"Felicia, we agreed we'd go to Ashford together—"

I took the acceptance letter back. "I've changed my mind. I don't want to go with you two anymore."

Stewart grabbed my wrist.

"Then retake the year. Even if it takes you another one, you're going to Ashford!"

He caught himself, and softened his tone.

"I'm saying this for your sake. Your research only means something if you publish it at Ashford."

These past few days I'd found out something: Stewart's uncle was a professor at Ashford.

His insistence on Ashford was so his uncle could work it from the inside, quietly swapping the name on the research I submitted for Joanna's.

"Stewart, I think I'm allowed to choose my own school, aren't I?"

Joanna gave Stewart's sleeve a light tug.

"Let it go. As long as Felicia's happy."

"It's just such a shame about her research. If only it could be taken to Ashford."

Joanna leaned on the words taken to.

Stewart understood. He left with Joanna.

At eleven that night, the alarm on my computer went off again.

Now that they knew I wasn't going to Ashford, they were more desperate than ever to steal my research.

The system logged over a hundred intercepted attacks before things finally went quiet.

Then Stewart messaged me.

【I can't find my watch. Did I leave it at your place? I'll come look for it tomorrow.】

The remote attack on my computer had failed, so now he wanted to walk into my home and take the files in person.

I tapped out a single reply: "Sure."

Even a clumsy excuse like that, he'd managed to come up with. Turning him away would only make me look rude.

Early the next morning, Stewart rang my doorbell, dark circles under his eyes.

"Look around yourself. I'm going out for breakfast."

The moment he heard I was leaving, his eyes lit up and he nodded eagerly.

"Take your time. Don't mind me!"

I went down to the restaurant at the foot of my building and ate breakfast, unhurried.

Better to hand them exactly what they wanted myself than to leave a cornered animal to strike where I couldn't guard against it.

Half an hour later, a message came from Stewart.

【I'm heading out.】

I knew. He'd gotten it.

For the rest of the summer, I never reached out to either of them again.

In September, I dragged my suitcase to Brenton alone.

I'd barely walked into the dorm when my phone buzzed.

Joanna.

【Too bad you didn't come to Ashford. You won't get to watch me take the place by storm.】

Take it by storm? With my research, you mean?

I was about to block her when she sent another message: a photo of her and Stewart beside the Ashford crest.

His hand rested on her shoulder, her arm was around his waist. They looked like a couple.

I sent back: 【A hundred years of happiness, growing old together.】 Then I dropped them both into my blocked list.

I brought the research files to my advisor's office.

Professor Whitney read through them, delighted. "This is perfect! With research like this, our department can compete for number one in the country!"

"Do you have any thoughts about the presentation?"

That mysterious voice circled back into my ear.

"Don't go to Ashford! On September 29th, at ten in the morning, Joanna is going to steal your research and present it as her own!"

I said, "I'd like the presentation to be held on September 29th, at ten in the morning."

On the 28th, both Ashford and Brenton posted announcements on their official sites at the same time.

【Tomorrow at ten a.m., we will unveil research produced by one of our incoming students. Stay tuned.】

The whole internet erupted.

【Ashford and Brenton releasing new research on the same day? Both from freshmen? Is this a battle?】

【Brenton's really overreaching, picking the same day as Ashford. They'll probably get crushed to dust in seconds.】

An unknown number called. I answered. It was Stewart.

He didn't ask why I'd blocked him. He didn't explain the silence of the past days. His tone was ordinary, like nothing had happened at all.

"Felicia, that research Brenton's presenting tomorrow—is it yours?"

"Listen to me. You can't show off too much right at the start of the term. Push it back a week first…"

I played dumb. "What are you talking about? I haven't even submitted my research yet."

Stewart let out a breath. "Then it's fine. I was just worried, that's all—research this good, I didn't want it wasted."

He wanted Joanna to publish first. That way, I'd be the plagiarist.

I didn't call him out. I just hung up.

At ten the next morning, the presentations at Ashford and Brenton went live at the same time.

The moment the research titles came up on screen, the whole internet lost it.

The subject of the research—identical.

The paper—identical.

The submitted research documentation—identical.

Down to every last punctuation mark.

*Whoa, what the hell? Aside from the names, the content's completely the same?*

*Somebody copied, obviously. One of these two ripped off the other.*

The professors at Ashford and Brenton saw the comments and pulled both livestreams on the spot.

The presentations became an open mystery, blowing up all over the internet.

To keep it from spiraling, a panel of academic experts formed an investigation committee and worked through the night.

Professor Whitney called me into his office.

"Felicia, what in the world is going on here?"

"This research—are you certain you completed it on your own?"

"I'm certain."

"Then what about this Joanna Pruitt at Ashford? Why is her documentation exactly the same as yours?"

"She stole my research."

"Do you have proof?"

"Professor, it's not convenient for me to say right now."

"But don't worry. I won't let the school be embarrassed."

Professor Whitney narrowed his eyes at me.

"You chose today to present on purpose, didn't you—because you knew Ashford's presentation time?"

I said nothing.

His assistant knocked on the door.

"The committee's rented a conference room at the Seaview Hotel. They want you both there immediately."

Inside the wide conference room, the five members of the investigation committee sat at the table, faces grave.

For the public's sake, three reporters from state media had already set up livestream cameras in the room.

Joanna and Stewart sat in the chairs facing the committee.

The moment Joanna saw me, her eyes went red.

"Felicia, why would you do this? Why would you steal everything I poured myself into…"

"I trusted you so much…"

The committee gestured for me and Professor Whitney to sit, then asked Joanna, "You completed this research on your own?"

Joanna nodded. "I slaved over it for a whole year to get it done."

"Then why does Felicia Dickerson have an identical copy?"

The question seemed to open the floodgates.

Tears came down her cheeks, and her voice went thick with them.

"She's my best friend. I never kept my guard up around her. She knew all my passwords."

"She was always at my place, on my computer. I never imagined she'd actually steal my research."

"Felicia, you can take anything you like from me, but this research is everything I put into it. Just give it back to me, please…"

I blinked at her, all innocence.

"I never took anything of yours. What would I be giving back?"

"I'm not a thief. Not with things, not with people."

Stewart's brows drew together, and he cut me off, rough about it.

"Felicia, what's with the snide act? You think I don't know? You're doing this to get back at Joanna on purpose!"

"Professor, Felicia is my girlfriend. She got into the same university as me and Joanna, and she's been jealous and bitter ever since."

"I never thought she'd stoop to stealing a research project."

"I can testify to it—Felicia only ever cared about goofing off. There's no way she could have produced this project."

On the livestream, the comments ran almost entirely one way.

*Put Ashford and Brenton side by side and I'll still trust Ashford…*

*Right? An Ashford student stealing from a Brenton student—that'd be a joke if word got out.*

*Agreed. If she had that kind of ability, why didn't she get into Ashford?*

*Even her own boyfriend can't stand to watch. Tells you what kind of person she is.*

Professor Whitney couldn't sit still. He pressed me, tense.

"Felicia, stop drawing it out—explain yourself already!"

The committee spoke up too, grave.

"Miss Dickerson, do you have anything to say to Miss Pruitt's accusation?"

"I do."

I raised my hand and pointed at the two identical documents on the big screen.

Every gaze in the room followed my fingertip.

I turned to Joanna and spoke each word slowly.

"Joanna, since you're the one who did this project—"

"Then tell everyone where the watermark is hidden in the document."