The comment appeared in my vision, shimmering over Ethan’s head, just as he was pushing the pink cocktail across the table. “The nerd has no idea that drink will give the female lead her super-brain, making her ace the SATs.” “And it’s all going to plan on the other side. Once the jock drinks his special cocktail, the male lead will get his insane athletic ability and get scouted by a top D1 university.” “I just love a power couple story!” 1 …A power couple? You call stealing someone else’s life’s work “power”? I silently switched my glass with the one intended for the school’s star athlete. The IQ of a rock. The stamina of a chain-smoker. It’s all yours. When those bizarre, floating captions first flickered into existence, Ethan was still coaxing me to drink the pink concoction in front of me. “Audrey, you have to try this one.” In the dim light of the private room, Ethan’s smile was dangerously deceptive. He was the boy next door, the one I’d been quietly in love with for a decade. Any other day, his words would have sent a thrill through me. I would have downed the drink in a heartbeat, my low tolerance be damned, just for the warmth of his attention. But those comments had planted a seed of suspicion. I feigned hesitation. “We have finals in three months, Ethan. I have a mountain of practice tests to get through tonight. Alcohol will just cloud my head. How about after the SATs? My treat.” “I made it just for you,” he insisted, his voice a little too smooth. “I’m calling it ‘The Audrey.’ It’s your namesake. Just one sip.” Something was wrong. I knew Ethan. I mean, I really knew him. And he didn’t like me. For years, I was the one trailing in his wake while he couldn’t be bothered to spare me a word. His entire world revolved around Olivia Reed, the school’s reigning queen bee, and figuring out new ways to make her smile. For him to be not just mixing me a drink, but practically begging me to drink it, was more than strange. It was a five-alarm fire. Another caption popped up above his perfectly styled hair. “Poor Ethan, having to suck up to this four-eyed loser for Olivia’s sake.” “Her glasses just make Olivia look that much more like a goddess in comparison.” “Just drink it already, nerd! Stop wasting time!” So that was it. Ethan and Olivia were the main characters of this… story. He, the handsome golden boy from a wealthy family; she, the effortlessly beautiful It Girl. A match made in high school heaven. Ethan has been in love with Olivia forever, and their story is a dramatic dance of will-they-won't-they, all while somehow managing to coast their way into top universities without ever seeming to crack a book. And apparently, the “system” decided their plot needed a little boost. So, they were given a shortcut: a couple of tainted drinks to steal my academic diligence and the raw athletic talent of our school’s star jock, Jax Vance. I stared at the pink liquid, a bitter laugh caught in my throat. So, the lives of the main characters mattered because they had an audience, but the rest of us were just props? Was that it? My spot at the top of the class, the number one rank I’d held since freshman year—that was the result of countless sleepless nights and mountains of textbooks. And he thought he could just snatch it all away with one cheap cocktail. Looking at his fake, charming smile now, I just felt sick. I picked up the glass. Ethan’s eyes locked onto my hand, his posture suddenly tense. I brought the rim to my lips, then stopped. “What’s wrong?” he asked, a little too quickly. “My heart’s acting up a bit. I think I left my pills in the other room. Could you grab them for me?” I was born with a minor heart condition that required daily medication. It was the perfect excuse. He hesitated. I swirled the pink liquid in the glass. “By the time you get back, this glass will be empty. Promise.” That was all it took. Ethan practically sprinted out of the room. The second he was gone, my eyes scanned the crowded party for Olivia. I found her on the balcony, handing a drink to Jax. Of course. They were in it together. Insidious. Ethan works on me for Olivia’s benefit, while Olivia uses her neighborly connection with Jax to trick him into giving up his physical prowess for Ethan. I flagged down a passing waiter, pressed a hundred-dollar bill into his hand, and told him to accidentally spill a tray of drinks on Olivia. He played his part perfectly, apologizing profusely. Olivia, ever