Chapter 1

My lab partner was the ultimate genius in everyone’s eyes.

And I was always stuck in second place.

She slept through AP classes and played League of Legends all night, yet she always aced every exam to secure the top spot in our grade.

I studied until 2 AM every single night, only to lose to her by a single point on the GPA rankings every semester.

People constantly mocked me.

"What's the point of grinding so hard? You still can't beat someone who literally naps through midterms."

"Some people just have the cheat codes. You don't."

I swallowed those bitter words for six long years.

Until one month before the SATs, she dragged me up to the school rooftop garden and said with a smug smile, "I'm going to tell you a secret."

"For six years, Aria, I’ve been able to hear every single thought in your head."

"Every formula you calculate, I write down. Every wrong answer you cross out, I follow suit. You’ve been taking all my exams for me."

"Now that I’ve secured my early-admission nomination to Harvard, you're officially useless to me."

Before I could even process her words, she shoved me hard. I fell backward off the roof.

The blinding pain consumed me as I plummeted to my death, my eyes wide with betrayal.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back in the spring semester of junior year.

I looked over and saw her face-down on the desk next to me, napping. I couldn't help but smirk.

On the day of the first unit test, she leaned back in her chair, waiting to tune into my brain waves.

I opened my exam paper and lowered my head.

"Dit, dah, dit-dit-dah, dah-dah-dit..."

Her hand holding the pencil froze. Color drained from her face, inch by inch.

I kept writing. But I didn't think of a single actual number.

Just rhythmic static. Just Morse code.

She panicked. Leaning over, she whispered, "What the hell are you thinking about?"

I didn't even look up.

"The answers. Can't you hear them?"