Chapter 4

The announcement came during the next assembly.

"And the regional winner of the National Scholars Tournament, securing a significant scholarship to the university of her choice, is... Sarah Miller!"

Applause erupted. I walked onto the stage, a genuine smile on my face as I accepted the award.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Tiffany Hayes, her face a mask of barely concealed envy. She had loudly proclaimed for weeks how she was a shoo-in for this scholarship.

Kevin looked furious, his fake limp momentarily forgotten as he glared.

Later that week, there was a huge house party, the kind everyone in senior year attended.

Chloe and I were there, mostly to celebrate my win.

It didn't take long for Kevin, clearly fueled by Tiffany' s simmering resentment, to make a scene.

"Well, well, if it isn't Miss Selfish of the Year," Kevin slurred, his voice loud enough to draw attention. He was still leaning on that crutch, though he seemed to be putting less weight on it now.

"Still celebrating stepping over your friends to get what you want, Sarah?"

Tiffany clung to his arm, her eyes wide with feigned sympathy for him. "Kevin, don't. She's not worth it."

"No, people should know!" Kevin insisted, his voice rising. "She left me in agony, probably broke my leg, all for some stupid award!"

A few people around us looked uncomfortable, others seemed to be buying his act.

"Kevin," I said calmly, "your 'agony' seems to come and go depending on who's watching."

Just then, across the crowded living room, Tiffany let out a dramatic gasp.

"Oh! Oh, I don't feel well," she cried, her hand flying to her forehead. She swayed precariously. "Kevin, I think... I think I'm going to faint!"

And with that, she began to crumple.

Instinctively, without a moment's hesitation, Kevin dropped his crutch.

He sprinted across the room, weaving through people with surprising agility for someone with a "broken leg," catching Tiffany just before she hit the floor.

"Tiff! Tiff, are you okay?" he cried, all concern.

A sudden silence fell over the party.

Then, someone snorted.

Another person chuckled.

The crutch lay forgotten on the floor.

Kevin, kneeling beside a "swooning" Tiffany, looked up, his face flushed as he realized what had just happened.

His "debilitating injury" had miraculously vanished the second Tiffany needed him.

Chloe smirked. "Wow, Kevin. That's some amazing recovery. A true medical miracle."

The crowd around us burst into laughter.

Kevin' s face turned a deep, mortified red. Tiffany, realizing their ploy had backfired spectacularly, "recovered" quickly, sitting up and glaring at the laughing faces.

His charade was exposed, not by my words, but by his own actions. The mockery was a far more effective condemnation than any argument I could have made.