Deadly Partiality

In the past few months, I had been studying very hard, often doing exercises until late at night, and then getting up early the next day to take the bus to school.

George drove to pick up Jessica every day. He was waiting for me to give in, but I would rather sleep an hour less than compromise.

I was very confident about the selection for the advanced class of the senior high school next week. Getting into the advanced class would bring me one step closer to attending a prestigious university.

In my previous life, my SAT score was high, but George and Megan used their connections to get Jessica admitted in my place, and I ended up only getting an Associate's Degree.

After graduation, it was difficult for me to find a job, and life became challenging. They looked down on me and felt embarrassed by my situation.

Jessica took my place in school, but her academic performance was poor, and she almost didn't graduate. She couldn't handle the hardships of working.

George and Megan used all their savings to buy her a house, a car, and start a company.

They always told everyone that she was their most promising daughter.

I might not fight for their favor, but I must protect my own future!

Two days before the selection exam, Jessica found me.

She wanted me to help her cheat, but I refused.

Jessica spent a lot of money on tutoring but her grades were still very poor, and it was impossible for her to get into the advanced class.

After I rejected her, she went on a hunger strike when she got home.

George slapped me in the face without asking why, which obviously scared Megan as well.

She quickly grabbed him and said to me impatiently, "Mia, why are you bullying Jessica?"

Without any investigation, they concluded that I had bullied her.

As I told them that Jessica asked me to help her cheat, they were stunned.

His face turned red, but he couldn't swallow his pride and apologize to me.

Instead, Megan raised her voice. "Jessica is right. She is motivated and you have a high score. Telling her the answer won't hurt you. Wouldn't it be good for you two to go to the advanced class together so that you can take care of each other?"

I couldn't believe that these were words spoken by a professor who has devoted her entire life to teaching.

She actually persuaded me to cheat for Jessica.

I returned to my room and locked the door, listening to Megan knocking on Jessica's door next door, coaxing her to come out and have dinner.

The next day, she was in a good mood, humming a song and walking past me with a smug look.

I ignored her and just thought that she was using self-torture to make George and Megan feel sorry for her, and they wouldn't blame her even if she didn't get into the advanced class.

But I was wrong. In the second half of the exam, Jessica threw a ball of paper at me and I didn't catch it.

She kept winking and coughing at me, and finally caught the attention of the invigilator.

In the office, Jessica cried and told the director, Henry Phillips, that I forced her to pass notes to check the answers, and George and Megan could testify to that.

They hurried over to explain to Henry, saying that Jessica was the most well-behaved girl and must have been threatened by Mia.

The head teacher, Brittany Taylor, knew that I didn't need to cheat given my grades, but was helpless as George, Megan, and Henry reached an agreement behind the scenes.

They insisted that it was because of me that Jessica was delayed in answering the questions, and she could have finished the test and been admitted to the advanced class.

With George and Megan' guarantee, Jessica was not punished and was eventually admitted to the advanced class as an exception. Under the pressure of them, I reviewed my mistakes in tears at the school assembly.

Jessica brought this upon herself, and I had to save my life on my own.