All Chapters of Second to No One: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

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 ridicul

The countdown to the college entrance exam sat in the top-right corner of the board. Every day, the number went down by one.To Ben and Kate, it was just a number.To me, it meant this whole ridiculous mess was finally coming to an end.I was even starting to look forward to seeing the looks on their faces when it was all over. That was when they'd finally realize how badly they'd screwed up.On the day of the college entrance exam, I wasn't in uniform. I stood by the taped-off line outside the testing center, waiting for a friend to go in.Parents crowded around in custom T-shirts wishing the students good luck, looking nervous and hopeful.In the middle of all that tension, Ben and Kate looked completely out of place. They showed up in brand-new matching outfits, iced coffees in hand. They looked like they didn't have a care in the world.Kate noticed me first. She covered her mouth in exaggerated surprise and tugged on Ben's sleeve. "Ben, look. Isn't that Judy?"Ben followed

Dad looked furious. Mom stood beside him with one hand pressed to her forehead, shaking with anger.They looked right past Ben and Kate, who were still making fools of themselves, and straight at me.I walked over and said quietly, "Mom, Dad, let's go."Neither of them spared Ben another glance.Dad gave a grim nod and put an arm around Mom's shoulders. The three of us turned and walked away.Behind us, Ben and Kate were still yelling and shoving each other while the parents around them whispered and pointed.Ben had started this whole mess himself and dragged me into it. Now it was finally over, and in the end, he was the one who had ruined his own future.…Seven years later, I stood onstage at an international academic conference, giving a presentation in another language to some of the world's top scholars.The stage lights shone down on me, warm and bright. The audience listened closely, occasionally breaking into applause.Mom called as soon as the conference ended, and

Two days later, I was in the lab sorting through some data when Professor Lockwood called. There was something odd about his tone."Judy, could you come to my office?"When I walked in, he was sitting behind his desk with a deep frown, looking like he wasn't quite sure how to start.He motioned to the chair across from him. "Sit down."I did, wondering what this was about.After a moment, he said, "A man came to see me today. He introduced himself as your brother, Ben Galland."My stomach sank."He…"Professor Lockwood paused, clearly choosing his words."He told me that years ago, he gave up a guaranteed admission spot for a girl he loved, which he said gave you the chance to go to college."He said he'd sacrificed a lot for you, but his own life hadn't turned out well. So he was hoping I could help him find a better job as a favor to you."He paused and studied me, looking a little sympathetic."He was practically in tears by the time he finished. I honestly thought he wa

Ben immediately tried to deny it, but his voice came out weak. "That's a lie!"I smiled. "A lie? Second, let's talk about what you did. You stormed into Mr. Clayton's office and tore up the guaranteed admission form I'd already filled out right in front of him."You said you'd only accept your spot if your girlfriend, Kate Seager, got one too."I glanced around the room. Judging by everyone's expressions, they were starting to see where this was going."Everyone in this room is successful in their own field, so tell me this. Is a guaranteed spot at one of the country's top universities something you can bargain over? Does a high school student get to decide who gets one?"No one answered, but the contempt on their faces said it all."So what happened?"I stepped closer to Ben and lowered my voice, though everyone around us could still hear me."The school refused your ridiculous demand. You gave up your spot, and after trying to interfere with the admissions process, you lost y