Chapter 2

I stared at Tiffany' s message, the number "20" burning into my screen.

It couldn't be a coincidence.

Not again.

The nightmare, the deja vu, her taunt – it was all lining up.

Round one was a data optimization challenge.

I poured everything into it, my fingers flying across the worn keys of my old laptop.

My algorithms were tight, innovative, I knew they were.

I triple-checked every line, every variable, every possible inefficiency.

This time had to be different.

I submitted it with seconds to spare.

Then, the agonizing wait.

An hour later, the scores posted.

My project: 970 points. A fantastic score, near perfect.

My heart leaped. Maybe, just maybe.

Then I scrolled down.

Tiffany Harrison: 990 points.

Exactly twenty points higher.

A knot formed in my stomach, cold and hard.

How?

She had to be cheating. There was no other explanation for that consistent, precise gap.

But how?

Was she somehow seeing my code?

For Round 2, the theme was "Community Solutions."

I decided to change everything.

I unplugged my internet router.

I worked completely offline, on a fresh install of my operating system on a wiped spare drive.

I even wrote decoy functions, complex but ultimately useless, designed to mislead anyone who might be peeking.

My real solution was a streamlined app to connect local food banks with volunteers, elegant and efficient.

I only reconnected to the internet at the absolute last second, uploaded my project, and immediately disconnected again.

There was no way she could have seen it.

No way.

The results for Round 2 came faster this time.

My project: 965 points. Another strong showing.

I held my breath, scrolling.

Tiffany Harrison: 985 points.

Twenty points.

Again.

The room started to spin.

It was impossible. Utterly, maddeningly impossible.

I felt a scream building in my chest.