the gracious queen, had to maintain her image. She just smiled. “It’s totally fine. I’ll just go to the restroom and clean up.” Before leaving, she gave Jax a pointed look. “That drink is amazing, you really have to try it.” Jax, lounging against the railing with his usual casual indifference, just lifted the glass in a lazy salute, not paying much attention. The moment Olivia was out of sight, he brought the drink to his lips. I lunged forward and snatched it from his hand. He whipped his head around, his eyes wide with surprise. “You…” Jax and I were in the same class, but we existed in completely different orbits. We were parallel lines, never meant to intersect. But there was no time for social anxiety now. I shoved my own pink cocktail into his hand. “Trade you.” Jax just stared. “?” Ignoring his confusion, I held up the glass I’d taken from him and clinked it against his. “Here’s to new friends.” My first instinct had been to just dump the drink. But then I thought, why should I? If Ethan and Olivia wanted to steal our futures, they deserved to pay the price. I’d switched the drinks. Let Olivia walk into the SATs with Jax’s rock-bottom, last-in-the-class academic record. Let Ethan step onto the field for his athletic trials with my frail, gets-winded-walking-up-stairs physique. Oh, and my congenital heart condition. That was a fun little bonus. I’ve always been a generous person. He could have it all. 2. Jax was still staring at me, looking completely bewildered. A thought struck me, and I quickly clarified, “Don’t worry, I didn’t drink from your glass.” “S’fine,” he said, a crooked, roguish smile spreading across his face. He swirled the pink drink I’d given him and downed it in one go. “Wouldn’t have cared if you did.” We were practically strangers, so once he’d finished the drink, I went back to my seat. The moment I sat down, the room started to spin. I’m a total lightweight, and whatever was in that cocktail, it was hitting me hard. Ethan returned just then. He saw the empty glass in my hand and my dizzy state, and a wave of relief washed over his face. “Good. You drank it.” He tossed my pill bottle onto the table. “You have a problem, you take your meds. Now finish up and go home. These kinds of parties aren't for nerds like you anyway.” Across the room, Olivia waved at him. Ethan ran a hand through his hair, about to head over, but I grabbed his sleeve. “You expect me to get home by myself in this state?” He frowned, his patience wearing thin. “The night’s just getting started. We’re going to karaoke after this. You want me to leave and play babysitter?” I can’t believe I liked this person for so many years. I must have been brainwashed by whatever twisted plotline was controlling this world. I let go of his sleeve. “Get lost.” “What did you say?” He looked at me as if he’d misheard. The girl who followed him around like a puppy couldn't possibly have said that. I met his gaze and repeated, slowly and clearly, “Piss off, you moron. As of today, Audrey Shen is done with you.” “You…” Ethan’s brow furrowed, but then he let out a short, condescending laugh. “Right, right. You’re drunk. Wait until you sober up tomorrow and remember what you said. You’ll come running back, trying to get on my good side again.” He hesitated for a moment, as if expecting me to break, but Olivia called his name again and he left. Shaking my head to clear it, I stumbled outside to wait for my ride. Two drunk guys were staggering down the sidewalk, and they slowed their pace as they passed me, their eyes lingering. I pretended to be on the phone with my parents, avoiding their gaze. Just as a knot of fear tightened in my stomach, the two of them saw something—or someone—over my shoulder, and they quickly scurried away. I turned around and saw Jax leaning against a lamppost. “You heading home, too?” I asked. He just grunted an affirmative, saying he was waiting for his ride. But his phone screen was still lit, and I could clearly see he hadn't even opened the rideshare app yet. “Can I ask you something? It might be a little weird.” Jax straightened up, a faint blush creeping up the tips of his ears. “Wh-what?” “Your grades… are you really last in our class because that’s all you can manage, or are you secretly a genius holding back?” The question made him choke on air, coughing a few times. The blush on his ears deepened. “I just… I haven’t really been trying, okay? I’m not stupid. I’m… I’m