3
The next morning.
Jason’s mom found me, her eyes all red and
puffy.
0
0
“‘Why did you tell Jason about the
competition?” she demanded. “You weren’t
like this before, Hailey.”
I stared at her, blank–faced.
She got even bolder.
“You used to be so close to Jason! Why
didn’t you stop him from throwing his life
away? What happened to the good Hailey?”
I bit my lip, not wanting to waste time on this.
I needed to focus on studying.
But Jason’s mom grabbed my arm.
P
She started crying.
“Jason’s ruining his life, Hailey! Please, help
me! Help Jason!”
“Take his place in the coding competition!
You can get into MIT with your grades! Give
the spot to Jason, please?”
“I’m begging you. If Jason makes something
of himself, he’ll thank you. He’ll see you’re the
one who deserves him!”
I took a deep breath.
The memory of prison flashed in my mind.
Jason framing me.
My parents begging his parents to help me.
く
Jason’s mom, the woman in front of me,
saying something that pushed my parents to
the edge.
They sold their house to bribe a judge, then
got caught, and killed themselves rather than
face the shame.
Jason was a vindictive, entitled jerk.
His mom wasn’t any better.
I stared at her.
“There’s only one spot in the competition,” I
said. “The teacher said it goes to the best
student.”
“Jason’s only good at math and science now.
Just giving him my spot would be bad
4
Jason’s mom, the woman in front of me,
saying something that pushed my parents to
the edge.
They sold their house to bribe a judge, then
got caught, and killed themselves rather than
face the shame.
Jason was a vindictive, entitled jerk.
His mom wasn’t any better.
I stared at her.
“There’s only one spot in the competition,” I
said. “The teacher said it goes to the best
student.”
“Jason’s only good at math and science now.
Just giving him my spot would be bad
enough. If I took the test for him and got
caught, do you even know what that would
mean for me?”
“Besides, what does it matter to me if Jason
throws his life away or becomes a
millionaire?”
“I admit I used to like Jason, but that was the
old Jason, the brilliant, charming one. Not this
lovesick idiot who doesn’t care about his
future.”
“I don’t know if I deserve Jason, but I know
we don’t belong together.”
I yanked my arm away from Jason’s mom.
I walked to school.
Steady and determined.
Jason’s youth was about love without regrets.
Mine was about getting an education and
making something of myself.
L
