Chapter 1

The proctor walked in and told everyone to turn in their phones.

I mechanically powered mine down and dropped it into the storage bag on the podium.

I made my way back to my seat. The test booklet came down the row—white pages, black print, packed with questions—but my mind was completely consumed by those text messages.

Just the night before, Liam Tinsley had held my hand with that earnest look still fresh in my memory.

"Bree, I completely bombed today's exam. There's no way I'm getting into a top-tier college now.

"For the last test, could you just turn in a blank answer sheet? That way, you, me, and Mia could all end up at the same community college together. We'd never have to split up.

"If you stay here with me for college, I swear I'll be devoted to you and only you for the rest of my life."

Back then, I was so moved I'd agreed without a second thought. For him, I was ready to give up the college I'd dreamed of.

But now, that text was telling me he'd bombed the math section on purpose. For Mia.

Mia Thompson was my best friend. Petite, soft-spoken, sweet—but her grades were an absolute disaster. Liam was always calling her clueless, saying she was pitiful, telling me I should look out for her.

Had they been sneaking around behind my back all along…?

"The exam has begun. Please keep an eye on the time." The proctor's voice rang out from the front of the room.

I snapped back to reality and looked down at my answer sheet.

If I left it blank, I'd be giving him exactly what he wanted—staying behind at some community college with him.

I tightened my grip on my pen. The tip pressed hard into the paper, leaving a dark blot.

If those texts turned out to be fake, and I scored high, I could always apologize to him later.

But what if they were real? Was I really going to throw away twelve years of blood, sweat, and tears for some cheat who'd been playing me?

No.

I took a deep breath. My eyes stung, but my hand stopped shaking. I poured every ounce of my ability into that test. My pen flew across the page in a frantic scratch. Every single line I'd planned to leave empty—I filled it all. I didn't hold back a single point.

The final bell rang out across the entire campus.

The SATs were over.

Outside the exam hall, an explosion of cheers went up—some kids were tearing up their study guides, others were hugging and crying.

I retrieved my phone. As soon as it powered on, two texts popped up one after another.

Liam: [Babe, how'd it go? You left it blank, right? My mom suddenly dragged me back to my grandma's place out of town—won't be able to hang with you and Mia tonight, sorry! XOXO! I'll make it up to you!]

Right after that, there was a message from Mia.

Mia: [Bree, my period hit me out of nowhere, and I'm cramping like crazy, so I'm just gonna head home and lie down. Was really looking forward to eating together tonight, ugh. You two go on your date—don't worry about me.]

My grip on the phone tightened. Somewhere inside me, I already knew the answer.

If it hadn't been for those text messages, I probably would've sent Mia a sympathy note and ordered her some hot tea, then told Liam to drive safe with all the understanding in the world.

I slipped past the crowds of celebrating students, walked out the school gates alone, and broke into a run toward the street behind the campus.

The wind whipped past my ears. My heart was pounding so hard it felt like it might tear through my ribs.

I had to see for myself.

The hallway of the budget motel reeked of cheap air freshener. The worn carpet squished under my feet, soft and unsettling.

Following the check-in records, I stopped outside the room. My chest heaved.

And from inside—I could hear voices.