My father worked for one of the agencies that oversaw the exam.
Three months ago, I'd overheard him talking to my mother:
to guarantee fairness in this year's national college entrance exam,
the exam centers had upgraded all their detection equipment,
zeroing in on the electronic cheating devices that had been running rampant in recent years. Every single one would be flagged.
And the penalties had jumped, too. Before, getting caught just meant your scores were wiped. This year, anyone caught would be permanently banned from taking the exam again.
Last time, I'd talked myself hoarse before I finally convinced them to drop their stupid plan.
But at the class dinner after the exam,
they kept filling my glass until I couldn't stand, then hauled me up to the school rooftop.
Ethan Henson, my childhood friend, clamped his hands around my throat. Nothing but hatred in his eyes.
"Miriam Winfield, this is all your fault!"
"You said we'd get caught if we brought the devices in, but Molls said the class next door used them, and over a dozen of those students got into Westbridge!"
"You destroyed the futures of fifty-six people! You deserve to die!"