of practice SAT

eptionally high

through the grapevine,

were useless, the test ve

his arrogan

ans, called me into her office

fantastic, Stanford is

rents called me, they' re worri

roblem, Ms. Ev

you two used to be friends, they were hoping

ed on Jessica and his belief that he' s going to succeed witho

and, it' s just... suc

al was his

Mike cornered

ica thi

as tight w

ked to Evans," he hissed. "

Mike, you are failing,

His voice was low, menacing. "You know, I remember a lot from ou

r grew

hreatening

can go wrong, reputations can be shattered, sc

f the past, the honor code vio

e," I said, but m

ca wants, and she doesn't like you,

ocus on your little books, maybe you'll g

shaking, not with fear, b

is parents ca

l. I heard her poli

busy with her own studies, I'm

n almost pleading, then subtly blaming me

other confronted me in

ed with forced pleasantry, "Mike is just..

ade his choices, he barely attends class, h

alous of him and Jessica, that you' re tr

al, he' s bragging about a future he thinks is guaranteed while throwing away his pre

that he knows things will work out, he' s going to be a h

hild? The sheer

d, my voice flat. "And he'll drag everyone

ess for a moment, then he

irl, Sarah Miller! You' ll see

torme

his parents were too

ter, the scho

ica had appar

ap motel an hour away, posting dram

ss than twen

utable man I vaguely rememb

hair, screaming about how Mike was supposed

face when Mike tried to interven

in tears and Mike humiliated, his "power

ion was crumbling