Chapter 8: Before the Storm

In the days that followed, I learned the Fair SAT System’s rules inside and out.

Every time I stopped a cheating system, it grew stronger—eventually, it could crush them all. For now, I kept that secret close.

Time rushed by. The Tri-State Practice Exam loomed, and the whole school buzzed with anxiety. Parent meetings were being scheduled based on results. Students buried themselves in review, stress thick in the air.

Natalie mostly left Aubrey alone, but every glance was full of icy contempt.

The night before the Tri-State Practice Exam, I called Aubrey to my office. She sat across from me, so timid it broke my heart.

Aubrey’s dad died young. Her mom raised her alone, working double shifts at the local grocery store just to keep the lights on. The scores that could’ve changed her life had vanished in weeks. The loss was devastating.

I cleared my throat. "Aubrey, have you tried controlling your score during exams?"

She blinked. "Controlling my score? Ms. Grant, you have to try your best to see your real level. Controlling your score doesn’t seem right, does it?"

She looked genuinely confused.

I gave her a secretive smile. "Being able to control your score just means you’ve mastered the material. It’s a skill every top student should have."

"In tomorrow’s practice exam, I want you to keep your score below 700. That’s your task."

"If you do it, your lost scores will come back."

She wanted to argue, but the promise of her lost scores shut her up. She looked at me, eyes wide. "Ms. Grant, I promise."

I squeezed her shoulder. "I know you will."

I didn’t know if I could actually fix anything. But right now, hope was all either of us had.