Halfway through the college entrance exam, I suddenly pulled a cheat sheet out of my pocket and held it high.

The invigilator immediately confiscated my paper and announced that my results were invalid.

But when they looked at my cheat sheet, they were shocked to find, it was full of standard answers for the next exam!

The inspection team immediately sent someone to take me away for investigation. I was escorted out of the exam hall by the police. If the cheating was confirmed, I would have to serve three years in prison.

No one understood why someone like me, a top student on track to be the top scorer, would cheat, let alone report myself.

But what puzzled them even more was, how could I predict future questions and have answers for subjects we hadn't even taken yet?

Only I knew, everything I did was to save myself.

——

In the exam hall, everyone was writing furiously. It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

I glanced at my blank answer sheet, sighed, then pulled out a thick cheat sheet from my pocket and held it high, loudly declaring so everyone could hear, "Sir, I have a cheat sheet in my pocket!"

Instantly, all eyes were on me. Several classmates were so shocked, they dropped their pens.

The invigilator on the podium quickly walked toward me, snatched the cheat sheet from my hand and said sternly, "Jessica, you have seriously violated exam discipline. You must stop answering immediately! I now declare your result for this subject invalid!" His words rang loud and clear, but I remained unusually calm.

As soon as he finished speaking, all the students around inhaled sharply, "Is she crazy? Cheating and then admitting it herself?"

Another girl also said, "Wait, isn't that Jessica Stockholm from No.1 High School? The top student who always gets first place in mock exams!"

A male student shouted, "A top student cheating in the college entrance exam, she's throwing her future away!"

***

"Silence!" the invigilator roared. "Anyone speaking will be treated as cheating!"

The room went quiet again. The others hurried back to their papers, but my classmates stared at me wide-eyed in fear.

Just then, another invigilator noticed something odd. He waved frantically, "Come here! There's something wrong with this cheat sheet!"

The two invigilators huddled together. I could vaguely hear them whispering, "Look at this cheat sheet, it doesn't just have math answers, but also answers for science! But this is the English exam. Math and science aren't until tomorrow!"

One of them puzzled, "What's going on? Did Jessica bring the wrong cheat sheet?"

The other person answered, "No, it's not formulas, it's actual answers! Oh my god! Report this to the inspection team immediately!"

Soon, the inspection team arrived at our exam hall, with two police officers among them.

The team leader took me outside the classroom and said sternly, "Jessica, if your cheating is confirmed, not only will your results be voided, but according to the law, cheating in the college entrance exam is a criminal offense. You'll be facing three years in prison."

He asked again, "We'll be taking you in for investigation now. Do you have any objections?"

I turned back to look at my classmates still working on their papers. But at that moment, no one was focused on the questions. They were all staring at me anxiously.

Seeing the fear in their eyes, I exhaled, "You can take me away. But I have one request, take a good look at my cheat sheet."

Since nothing like this had ever happened in an exam before, I was escorted out by police and temporarily held in a separate classroom to await the outcome.

Not long after I was taken to the separate room, the bell rang, it marked the end of the English exam.

None of my classmates left after finishing; they all rushed over to see me, led by my childhood friend Emmet Barker.

He was drenched in sweat and shouted at the inspectors, "Teachers, you must be mistaken! Jessica would never cheat! She's a top student at No. 1 High School, a guaranteed candidate for Glasgow, she has no reason to cheat!"

The inspector watching over me sighed, "That boy really cares about you. He just finished his exam and already came to plead for you."

Hearing that, I let out a cold laugh, "Really?"

Emmet and I grew up together, though our families were worlds apart. But he never looked down on my background and was always a good friend to me.

I used to dream of getting into a top university, thinking only then I'd be worthy of him. But after today's scandal, there was no way that would ever happen.

The inspectors were also baffled, "They all say you were going to be the top scorer, why ruin your future like this?"

I lifted my eyes, looked at the teacher and said word by word, "Because if I didn't do this, I would die."

The inspector was startled by my words, but I remained calm, even wore a faint smile on my face. As if that wild statement had come from someone else entirely.

Soon, my homeroom teacher arrived. She banged on the windowsill from outside and glared at me furiously like I'd let her down. He angrily said, "Jessica, are you out of your mind? The college entrance exam decides your whole future, why would you mess up now by cheating?"

"Your parents are hardworking farmers, planting vegetables day and night just to scrape together your tuition. How could you be so irresponsible to them?" When she mentioned my parents, I bit my lip and lowered my head.

Everyone assumed I was ashamed and guilty, which made the accusation of cheating seem even more solid.

