Chapter 5
The day the deadline hit just happened to be the graduation panel.
With all the students and teachers watching, Sunny made her way to the stage.
She gave the mic a quick tap, her voice steady and confident, scanning the audience with a touch of smugness.
"What's the most valuable thing you gain in four years of college?" Sunny asked, her voice ringing out across the auditorium.
"It's your principles, staying true to yourself, and most importantly, the guts to stand up for the truth when it really counts," she said, sounding so sure of herself.
Sunny glanced at me, putting on a show of heartbreak. "It's a shame that some people, just for their own selfish reasons, will make up lies, drag others through the mud, and stomp all over academic integrity. Ethan, I'm willing to help you set things right—but only if you're ready to own up to your mistakes."
The freshmen and sophomores started gossiping in low voices.
"Is Ethan the one from that post about faking his degree?"
"Yeah, that's him. I heard he deleted his thesis to cover up that he had someone else write it for him, and then tried to blame it on someone else."
"That's messed up."
"I think he tried to frame the guy up there. I heard he's sick or something. Poor guy."
Alex turned around, flashing a perfectly timed, timid smile. As soon as his eyes met mine, he dropped his gaze, looking so helpless it could melt anyone's heart—even if it was all an act.
Sunny stepped off the stage, took Alex by the hand, and led him right up to me.
"Ethan, apologize to Alex in front of everyone. Admit you were wrong," Sunny demanded.
She'd already checked and found out that spot in the library was a total camera blind zone.
She was convinced I had zero evidence to fight back, so in front of the whole school, I'd just have to take the fall.
She was practically grinning, already picturing me hanging my head and admitting I was wrong.
I stood up, calm as if I was just a bystander, like none of this had anything to do with me.
"Sunny, how come I never realized you were such a drama queen?" I said.
Sunny's face went stiff. She let out a cold laugh and leaned in, whispering in my ear, "Ethan, your stubbornness isn't going to save you."
"All this drama over a thesis? You're so small-minded," she added.
She turned and pulled Alex up onto the stage.
"This is Alex, the kid next door. He's the real victim here," Sunny said, laying it on thick with sympathy.
"He's strong and kind, and even when life treats him unfairly, he keeps fighting for the truth," she added.
Alex's cheeks turned pink, but his voice was gentle and steady. "Even though I didn't make it to college, I still believe that if I keep working hard, someone out there will see what really happened."
Both of them kept dropping hints that I was the one cheating and being a backstabber—and even tried to pin it all on me.
The crowd erupted in applause, and Sunny nodded, looking totally pleased with herself.
"Her so-called little brother? Honestly, he looks more like her boyfriend," someone whispered.
"Come on, they totally are," another person chimed in.
On stage, the two of them were practically glued together, holding hands.
Anyone watching would think they were a couple.
Some of the girls started teasing, "Sunny, I heard your thesis got published in a top journal, and that's how you got into grad school."
"Yeah, and I heard you got a job offer from one of the Fortune 100 companies, plus a full scholarship for grad school—and another full scholarship on top of that."
"Sunny, show us what this badass thesis looks like!"
Those words made Sunny visibly smug, her pride written all over her face.
It was like the whole panel was just a setup for this moment.
Sunny shot a look at the counselor standing nearby.
The big screen lit up with the thesis upload page.
As she typed in her username and password, she looked out at the crowd and said,
"Success only comes to those who are prepared. My thesis is living proof of that."
"Normally, you wouldn't just show your thesis to anyone, but I'm willing to share it so we can all learn and grow together."
"Hey, all you schemers out there—open your eyes and see what real academic success looks like, and what it means to actually think big," Sunny said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
As she punched in the last digit of her password, she gave me a look that screamed victory—her eyes practically shining with smug pride.
"Ethan, feast your eyes. This is a world you'll never even touch. Watch me rise to heights you can only dream of," she said, her tone oozing arrogance.
She clicked into the thesis page, then swept her arm with a flourish at the big screen behind her.
"This is my future—so bright, so brilliant, nothing can stop me," she declared, her voice ringing with pride.
Sunny closed her eyes, smiling, waiting for the applause and gasps to wash over her.
But after what felt like forever, all she got was dead silence.
"What does 'not submitted' mean?" the girl who'd been the loudest just now asked, shooting me a look and barely holding back a smirk.
She glanced at me, trying to hide her grin, and spoke up, sounding all confused.