Mag-log inI'm reviewing a math practice test the night before the college entrance exam when I spot a chunk of red text that shouldn't be there. "At 10:00 pm, your sister's classmate, Britney Lowe, will come to your house asking to stay the night. She'll say she had a fight with her parents and has nowhere else to go." "At 2:00 am, she'll sneak into your room, then call the police at dawn and accuse you of assaulting her." "The police will arrest you, and you'll be sentenced to three years in prison. Your younger sister, Lizzie Brown, will become the target of school gossip, and unable to face the online bullying, she'll jump to her death." I frown as I read it, assuming it's some kind of prank. But right on schedule, the doorbell rings. There's Britney, standing in the doorway, her eyes red from crying. Lizzie freezes. "Britney? What are you doing here?" "Lizzie, I fought with my parents and don't really have anywhere to go. Can I stay at your place tonight?" I stand in the living room, watching it unfold. A chill runs down my back. The prediction in my workbook is actually coming true. I quickly look down at the workbook lying open on the table. The last line of red text is still there. "Once the police take you away, your spot at Bayfield College will go to Britney's boyfriend." I stride over to the door and turn her away without hesitation. "Sorry, Britney, but we'll be staying at a hotel tonight."
view moreI didn't speak to Lizzie again that night.The next day, after finishing my second day of testing, I accompanied her to the police station. She stood frozen at the entrance for a long time, unable to bring herself to cross the threshold.I didn't rush her. I simply stood by her side. After about five minutes, Lizzie took a deep breath, pushed open the door, and walked inside.I waited outside for nearly an hour.When Lizzie finally came out, her eyes were swollen and red, but her posture was visibly lighter, as if a massive weight had been lifted off her shoulders. "Done?" I asked. She nodded. "The cops said I won't face criminal charges since I turned myself in voluntarily and cooperated with the investigation.""Good."I turned and walked toward the bus stop, and Lizzie trailed quietly behind me. The bus was nearly empty. We sat side by side in silence.As we neared home, Lizzie suddenly broke the quiet. "Mike, don't you hate me?"I looked out the window. "I do."She k
I stood outside the testing center gates, my phone clutched tightly in my hand. The midday sun beat down on me, yet a bone-deep chill crawled down my spine. Britney hadn't drugged Lizzie. So what had actually been in that glass of milk? Lizzie had sworn she drank it and immediately passed out, but Britney insisted she never brought her any milk. That meant Lizzie had lied to my face. I tightened my grip on the device until my knuckles turned white and my nails bit into my palm. By the time the afternoon college entrance exam session wrapped up, dusk was already painting the sky. Mom was waiting outside with a lunchbox in her hands."Where's Lizzie?""She said she wasn't feeling well and went home first."I took the lunchbox from Mom without a word.As we drove home, I stared blankly at the streetlights blurring past the car window. I couldn't shake the heavy, suffocating dread that my own sister had betrayed me. When we got back, I walked straight to Lizzie's bedroom door a
The sun had barely broken over the horizon when I stepped out of Sunny Grove. Standing by the roadside, I quickly checked my phone. There was still an hour before the college entrance exam started. I had just enough time.I sent a quick text to Mom. "Mom, I'm fine. I'll head straight to the test center from here."Then I called Dad. It rang for quite a while before he finally picked up. "Dad.""Where are you?" Dad's voice sounded tense. "I'm out taking care of something. Has Mr. Reid contacted you again?"A brief, heavy silence hung over the line. "No.""He won't be anymore. Britney's mom has already handed the police the audio recording of Duncan instructing Britney. Duncan will be taken into custody very soon."Dad went quiet for another long moment before asking, "Really?""Yeah."With that, I ended the call and hailed an approaching cab. Just as I got in, my phone buzzed in my hand. It was a message from that same unknown number. "Good job. But remember, Duncan
My heart sank.If Mr. Reid found Britney's mom, Betty Cole, first and promised to hire the best possible defense lawyer for Britney on the condition that she keep Duncan's name completely out of it, Britney would likely take the fall for everything. I immediately dialed Betty's number. It rang for a long time, but no one picked up. I tried calling again, but to no avail. I put my phone away. "Mom, I need to head out for a bit.""Where are you going? You have to take the exam later…""I'll be back before you know it."I sprinted out of the hotel lobby and hailed a cab at the curb. "Sunny Grove."The cab pulled up at the gates of Sunny Grove. I paid the fare, rushed inside, and rang Britney's doorbell.Silence.I pressed the doorbell button and held it down this time, refusing to let go. The door finally clicked open. Betty stood in the entryway, her eyes bloodshot and swollen, her hair a chaotic mess, wearing a coat thrown hastily over her pajamas. "What are you doing he












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