking out for me. I could get into one of the country's top universities without even lifting a finger."

A few classmates nearby started glancing over, clearly curious.

Kate seemed to love the attention. She leaned in closer and lowered her voice until only I could hear her.

"Just wait. Once Ben and I get married, I'll be Mrs. Galland. I'll be the one calling the shots in the Galland family. Whether you still have a place in it will be up to me."

I finally stopped spinning my pen and looked up at her. She must have thought she'd gotten to me, because she looked even more pleased with herself.

Then the back door of the classroom slammed open, and my idiot brother, Ben, strolled in with his hands in his pockets.

He came straight to my desk, pulled Kate toward him, and wrapped an arm around her. Only then did he look at me like he was trying to be all understanding.

"Judy, don't be mad at me. I know this wasn't fair to you."

He spoke just loudly enough for everyone nearby who was pretending not to listen to hear every word.

"But Kate can't be without me. I can't just leave her on her own. Besides, with your grades, even if you have to go through regular admissions, you'll still have no problem getting into one of the country's top universities."

He made himself sound so noble, like he was the one making some huge sacrifice.

As soon as Kate was in his arms, she softened against him and looked up at him with wide, watery eyes.

"Ben, I knew you'd take care of me..."

The two of them acted like they were the only people in the room.

Ben ran a hand over her hair. "Come on. Who else would I take care of?"

Then he turned to me with a slight frown and started giving me one of his big-brother lectures.

"Judy, try to be reasonable. Kate isn't like us. Her grades aren't as strong, so she needs this opportunity. Just do me this favor."

I looked at the two of them, completely wrapped up in their own little drama, and almost laughed.

Do him a favor? By helping him ruin his own future and Jay's too?

I didn't say anything. I just picked up my pen again and started working through a complicated function problem on my scratch paper.

The solution started coming together in my head. It was way more interesting than the pathetic little act those two were putting on.