actually pretty smart. If I really applied myself…” “Don’t!” I cut him off immediately. “Last place is great! I love it!” Right now, Olivia was linked to him, set to inherit his academic abilities for the SATs. I couldn’t wait to see the look on her face when she realized her brain was completely empty in the middle of the exam hall. Jax couldn’t afford to mess this up. I was so lost in my own scheming that I didn't notice the way his eyes widened, a strange, rosy hue spreading across his face. 3. The next day, the results of the monthly practice exam were posted. As expected, I was first in the school. Our homeroom teacher was beaming. “Audrey, keep this up. With your focus, there isn’t a university in this country that wouldn’t want you.” My classmates were buzzing with admiration. “Audrey’s next goal has to be a perfect score on the verbal section.” “It’s insane. I heard Harvard and Yale are already sending her feelers.” … Then, the teacher’s gaze fell on Olivia. “Finals are just around the corner. Some students would be better served focusing on their books instead of their makeup. Last month you were ranked in the top 100, this month you’ve dropped to 300.” Olivia, busy reapplying her lip gloss in a compact mirror, didn’t even flinch. As soon as class was over, she whispered to her friends, “These little tests don’t matter. The only one that counts is the SATs.” One of her friends looked confused. “But Olivia, nobody can guarantee they’ll perform well on the day.” “Others can’t. But I can.” Just then, the scrolling captions reappeared in my vision. “That’s right, our girl is going to get into Princeton. State scholar, no less.” “Beautiful and brilliant. That’s a true female lead!” “The nerdy side character isn’t getting a bad deal. She gets Olivia’s grades in return, enough to get into a state school. For a background character, that’s more than enough.” … It dawned on me then. The floating comments, the “viewers,” they had no idea I’d switched the drinks. They were still operating on the original script. Because I was a minor character, my actions were simply skipped over. Did that mean… I could use these comments to see what was supposed to happen? Seeing me staring blankly at the results sheet, Olivia shot me a smug look. “It doesn’t matter how well you do now. Just you wait.” I had to physically pinch my thigh to keep from bursting out laughing. Oh, I’m waiting. I can’t wait for you to experience the full power of Jax’s academic prowess on test day. I instinctively glanced back. In the last row, Jax was asleep again, head down on his desk. He’d been out for three straight periods. I used to look down on people like him, just drifting through life. But now, he was a welcome sight. Someone had left a window open, and the breeze seemed to be bothering him. I walked over and quietly slid it shut. Can’t have anything disturbing his precious sleep. As I closed it, I looked down and found myself staring directly into Jax’s sleepy, just-opened eyes. “Keep sleeping,” I whispered, giving his head a gentle, encouraging pat. “I closed the window for you.” In the next second, Jax’s face turned bright red, and he quickly buried his head in his arms. Such a sound sleeper… I was walking back to my desk, marveling at his dedication to rest, when I ran straight into Ethan, who had just returned from skipping class to play basketball. He’d seen me close the window for Jax, and when I tried to walk past him, he blocked my path. “Audrey, you don’t have to go this far to get my attention. Are you really that desperate you’ll throw yourself at any guy?” Before I could even respond, someone rushed forward and punched Ethan square in the jaw, sending him stumbling to the floor. Jax stood over him, gripping his collar. “Keep your damn mouth clean. If you’ve been eating shit, swallow it. Don’t spew it everywhere.” “You—!” Jax was a good two inches taller than Ethan, with the broad shoulders and long legs of a natural athlete. His talent was off the charts; his running times were good enough for national competitions. It was no wonder Ethan wanted to steal his abilities. Ethan knew better than to fight him head-on. He just sneered, his voice dripping with certainty. “We’ll see what you’ve got at the athletic trials tomorrow. You’re always bragging about how you’ve got your pick of D1 schools. Let’s see what kind of times you can actually run.”
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