On the day of the SATs, the most popular girl in school found out the billionaire's son was stranded in the suburbs. She forced the school bus driver to turn around and launch a rescue mission. In my past life, I called the police immediately and stopped her. The whole class arrived on time, aced the test, and got into top universities. But the next day, news broke that the billionaire's son was engaged—to the girl who had rescued him. My classmate, furious, kidnapped me and dragged me to the rooftop. "You ruined my chance to marry into billions! You ruined my life!" She pushed me off the edge. I died instantly. After my death, the police interviewed my classmates. To their surprise, everyone defended her. "We weren't going to be late. She ruined Chloe's dream. Anyone would snap." "She was always meddling. She deserved it." Because of their testimony, Chloe got a light sentence. She became an internet sensation, dubbed the "Warrior for Love," and made a fortune after her release. When I opened my eyes, I was back on that bus. Back to the moment Chloe demanded the driver turn around. This time, I smiled brightly. "Go for it," I said. "Chase that love. The SATs are nothing compared to true romance." 1 Even after becoming a wealthy influencer, Chloe wasn't satisfied. She hired thugs to kidnap my parents. She tortured them until their chests caved in, soaking the floor in blood. Then she stepped on my father’s face. "If your daughter hadn't ruined my chance, I'd be Mrs. Vance right now! The envy of everyone!" "She's dead, but she wasted five years of my youth. A father paying for his daughter's debt seems fair, right?" She pushed them from the eighth floor. They died in agony while she watched, filming it for the dark web. My soul hovered above, screaming, tearing at the air, powerless. Then, everything went black. "Claire, what's your problem? This bus isn't yours. Who are you to tell the driver not to turn around?" I blinked, standing in the aisle of the bus. Chloe was glaring at me, eyes burning with fury. "Julian Vance is the richest heir in the state. Do you know how many kidnappers are out there? Every second counts!" "You're heartless. Even if you get into Harvard, you'll still be a scumbag." "Besides, no one else is objecting. Majority rules, understand?" The driver had slowed the bus to a crawl. He chimed in with a smile. "Don't worry, miss. It's a small city. Thirty minutes round trip to the suburbs. We won't be late." That assumed no traffic. But today was the SATs. Every street near a testing center was gridlocked with anxious parents. Add the mandatory fifteen-minute check-in buffer, and one wrong turn meant missing the test entirely. In my last life, I argued until my throat was raw because I didn't want my classmates to risk their futures. I never thought my reward would be a gruesome death. Seeing my silence, Chloe scoffed. "We're the honors class. Even if we have fifteen minutes less, we can finish the test." "Ask them. Who here wasn't planning on finishing thirty minutes early anyway? Without us, the test can't even start." The other students checked their watches, swayed by the driver's confidence. "Every mock exam, our class ranks first in the city." "Even if we're late, the proctors will understand. We're saving a life." "Acting like a class monitor on test day? Gross." They knew we were just first in this city. The Ivy League acceptance rate doesn't care about city rankings. It's a slaughterhouse. I wanted to warn them. But the memory of their twisted faces defending my murderer made me shiver. My heart hardened into ice. I looked up and flashed a brilliant smile. "You guys are right. Since everyone agrees, you should go." 2 Chloe narrowed her eyes, suspicious of my quick surrender. "You... you're really not going to stop me?" I nodded and ignored her. I grabbed my bag and stood up. "I'm getting off." The driver slammed the brakes, nearly rear-ending a sedan. "Miss, you can't get a cab here easily. Walking will tire you out. How will you take the test?" "Trust me. We'll save him and be back. You won't be late." I shook my head. "You guys go save your hero. I don't need to be involved." As I moved toward the door, the driver raised his voice. "Don't be rash! The teachers and parents are following in cars behind us. If you get off now, what about the others?" The class looked out the windows. Sure enough, a caravan of cars was tailing us. They honked in support. Phones buzzed across the bus. Ding-ding-ding. Parents and teachers texting: Are you nervous? Is everything okay? Chloe typed a quick reply in the class group chat. Everything's fine! Just hyping each other up on the bus. Relaxing before the test. She looked up at the class. "Don't tell your parents about this. They won't understand. If they find out, we'll get yelled at, and the concert trip will be cancelled!" Before the exams, Chloe claimed she knew a guy who could get cheap tickets to see a pop superstar. Everyone signed up. But the concert was in a sketchy border town notorious for trafficking. I had warned them not to go, and they ostracized me for it. To this day, they were planning the trip behind my back. The students who were about to text their parents put their phones down. But a few of the timid ones were getting cold feet. "If my mom finds out I was late for the SATs, she'll skin me alive." "Thirty-five minutes left... round trip is cutting it close. Maybe we shouldn't go." "Saving someone is dangerous. Let's just call the police." Murmurs of agreement rippled through the bus. But the bold ones sneered. "Look at you cowards. Embarrassing the honors class." "Twenty of us here. We are the city's admissions stats. Even if we're late, they'll open a VIP lane for us." "Exactly. They can't punish all of us. Plus, we're saving a life. This will be on the news!" I almost laughed. They were so used to being coddled by teachers for their grades that they had lost touch with reality. The SATs weren't just about them. They were about the sacrifices of every parent in those cars behind us. Seeing the hesitation, Chloe posted an image to the group chat. The bus exploded with excitement. "Sixty million dollar reward?! That's two million each! Why take the test? Let's go!" "If this is true, Chloe is our golden ticket!" "Of course it's true. Chloe has connections. She's going to be a star after graduation." "Where are the cowards now? Get off the bus so we get a bigger share!" 