My Family’s Deadly Competition

My alarm jolted me awake at 6 AM.

Today was it. My third and final SAT.

Victoria was setting out breakfast when I walked downstairs.

"Morning, sweetie." A huge smile lit up her face. "I made you a special power breakfast."

Chloe and Mason had plain black coffee and bagels.

But at my spot sat a thick, cloudy glass of juice.

"My special blend!" Victoria said proudly. "I bought the organic veggies at 5 AM. Added spirulina and maca powder too."

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Mom, your favoritism is so obvious."

Mason grumbled, "Why does Ava always get special treatment? She bombed two years in a row."

I stared at the orange liquid. My heart raced.

"Mom, I just want coffee today." I reached for Chloe's mug.

Smack!

Victoria stopped me and snatched the mug away.

"No! This juice is good for your test. You have to drink it! Or else you aren't going to the exam!"

The air froze.

Chloe smirked. "Aw, is our smart Ava scared? Rejecting Mom's kindness?"

"Mom, what's actually in this juice? Why do I have to drink it?" I was burning with anger.

Victoria looked instantly hurt. Tears welled up in her eyes.

"Never mind. I shouldn't have bothered." Her voice trembled. "I thought you'd appreciate everything I do for you."

Seeing her like that softened me instantly. Guilt washed over me.

She was my mother. Why would she hurt me?

She did so much for this test.

Bought organic food herself.

She even secretly donated a million dollars to the prep school hosting the exam, just to get me a dead-silent, private VIP testing room...

And here I was, doubting her.

But today was make-or-break. I couldn't risk anything.

I grabbed an unopened bottle of water from the fridge.

"I'm sorry, Mom, but I'll just stick to water today."

She didn't push it. I got in the car and headed to the test center.

The test was at an elite Upper East Side prep school.

Thanks to the massive donation, I bypassed the crowded lecture halls. They took me straight to a plush VIP room.

"You must be Miss Ava?" The proctor was a middle-aged guy in gold-rimmed glasses. He was freakishly polite. "Please, take a seat. We'll begin shortly."

The first two sections went perfectly. I felt great.

This time was truly different.

But soon, a wave of dizziness hit me.

Just a little at first, but it got worse fast.

The algebra equations on the page started twisting. The black letters crawled like bugs.

My heart pounded out of my chest. Cold sweat soaked my shirt.

I pinched my thigh hard to stay awake.

It didn't work.

My vision blurred. A high-pitched ringing pierced my ears.

"I... I don't feel well..." I choked out.

The room spun. Everything faded to black. The last thing I saw was the proctor's cold stare.

When I opened my eyes, I was in my own bed.

Sunlight filtered through the curtains, but it didn't look like morning light.

I struggled to sit up. My legs felt like jelly.

"Mom!" I screamed with all my might.

Victoria walked in with a bowl of oatmeal.

"Sweetie, you're finally awake." She looked so worried.

"What time is it? What about the test? I need to go back!" I panicked.

Victoria just sighed. "You've been asleep for three days. The College Board portal is closed. You missed the Regular Decision deadline."