Chapter 1

The email from Princeton glowed on my laptop screen, "Congratulations, Ethan Miller." Full scholarship, early admission. My parents were proud, in their usual distant way. They' d already sponsored Chloe and Maya through Northwood Prep, the same elite high school I just graduated from. The unspoken plan was always that I' d end up with one of them. They were smart, driven, or so I thought.

Chloe, valedictorian. Maya, salutatorian. Both got into Princeton too, thanks to my family footing the bill for every prep course, every application coach, every connection we had. They lived in the guesthouse on our estate, a constant presence.

I found them in the sunroom, not celebrating, but huddled together, looking serious.

"Hey," I said, "Princeton squad, right?"

Chloe looked up, her expression tight. "Ethan, we need to talk."

Maya nodded, avoiding my eyes. "We're thinking of deferring Princeton."

I blinked. "Deferring? Why? We all got in. This was the dream."

"Well," Chloe started, "Jake didn't get into Princeton."

Jake. The star quarterback from their old neighborhood, the one they' d reconnected with this past year. The one my parents definitely didn't factor into their plans.

"Jake's aiming for South Valley State," Maya explained, her voice small. "He thinks he can get an athletic scholarship. We want to go with him. Re-apply there."

South Valley State? I tried to keep my voice even. "You're throwing away Princeton for South Valley State? To follow Jake?"

Chloe' s chin jutted out. "It' s not just following Jake. It' s about supporting him. And maybe it' s a better fit for us too."

"A better fit than an Ivy League school with a full ride?" I could hear the disbelief in my own voice. I started to list all the reasons this was a terrible idea, the opportunities they'd be squandering.

As I spoke, my phone screen, lying on the table, flickered. A bright red banner, like an emergency alert, popped up over my wallpaper.

`WARNING: If Ethan persists in blocking Chloe & Maya's 'South Valley' plan, they will conspire to get his Princeton acceptance revoked (e.g., frame him for cheating, 'lose' critical documents). He'll suffer a career-damaging 'accident' trying to fix it.`

My breath caught. My heart hammered. These "glitches," these predictive texts, had been happening for a year. Sometimes they were small, like a pop-up saying "Alex will be late - flat tire." And Alex would call minutes later. But this... this was huge.

Another pop-up, styled like a social media DM, slid onto the screen.

`They're playing him. Any attempt to stop them now will backfire spectacularly. #LetThemCook (Their Own Downfall).`

I stared at the phone, then at Chloe and Maya, their faces earnest, defensive. The words I was about to say, the arguments I was forming, died in my throat.

I swallowed hard, forcing a complete shift in my tone.

"You know what?" I said, trying for casual. "If that' s what you guys feel is right, then... you should do it. South Valley, huh? With Jake. Yeah, I get it. Support him."

Chloe and Maya exchanged surprised glances.

"Really?" Chloe asked, suspicion in her eyes.

"Yeah, really," I said, forcing a smile. "Who am I to say what' s best for you? Follow your hearts."

The relief on their faces was immediate, and a little too quick.