3 I checked my phone. Chloe had posted a "Missing Person" bounty for Julian Vance. It looked professional. If I hadn't lived through this once and known Julian was never missing, I might have believed it. Chloe's "connections" were just some shady guys she met at a club. She slept her way into a low-budget commercial for a gambling site. Her classmates hyped it up as "modeling" and "debuting." Blinded by greed, the doubters fell silent. The driver saw his chance. He swerved down a side road, losing the caravan of parents. "Wow, big reward? Lucky day for me! Driving a bus full of geniuses and getting rich?" "This is a shortcut to the suburbs. Thirty minutes round trip, easy." "Get the money, ace the test. You kids are winners!" The class couldn't hide their grins, already spending the money in their heads. But the driver's behavior was suspicious. I checked my watch. Twenty-five minutes to the start. I couldn't save them. I had to save myself. I marched to the front and banged on the plexiglass partition. "Let me off! I don't want to save anyone, and I don't want the money!" I glanced at his ID badge. Frank Miller. Chloe's last name was Miller. A puzzle piece clicked. In my last life, Chloe didn't stop until I called the cops. She was unusually persistent. She and the driver must have known each other. They were in on it together. The driver ignored me, accelerating. We were getting farther from the test center. My voice trembled. "Let me off! Or I'm calling the police!" They treated the test like a joke, but I didn't. I came from a poor family. I was the first person in generations with a shot at an Ivy. Relatives called my parents lucky. But I wasn't a genius. My bedroom was filled with used pens and practice tests. Calluses on my fingers. Worsening eyesight. My mom waking up at 4 AM to make breakfast. My dad driving me to school in snowstorms. This test was the culmination of eighteen years. I would not fail. The driver didn't stop. Desperate, I pulled a compass from my pocket and pressed the sharp point against his neck. "Let me off!" The bus gasped. "Whoa, Claire... too far. Just let her off if she wants." The driver, sweating, slammed on the brakes. Chloe stormed over and snatched my phone. "You can go, but the phone stays. In case you call the cops." We were nearing the outskirts. Few cars passed here. Without a phone, I couldn't call a ride. Twenty minutes left. I couldn't run back in time. I glared at her. "Fine. I promise I won't call." "I don't care about your business. I just want to take the test..." Before I finished, Chloe threw my phone out the window. The door opened. She grabbed my admission ticket and ripped it in half. "Penalty for being a traitor. Now get lost." I stared in shock, then scrambled off the bus to retrieve my phone and ticket. The phone screen was shattered black. The ticket was confetti. Through the window, my classmates flipped me off. "Thought you wanted to take the test? Run, Forrest, run!" "Embarrassing. Don't say you were in the honors class." "Let's give her a handicap. See if she can score above zero." 4 Their mockery faded as the bus sped away, splashing mud on my uniform. I watched them disappear toward the horizon, a strange sense of relief washing over me. Laugh while you can. Soon, you'll be crying, and no one will be able to help you. I tapped my smartwatch and called my mom. In my last life, they took my phone, but they didn't know about the watch. My mom didn't ask questions. She heard the panic in my voice and turned the car around immediately. She told my dad to go to the print shop and get a new ticket. Meanwhile, the principal, teachers, and other parents had just arrived at the school. Confused by the missing bus, they received my dad's call. The principal nearly fainted. "What? They went to rescue someone? On SAT day? Are they insane?!" "Call the suburban police! Get them back now!" Parents collapsed, wailing. "Who talked my son into this? I'll kill them!" "My daughter is so sensible, she wouldn't do this! The bus must be stuck in traffic!" "Don't just stand there! Find them!" Parents jumped back into their cars, racing toward the suburbs. The commotion attracted the media stationed at the school. "A rescue mission during the SATs? Are these kids geniuses or idiots?" "I've been a reporter for twenty years. Never seen anyone skip the SATs to play hero. Is it a hijacking?" "Follow them! Hijacking or heroics, this is front-page news!" Reporters piled into vans and followed the parents. I arrived at the test center just as they were leaving. I checked my watch. 9:00 AM. The drive to the suburbs was at least thirty-five minutes one way. They were done for. My dad was waiting at the gate with a fresh admission ticket. He cried when he saw me. "Claire, thank god you're smart. Thank god." I felt their fear. They had spent eighteen years preparing for this moment. My teacher looked at me with teary eyes. "Do your best. You're the only hope for our class now." I walked into the exam hall, calmed my mind, and focused on every question. Halfway through the test, wailing erupted outside the gates. "It's only an hour late! Why can't we go in?" "We are the city's pride! Future Ivy Leaguers! You can't ruin our lives!" "Open the gate! Can you take responsibility for ruining our futures?!"
? Continue the story here ?? ? Download the "MotoNovel" app ? search for "388006", and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel