I had been the runner-up for eternity. Second place, every single time. Then, I bound with the "Exchange System." A flurry of digital comments—a "Live Feed" from some other dimension—flickered across my vision: [Ugh, here we go. The jealous villainess is definitely going to use the system to steal the protagonist’s SAT scores. She can’t stand being #2.] [Thank god Madison can hear the system’s dialogue! She’s totally going to play the villainess. She’ll just stop trying, enjoy her senior year, and sleep through the finals!] [Let the bitch plot all she wants. In the end, she’ll only inherit a score of zero! Meanwhile, our girl Madison will just have her parents donate a library to Harvard. Talk about a power move!] The jealous villainess? Me? But—who said I wanted Madison’s test scores? What I wanted to exchange was something far more precious to her. 1 [Congratulations, Host. You have bound with the Exchange System. You have one—and only one—opportunity to trade.] I asked internally: Can I exchange anything? Even academic rankings? [Of course. Please designate your target.] "Madison Harrison." The moment the words left my mind, Madison, standing not far away, clenched her fists. She shot me a look that was equal parts contemptuous and amused. So. It was true. Just as the feed suggested, she could hear the "private" conversation between me and the system. Madison’s grades were always at the top of the curve. Valedictorian-to-be. I was the "Perpetual Second," the one everyone joked about. She was born into a dynasty—wealth, pedigree, old money. My mother, on the other hand, was nothing more than the Harrisons' live-in housekeeper. My mother would often hiss at me: "Madison is a princess. You? You’re a nobody. Don’t you dare try to outshine her." Even when she found out Madison’s clique had locked me in a bathroom stall and tormented me for an hour, she didn’t care. "You must have done something to upset her. You were born under a bad star, Gertrude. Stop complaining and learn your place." I used to think my mother was just desperate to keep her job at the Harrison estate. I thought her subservience was a survival tactic. Until the digital feed told me the truth: [I almost feel bad for the villainess. She’s the actual biological daughter of the Harrisons, swapped at birth by that psycho nanny. That housekeeper "mom" is actually Madison’s real mother...] [F*** that. She deserves it for being a snake! She’s trying to steal Madison’s future. Thank god Madison is ready for her. She’s going to fail on purpose so the villainess gets a big fat zero!] [Once the truth comes out after graduation, the Harrisons will be too embarrassed by their "trashy" bio-daughter to love her anyway. Madison will always be their real girl. Who cares about blood? The villainess will end up alone and miserable, exactly where she belongs.] Alone and miserable? Depressed? I don’t think so. Because Madison’s SAT scores weren’t the target. Not even close. 2 During recess, Madison sauntered over to my desk, a jagged, unkind smile on her face. "Gertrude... you’re still sitting at number two, I see. Need some help with your prep? Or is it just too hard for you?" Gertrude. My mother gave me that name because it sounded "sturdy" and "low-class," she said. But the kids in school found a better version. They called me "Dirty Gerty." I once begged my mother to let me change it. She just sneered. "What? You think you’re too good for the name I gave you? Your father died the day you were born—you’re lucky I gave you a name at all. Don’t get ideas above your station." Because of that name, Madison’s friends had cornered me in the gym showers, mocking my "cheap" clothes and my "trashy" name. "You like being dirty, don't you, Gerty? Let's see if we can make you look the part." Madison’s smile back then was exactly the same as it was now. I lowered my eyes, avoiding the trap of her gaze. "No thanks, Madison. Your time is far too valuable. You should focus on your own studies." "Aww, look at you, Gertrude. So thoughtful." Madison let out a knowing chuckle. She clearly thought I was encouraging her to study so that her "stolen" score would be higher. She was more than happy to play along with what she thought was my downfall. "Well, just so you know, I won’t be in school starting tomorrow. The pace here is too slow. My parents hired five Ivy League tutors to do one-on-one sessions with me. By the time the finals hit, the gap between us is going to be a canyon." She beamed with triumph. The feed exploded in praise: [Madison is a genius! Tricking the villainess into thinking she’s studying harder than ever. She’s making sure the 'exchange' will be worth it.] [Meanwhile, Madison is actually going to be partying and living her best life while the villainess rots in the library. I love a smart queen!] [Exactly! Madison already has a backdoor offer from Columbia anyway. Money talks. Let the villainess work herself to death for a score that won't exist!] True to her word, Madison stopped coming to school. Following the hints from the digital feed, I tracked her down one night. I saw her at a high-end club, surrounded by guys with bleached hair and trust funds. She was flirting under neon lights, drinking expensive cocktails, and disappearing into hotel rooms with boys who didn't know a thing about a textbook. I said nothing. We were adults now. We made our choices. I chose to wear my oversized hoodie, my thick-rimmed glasses, and spend sixteen hours a day in the library. With Madison gone, there was no one left to shove me into lockers. I had all the time in the world. But I knew the school was full of her spies. So, I played the part. I acted distracted. I made sure people saw me "slacking off." I’d leave early, then double back to a deserted classroom in the basement to study until my eyes bled. If Madison wanted to put on a show, I’d be her best supporting actress. I was dying to see the look on her face when she realized what I had actually taken. 3 The day of the final exams arrived. I walked to the test center alone. At the gates, I saw Madison. She was surrounded by a literal entourage. Mr. and Mrs. Harrison were there, and so was... my mother, Martha. They hovered over Madison, their faces glowing with a kind of adoration that made my chest ache. Martha had never looked at me like that. For the last six months, she had barely been home. She left me in our cramped, moldy apartment on the edge of town while she moved into the Harrison mansion to cater to Madison’s every whim. She hadn’t even left me money for groceries. If I hadn't spent the last two years working double shifts at a diner and hiding the cash, I wouldn't have survived the winter. But it was a blessing in disguise. If Martha had been home, she would have found ways to ruin my focus. She viewed me as an enemy, terrified that I might actually achieve something. I used to wonder why. Now, seeing her fawning over Madison while ignoring me completely, the puzzle pieces didn't just fit—they locked. [I’m actually starting to feel a little bad... Her 'mom' treats her like garbage and her real parents don't even know she exists. She’s lived her whole life without a drop of love.] [Who cares? She’s the one trying to cheat! The 'Protagonist’s Revenge' is the best part. I want to see Madison laugh in her face!] [Wait... is it just me, or did the villainess study way too hard for someone who’s planning to steal a score? And Madison... she’s been wasted for weeks. This feels... off.] I almost laughed out loud. Finally, someone in the "audience" was paying attention. But to Madison, my smile looked like greed. "Gertrude!" Madison called my name loudly, drawing the attention of the crowd. People began to whisper and snicker. "What are you smiling about? Feeling confident about the test?" Madison skipped over to me like a graceful little deer. My expression remained flat. "I’m okay. You?" "Oh, please. I had the best tutors money can buy. And besides... you’ve never beaten me yet." She was practically begging me to pull the trigger on the exchange. I gave her one last piece of advice: "Madison, you should really try your best today. Really give it your all." Madison gave me a sly, knowing wink. "Oh, don't worry. For the sake of your... advice... I’m going to do exactly what I planned." "That’s enough—" Martha stepped between us, shielding Madison as if I were a contagious disease. "Gertrude, you pathetic thing. Don't you dare bother Miss Madison before her big moment. Get out of here!" Mr. and Mrs. Harrison followed, looking me up and down with visible distaste for my thrift-store clothes and tired eyes. "Madison, honey, let’s go inside. Don’t let people like that get in your head." That was it. My first official meeting with my biological parents. Thanks to the spoilers from the feed, I knew exactly how they’d treat me once the truth came out. They wouldn't see a victim; they’d see an embarrassment. No expectations. No disappointment. I turned around and walked into the hall. Eighteen years of being suppressed, of being "Dirty Gerty," was about to end. This time, I was playing for keeps. 4 Inside the hall, I was a machine. When the final bell rang, I capped my pen with the precision of a soldier sheathing a blade. The digital feed kept me updated on Madison’s "performance." [Madison is so iconic! She literally fell asleep five minutes in. She’s drooling on the scan-tron! I’m dying!] [I can’t wait for the reveal! The villainess thinks she’s getting a 1600, but she’s getting a big fat zero!] [Uh... guys? The villainess just finished the essay section three pages long. She doesn't look like she's waiting for a handout...] Madison hadn’t listened. She had gambled her entire academic future on a trick. Too bad I wasn't interested in her grades. A few weeks later, the school held a "Score Reveal" event. The principal wanted to celebrate the top tier of the graduating class. Madison was the first to announce her estimated score: "1580!" The room gasped. "Incredible! Your practice tests were never that high!" the counselor exclaimed. Madison glanced at me, her lip curling in a smug grin. "I just had a really good day. Everything just... clicked." Then, she turned the spotlight on me. "And what about our Perpetual Second Place? What’s your estimate, Gertrude?" "Around the same," I said quietly. Madison burst into a laugh that was sharp enough to cut. "The same? You? You’ve never touched my heels in three years, and suddenly you think you hit a 1580?" I nodded. "Yes." Madison didn't believe a word of it. To her, this was just me setting the stage for the "exchange" she thought had already happened. She looked at me with mock sweetness. "Well, then. It looks like the Valedictorian is in this room. I’ll make sure my father invites the local press for the official results day. We should do a live stream. You don't mind, do you, Gertrude?" Mind? It was exactly what I wanted. Especially since I knew that the day the scores were released was the same day my "mother," Martha, planned to "reveal" the truth about our birth to extort the Harrisons. 5 The day arrived. The classroom was packed. Students, teachers, parents, and several local reporters were squeezed into the room. Madison had spent the week hyping up the "Battle for Valedictorian," ensuring a massive audience. The feed was ecstatic: [Madison’s Columbia offer is already signed. She’s the star no matter what!] [The villainess is going down. The reporters are here to document her total humiliation!] [Even when the truth comes out, she’ll be the 'loser' daughter. Madison will always be the favorite!] One by one, students sat at the computers to log into the portal. Shouts of joy and groans of disappointment filled the air. "1350! Not bad!" "Dammit, 1100. My math section killed me." "1490!" The tension ratcheted up as the cameras turned toward Madison and me. "We heard there are two students expecting near-perfect scores," a reporter said, mic in hand. "Are you ready?" Madison gave me a predatory look and typed in her ID with a flourish. When the screen loaded, the room went silent. Score: 0 "Zero? How is that possible? Madison Harrison has been top of her class for years. Is the system glitched?" "Maybe it’s a security hold?" Amidst the confusion, Madison remained eerily calm. She looked at me, a twisted smile on her face. "You really are heartless, aren't you, Gertrude? I knew you’d take my score, but I didn't think you'd be stupid enough to give me a zero." The room buzzed with confusion. "Madison, what are you talking about?" Madison stood up, her voice clear and commanding. "This might sound crazy, but I’m telling the truth. Months ago, I found out Gertrude was using a... let's call it a 'trick' to swap our fates. She was jealous of me. She wanted my life. She wanted my score." She pointed a finger at me. "She told everyone she got a high score to cover her tracks. But the truth is, this zero isn't mine. It's hers. She swapped them, not knowing I had already decided to fail on purpose to catch her in the act!" The room exploded. Cameras flashed. The live stream comments were flying too fast to read. I stood up slowly, pushing my glasses up the bridge of my nose. "Madison, failing is one thing. But making up a fairy tale to cover for it? That’s just sad." Madison’s eyes flashed with rage. "You know exactly what you did!" "Do I?" My voice was quiet, but it cut through the noise. "Because I’m pretty sure I saw you at The Nocturne every night for the last month, drinking and partying with guys who’ve never seen the inside of a library. Are you sure you didn't just... forget to study?" The silence that followed was deafening. Madison’s face went pale, then a furious red. "I was out celebrating because I knew I didn't need to work for a score you were just going to steal anyway!" She threw her head back. "And why would I lie? I’m a Harrison. I’ve already been accepted into the elite circles. I have a recommendation from the Dean of Admissions at Columbia. I don't need a test score." The door to the classroom swung open. Mr. and Mrs. Harrison walked in, followed closely by a smug-looking Martha. Mr. Harrison, looking every bit the billionaire, spoke up. "She’s right. We’ve already secured Madison’s future. Several top-tier universities are practically begging for her. We’ve already committed to a new athletic wing at Columbia. Madison is going, regardless of this... anomaly." The feed went wild: [The Harrisons are so loyal! They’re literally buying her way in!] [That’s real power. The villainess can't touch that.] [Poor Gertrude... she really did get a zero for nothing.] Madison smirked, leaning in. "Well, Gertrude? Show us. Log in. If your score is also a zero, it proves everything I said is true." Every eye in the room was on me. Some were curious, some pitying, most were just waiting for the kill. "Fine," I said with a small smile. "Let's check."
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