But I knew better than anyone, only by reporting myself for cheating could I have a real chance at getting into Glasgow.

Soon, the principal arrived after hearing the news and with him came Ms. Travis from the Glasgow admissions office.

When Ms. Travis saw me handcuffed and sat in a chair, she was stunned. She asked in disbelief, "Jessica, weren't you already guaranteed a spot at Glasgow through the competition program? Why are you even in the exam hall, let alone cheating?"

With that one sentence, everyone was stunned.

Emmet looked at me blankly and asked, "You … you were already admitted?"

The principal and my homeroom teacher were shocked and asked Ms. Travis for confirmation.

Ms. Travis nodded repeatedly, "I'm not mistaken, I'm certain! Jessica has already been accepted into Glasgow's Physics Department! The offer letter is on the way!"

Now people were even more confused.

I'd already been admitted to the best university in the country, so why would I cheat in the entrance exam?

My homeroom teacher slapped her thigh and said firmly, "I get it! Someone set her up! Jessica, tell me the truth, did someone plant that cheat sheet in your pocket?"

The principal quickly agreed, "Yes, Jessica. As long as you say you didn't cheat, we'll get to the bottom of this!"

Everyone stared at me, eyes filled with hope. I knew that if I denied it, the teachers and classmates would protect me.

But instead, I said with a blank face, "I cheated. The cheat sheet is mine."

After hearing my words, the homeroom teacher collapsed to the floor, slapped her thighs and the ground in anger, "What a sin! Jessica, you're truly a walking disaster!"

The principal's expression shifted repeatedly. He pointed at me and shouted, "Since you don't know what's good for you, don't blame the school for being heartless! Your father was seriously ill and you applied to advance the 50,000 pound scholarship for Glasgow students. The school originally planned to grant it after the exam. Now I'm telling you, it's gone!"

Upon hearing this, my calm demeanor shattered. I immediately stood up from the chair, "Principal, how can you go back on your word? That money is my dad's only hope for survival!"

The principal's face turned green with anger, "You have the nerve to blame me? You're the one who ruined your own future! That scholarship is for Glasgow students. Are you one?"

In a panic, I shouted, "I can be!"

"You? Don't kid yourself!" the principal yelled, pointing outside, "The police car's already on its way! You're about to be taken away for investigation!"

Rage surged inside me, but I had no way to explain, "Principal, please believe me, I still have a chance!"

The principal waved his hand, brows furrowed, clearly unwilling to say another word.

Just then, my mom arrived, she should've been at the hospital taking care of my dad.

The moment she saw me in handcuffs, her eyes turned red, "W-what's going on …"

I was stunned, "Mom, why are you here?"

My mom, emotional and flustered, said, "Your teacher called me! She said you were caught cheating on the college entrance exam! I didn't believe it. I said my daughter could never cheat. She told me to come and see for myself! Jessica, did you really cheat?"

I choked up, unsure how to respond.

A few reporters burst in with photographers, they pushed my mom aside.

They'd been shooting outside the school but rushed in the moment they heard that a top student was caught cheating. Cameras flashed right in my face.

One of the journalist asked, "You're Jessica Stockholm, right? You're the first student in this city caught cheating on the college entrance exam. Do you realize this will stain your name forever?"

Another journalist chimed in, "Sources say your mock exam scores were always above 700, why would you cheat? Can you explain?"

The flashbulbs were so bright I couldn't keep my eyes open. Emmet and my classmates pushed the reporters out, "Enough, stop filming! Jessica, are you out of your mind? Why are you determined to ruin yourself like this?"

While they spoke, the police car had already entered the school grounds, I was about to be taken away.

Emmet's neck turned red with urgency. He held onto my mom and shouted at me, "Jessica, say you didn't cheat! If you really did, your dad won't have money for surgery the day after tomorrow!"

"What?" My mom's mouth dropped in shock. After she learned that the principal canceled the payment because of the cheating incident, she panicked like an ant on a hot pan.

"Jessica, we already promised the doctor we'd pay for the surgery tomorrow! I'm begging you, please stop saying you cheated! Do it for your father, I'm begging you!" She dropped to her knees right then and there.

It's always children who kneel to their parents, when have parents ever knelt to their children?

"Mom, get up!" I clenched my teeth, eyes bloodshot.

But my mom shook her head and cried out, "I can't get up. If I do, your dad's really done for! Jessica, you've always been obedient and filial. Can't you take it back just once, for your dad?"

Emmet shouted again, "Jessica, deny it already! If you get taken away today, those reporters will spread the footage everywhere. Your whole life will be ruined! Your family won't be able to show their face in this town again!"