I turned to leave. Ashley taunted, “Running
away?”
“Not worth getting worked up over you,” I
muttered.
The next week, at the school assembly, the
principal was praising Ashley. “Ashley Parker
achieved outstanding results in the city physics
く
competition! Let’s congratulate her!”
Thunderous applause. Then he started
criticizing me for “putting personal feelings
above school honor.”
Suddenly, a black car pulled up. Three men in
suits walked onto the field. Mr. Henderson
whispered, “They’re from the competition’s
oversight committee.”
The principal rushed over, all smiles. “Welcome!
To what do we owe this honor?”
The lead man said, “We’re looking for Ashley
Parker.”
The principal beamed. “Ashley, come here!”
Ashley strutted forward, sneering at me as she
passed. The men confirmed her identity.
“Regarding yesterday’s physics competition,
we…”
<
The principal interrupted. “Yes, yes, you’re here
to congratulate her! We expected nothing
less…”
The men exchanged looks. “Please let us finish.
After review, Ashley Parker is disqualified for
cheating. She will be punished and publicly
reprimanded.”
The principal’s face turned several shades of
green. “Impossible! My daughter wouldn’t
cheat!”
The lead man handed him a document. “Here’s
the official notice. You can appeal to the city’s
board of education.”
“But… two proctors, four cameras…”
“She hid miniature receivers in her hair clip and
earrings. Such ingenuity, wasted.”
The principal stared at Ashley. “Receivers?!”
<
Two thousand students stared at Ashley. She
stammered, “I… I didn’t know anything about
receivers.”
“Don’t lie. The evidence has been submitted to
the police. Perhaps you’d like to join us at the
station?”
Ashley crumpled. “Dad, it wasn’t me! It was my
friend’s idea!”
The principal gritted his teeth. “Go back to
class!”
Ashley slunk back, defeated. A rival teacher
from another class smirked at Mr. Henderson. “I
thought your star student was going to steal
the show. Well, she did.”
I almost burst out laughing.
Ashley was suspended and never came back.
Mr. Henderson lost his bonus. He raged in class
く
the next day, blaming me. “This is all your fault!
If you hadn’t…”
I propped my head up on my jacket and
nodded. “You’re right. If only things hadn’t been
switched.”
He meant the physics competition. I meant the
early admission. He glared at me. “Get out!”
I grabbed my jacket and left. Three minutes
later, I knocked on the door again. A handsome
boy stood there. “Someone’s here for you,” I
said.
Mr. Henderson’s anger melted into a
sycophantic grin. “Jason Lee! What a surprise.”
Murmurs rippled through the classroom. “It’s
Jason Lee from Northwood High! He was on
the local news last year!”
Jason said politely, “I’m looking for Katie.”
Mr. Henderson beamed. “Who?” He couldn’t
imagine anyone from his class being important
enough for Jason Lee to visit.
“Katie,” Jason repeated. “I heard she’s in your
class.”
