Chapter 3

3

The next week, at the school assembly, the principal was praising Ashley. "Ashley Parker achieved outstanding results in the city physics 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 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."

Mr. Henderson's smile froze. Our eyes met. I could see the disbelief and embarrassment in his.

"What do you want with her?" he stammered. "Did she do something wrong?"

"No," Jason said, pulling a test paper from his backpack. "I just wanted to ask her about her solution to the last problem on the physics competition."

Mr. Henderson's jaw dropped. "She didn't take the test!"

Jason frowned. "This is a copy from my uncle, who's on the committee. Only Katie solved the last problem. I'm sure of it. Is she not in your class?"

Mr. Henderson spluttered, "She… she is."

"Where is she, then?"

Mr. Henderson looked at me. I patted Jason on the shoulder. "Hey, looking for me?"

Jason looked me up and down, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. "You're Katie?"

"Yep."

"What are you doing out here?"

I smiled. "Detention. Hard to tell?"