eakers on linoleum, the same faces I' d seen a lifetime ago. I moved through the

locker, her face br

n a ghost. Bad dream?" she aske

" I mumbled, my hands

had to be subtle, a quiet counter-attack he would never see coming. Last time, I studied in the library, in

locker, a shado

who it is. The futu

that same arrogant smirk on his face. His friends, a pack of mindless hyena

flat and cold. I refused to show him the fea

st wanted to wish you luck on the exams. Not that you need it. Y

," I said, turn

firm, a warning. "Not so fast

t was happening agai

ass and dread. He laid out the same insane bet. His supposed mind-reading ability. Th

t life. But this time, I wasn' t just a scared, desper

, 'There' s no way this idiot could get into a community college, let alone Harv

e. I let him think he was reading my mi

devoid of the hesitation it

ed by my quick acceptance. But it return

my cheek condescendingly. "I'

long moment, my fists clenched so tight my nails dug into my pal

the bubbles on the answer sheet with swift, confident strokes. For a few hours, it felt normal. I was Ava Miller, the brilliant student, the girl who had her future mapp

f the hall, the weight of my r

waiting

beside me. "The one about angular momentum. You almost went with answer C, but then yo

dead in

tilted o

f doubt, a flicker of thought inside my own head that lasted no more

he memory of his perfect score, identical to mine, flashed in my mind

e could actual

ed, the word getting

you' re thinking." He leaned in, his voice a whisper that sent sh

alyzing despair washed over me. I had come back to fix things, to save my brother, to get my revenge. But how do you fight

old tile wall, gasping for air. The hope I had felt just this morning curdled into bitt