Chapter 1

The AP English Language exam was finally over for the day, and I, Sarah Miller, was packing up my proctoring materials. My mind was already shifting to the AP Calculus scores, my actual teaching subject. My students usually did well, partly because of my "Final Review Packets." I prided myself on how closely they mirrored the real AP exam questions.

My phone buzzed. A notification from the PTA Facebook group. Probably another bake sale announcement.

I opened it.

My breath caught.

Karen Thompson, Brittany' s mother, had posted.

"Sarah Miller is playing favorites with the AP Calculus exam!"

The words jumped out.

"She gave unfair advantages to certain students! My Brittany is a victim of this!"

What?

My heart pounded. This was about the AP Calculus exam we had just a few days ago.

The comments started flooding in.

"This is outrageous!"

"I knew something was off!"

Karen' s post continued, "Ms. Miller sent out a 'review packet' at 7 PM the night before the exam! How is that fair to students who have other commitments? Brittany missed it!"

I had emailed that packet to every single student in my AP Calculus class. It was comprehensive, yes. And one of the free-response questions in my packet was, as usual, strikingly similar to a major one on the actual exam. It was worth a lot of points. That was my skill, predicting the exam's focus.

Brittany hadn't done the review. That was on her.

The comments twisted Karen' s words.

"She's leaking exam content!"

"Is she taking bribes for this information?"

I felt a cold wave wash over me. This was insane. I scrolled, my hand shaking.

Brittany Thompson was a student who rarely put in the effort. Her mother, Karen, was known for her aggressive, entitled attitude. If Brittany didn't get an A, it was always someone else's fault.

Now, it was my fault Brittany might not ace the AP Calculus exam.

My fault for trying to help all my students.

The accusation was a punch to the gut. I just stared at my phone, completely bewildered. Unfair advantages? I gave the material to everyone.