Chapter 3

Ava woke up screaming, tangled in her bedsheets.

The day before the SATs.

Not a dream. A memory. Her past life, her murder, all vivid.

She was back.

Her heart pounded.

She looked at her hands, real, solid.

Today was Friday. Tomorrow, the SATs.

The same SATs.

Scarlett would be there. Ms. Albright would be scheming.

Ava got out of bed, her mind racing.

This time, things would be different.

She wouldn't be a victim.

She would be the one pulling the strings.

She had a plan. A dangerous one.

But she wouldn' t let them win again.

She looked in the mirror. Her eyes were hard.

"I remember everything, Scarlett," she whispered.

"And you're going to pay."

At school, Scarlett approached Ava at her locker, all fake smiles and concern.

"Ava! Hey! So, are you still thinking of taking the SATs tomorrow?"

Her voice was sweet, too sweet.

"You know, just for fun? Like we talked about?"

Jessica Vance stood a little behind Scarlett, arms crossed, a smirk on her face.

Ava met Scarlett' s gaze, her expression unreadable.

"Why would I, Scarlett? I have my Yale scholarship."

Scarlett' s smile faltered for a microsecond.

"Oh, come on! It' ll be a laugh. We can compare scores later. Bragging rights, you know?"

She nudged Ava playfully, but her eyes were too intense.

Scarlett needed Ava to physically take the test for the Score Swapper app to work.

It needed two active test-takers in the same session.

Ava knew this now.

"No, Scarlett," Ava said, her voice calm but firm.

"I don't think I will."

She closed her locker.

Scarlett' s eyes widened. This wasn't part of her script.

"What? Why not? Don't be such a spoilsport, Ava."

Her voice was losing its sweetness, a hint of steel creeping in.

Jessica shifted, taking a step closer.

"Yeah, Miller. Don't be lame."

Ava just looked at Scarlett.

"I have better things to do with my Saturday."

Scarlett was visibly flustered.

"But... but we planned it!"

"You planned it, Scarlett," Ava corrected. "I didn't."

She started to walk away.