All Chapters of The Grade Heist: Chapter 1 - Chapter 8

8 Chapters

Chapter 1

The day before Ridgeway High's third senior-year mock exam, I came down with a high fever after pushing myself too hard for days on end.My head was spinning, and my body was cold and weak. I was half-collapsed on my desk when a small box of medicine appeared in front of me."Vera Collins, you should take this flu medicine," someone said softly.I froze and lifted my head, meeting Sierra Langford's eyes.In my previous life, it was this exact box of flu medicine that traded away my future and allowed her to steal the top score in the entire city from me.My first instinct was to push it away, but before I could, my classmates had already gathered around."Wow, Sierra's really the total package—pretty, kind, and thoughtful enough to bring medicine for her deskmate.""Yeah. Poor Vera can't even afford to see a doctor when she's sick. She's lucky to be sitting next to someone like Sierra who actually cares."Hearing their comments, Sierra's smile only grew warmer. She tore open th

Chapter 2

With that thought, I cupped the flu medicine in my hands."Thanks, Sierra," I said with a polite smile. "But my throat really hurts right now, and I feel a little nauseous. I don't think I can take anything."Then I added, sweetly, "But since it's such a thoughtful gift from you, I wouldn't want it to go to waste."I turned to look at Mandy Price, who was sitting nearby, sniffling. "Hey, Mandy, you want this? Sierra brought this back from abroad, and it's supposed to work wonders."Mandy's dad, Mr. Price, was the grade director, and she'd held the top spot in our entire year since freshman year. Her family was politically connected and thus powerful.She glanced at the packaging and was just about to reach for it when Sierra suddenly snapped, "No!"Her voice shot up, startling everyone around us.Catching my surprised look, she quickly tried to cover up. "Vera, Mandy's got allergies. What if she reacts to it?"Mandy leaned in to read the ingredients. "It's fine. I'm only allerg

Chapter 3

I stifled a yawn. "I'm a little tired. I think I'll nap first and eat it later."Sierra tensed immediately.A single piece of candy was too small. If I just pocketed it, there'd be no way for her to know whether I'd actually eaten it or not."Your throat's already hoarse," she said, feigning concern. "You should really take the lozenge now. And since you've got the flu, you need to keep your blood sugar up. What if you faint during class?"Her brows knitted together in perfect imitation of worry.The others bought it. Whispers rose from the back of the classroom."It's just a piece of candy. You'd think she's being asked to swallow poison.""Honestly, she's just petty and too proud to accept kindness.""She's already on scholarship and still acts like she's above everyone else. She doesn't even know how to appreciate people being nice to her."Each word jabbed into my chest like a needle.Was giving me candy really "kindness"? Did they expect me to wag my tail in gratitude

Chapter 4

My stomach tightened as I walked toward her, my mind spinning.Why was Sierra suddenly digging through my desk?Before I could ask, Hailey stumbled forward—her "accident" almost too perfect—and the water in her cup splashed squarely onto my jacket.Sierra jumped to her feet at once, grabbing tissues and patting at my clothes. "Oh no, Hailey! Be more careful next time! What if our class genius catches a cold now?"Then she turned to me with mock concern. "Vera, check your pockets. Make sure nothing important got wet!"Her little act was so transparent I almost laughed. I forced my expression to stay neutral, then methodically turned out both pockets of my jacket, just like she wanted.Only a small, palm-sized notebook, which was my vocabulary book, fell out.Sierra's eyes flicked over it, suspicious, but she couldn't find anything wrong. She finally backed off.I gave my jacket a shake and sat down.She leaned toward me again, her voice light as she probed, "Vera, why didn't yo

Chapter 5

I took a deep breath, letting my eyes redden before turning toward her."Sierra… I really messed up this time. I was sick during the exam, and I filled in the wrong answer sheet."My voice broke near the end, and I buried my face in my arms, pretending to sob.A classmate leaned close to whisper to Sierra, "Vera didn't do well this time. She ranked in the eight hundreds, same as you."Sierra froze.I fought down the smile creeping up inside me.I hadn't eaten her lozenge, but to keep her from noticing, I'd deliberately filled out the wrong answer sheet and left huge portions of the test blank.So my official score was in the eight hundreds, and so was Sierra's.Two equally terrible scores. No one would suspect that her Grade Heist System had failed.Finally, Sierra placed a stiff hand on my shoulder and gave me an awkward pat. "It's okay, Vera. Don't lose hope. A bad exam from being sick doesn't mean anything. Just rest before the real thing. You'll do great on the college exa

Chapter 6

I walked into the exam hall and completed every question carefully.Even though I already knew how it would all end, this test was my closure, a final offering to the twelve years I'd spent clawing my way forward.When I finished the last paper and stepped out of the room, I exhaled a long, steady breath.Someone tapped my shoulder from behind. It was Sierra."Hey, genius," she said lightly. "How many points do you think you'll get this time?"I thought for a second, then answered, "Probably first in the whole of Silvercrest City."Sierra and Hailey burst out laughing, loud and exaggerated. "Well then, congratulations in advance! Ms. Top Scholar!"Still laughing, they walked off together.I watched her leave, lips curling faintly. 'I hope you're still laughing after the results come out.'After the college entrance exam, Sierra never contacted me again.Of course, she didn't. She'd already planned to go abroad. Dealing with a pathetic scholarship girl like me had only been he

Chapter 7

Sierra's body visibly trembled, panic and hatred flashing across her eyes. She instinctively tried to stand up, but halfway through, her knees gave out and she slumped back into her seat.Police guarded the auditorium doors, and the students were whispering to each other, pointing at the screen in confusion and fear.If Sierra stood now, she'd only draw more attention to herself. It would be like walking straight into a trap.I watched her struggle with cold detachment.It was clear she was still clinging to hope. She was hoping her mysterious system hadn't failed, and that this was just a coincidence.By the time the final group of names cycled off the screen, hers had never appeared.With that, the last bit of color drained from her face. She collapsed back in her chair, pale as a ghost.The chaos in the auditorium didn't die down; if anything, it grew louder. Everyone was staring at the police on stage, desperate for an explanation.After twelve years of grinding study, none

Chapter 8

The police stood firm, their expressions hard with no trace of leniency.Sierra lifted her chin defiantly. "Isn't this your job to figure out? How would I know anything?"Officer Ortega pressed again, "Then tell us. Do you know your own score?"My steps slowed at that.Sierra gave a short, bitter laugh. "You people blocked all the results. How would I know my score? What kind of stupid question is that?"Officer Ortega sighed at her stubbornness. "Your total score on the exam is…"He paused for effect. "568,000 points."A stunned silence swept the hallway.Along with a few other students who had just finished being questioned, I turned around in shock.Sierra's eyes widened. Her face drained of color, and her arrogance shattered. "Th-that's impossible!"Officer Ortega frowned. "Still want to pretend? Tell us exactly what method you used!"Sierra began trembling, her voice breaking apart. "I… I…"Before she could say more, the door to the next room burst open. Hailey stumble

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