Chapter 4

It was June 23rd.

The results would be out.

2 a.m. I was at my desk, the screen's blue glow lighting up my face, fingers poised above the keyboard.

The results site took three seconds to load.

White screen. Loading spinner.

Then the numbers flashed onto the screen.

Language Arts: Perfect Score

Math: Near Perfect

History & Social Studies: Outstanding

Total Score: Top 1%

Ranked #1 in the state

I stared at that number for a long time.

The score on the screen was like a blade, slicing clean through the boundary between my two lives.

In my previous life,…