ocus, not with a gentle fade,

nothing, the cold ab

or year English class, Mr. Davies

nst my ribs, a frantic

eal. I w

ptember 14th. Weeks before the PSATs, month

ed out in my mind

ds and her crew, my mother' s College Bo

to make them stop by sh

t everyone, even the sla

was valedictorian and got into Yale while she "only"

cheating ring, fed actual t

ssion rescinded. Mom suspe

uldn't take the shame,

a fresh wound,

ll then, the weight of

a secon

enched unde

hings would

e, they

ician. She consulted for the College Board. I

would be

esident, head cheerleader, queen bee, was whispering to Mark

ooking at me. The w

ye and gave a si

r. "We were just talking about the PSATs. Your mom works with the C

ered, his

have stammered, blus

back, a mirror of Tif

I let out a small, innocent laugh

now exactly where this starts. And I