The Mysterious Call That Saved My Life

On the day college applications were due, I got a call from a number I didn't know.

Don't go to Ashford! Your boyfriend has contacts there. He'll steal your research and use it to make your best friend look good.

You'll be accused of plagiarism. Not just expelled you'll go to prison!

Go to Brenton instead. Its ranking is lower than Ashford's, but your program there will become the best in the country.

I asked warily, "Who is this?"

The line clicked and went dead.

On my phone, a message from Stewart Henson was blinking.

"Babe, I know it's break, but don't slack off on your research!"

"I had a dream last night that your computer crashed and you lost everything. Why don't you send me a copy so I can back it up for you?"

Thinking of the warning from that call, a chill crept up my back, and I quickly added extra security to my computer.

I stared at "Ashford" on the application page, my fingertip hovering over the mouse.

While I was still hesitating, my best friend called.

"Felicia Dickerson, you're definitely putting down Ashford, right? I'm going to keep clinging to you all through college!"

I kept my voice as light as I could. "Ashford, of course. I can't stand the thought of us being apart either."

"..."

Joanna Pruitt's delighted voice came through the speaker.

"The usual place. Let's celebrate being together again in college!"

Her tone was as warm and familiar as ever, warm enough to make me wonder whether I'd imagined that phone call.

I agreed softly and went to the coffee shop, still uneasy.

The moment I sat down, Joanna grabbed my hand, all concern.

"How's the research coming? You look worn out."

Her concern felt genuine. I just couldn't tell whether she cared about my research or about how hard I'd been working.

"It's basically wrapped up. Just proofreading left."

The words had barely left my mouth when my phone let out an alarm.

*One attack successfully blocked.*

Someone was trying to break into my computer.

"What kind of alert is that? The sound is terrifying."

While Joanna leaned in, I switched my phone to vibrate and locked the screen in a show of fumbling panic, but slowly enough for her to read the words clearly.

"That was my alarm. I've got something to do, I have to head out first."

Just as I'd expected, Joanna caught my arm. "You just got here and you're already leaving? No way, I won't let you."

The phone buzzed frantically in my hand. I stole a glance at the screen. The blocked-attempt log was still refreshing, but the security hadn't been cracked.

When the buzzing finally stopped, Joanna waved toward the door.

"Stewart, over here!"

She let go of me and slid into the seat across from me. "What a coincidence, Stewart's here too."

I nodded mechanically and scooted farther in.

But Stewart sat down right next to Joanna.

Only then did I realize our seating had quietly shifted long ago.

At first, I'd sat beside Joanna, and Stewart across from me.

Then Stewart had started sitting across from Joanna.

After that, the two of them always ended up side by side, as if by accident, with me alone on the other side.

And because I trusted them so completely, I'd never once suspected a thing.

Once Stewart settled in, he leaned close to Joanna, his lips moving faintly.

The shape of the words looked like: Her computer's protected. I'll think of another way.

Disappointment flickered in Joanna's eyes.

Stewart finally turned to me, as if he'd just noticed I was there.

"Felicia, send me a copy of your research files, I'll keep them safe for you."

"What if your computer dies one day? All that work for nothing."

I took a sip of my coffee. "There's this thing called cloud storage."

"Cloud accounts get hacked too. If I keep a copy, isn't that double insurance?"

I didn't answer him. Instead I asked, "You're going to Miami?"

Stewart froze for a second.

"No. Why would I go to Miami by myself?"

I gave my phone a little shake.

"Not just you. You and Joanna. The two of you."

"Your booking app is linked to my number, so the confirmation text came to me. Forget about that?"

Stewart's brow furrowed. "Felicia, you're spying on me now?"

Joanna rushed to smooth it over. "Felicia, don't blame Stewart."

"I wanted to get away for a bit, and I didn't want to interrupt your research, so I asked Stewart to come with me."

"Felicia, you're not upset, are you? Or... or we could all go together another time?"

I looked at the two of them and said it slowly, one word at a time.

"Sure. Then let's wait until my research is done and go together."

The answer caught Joanna short, and the smile froze on her face.

A moment later, her eyes turned red.

"I should've held off on booking the hotel. The seller says it's nonrefundable..."

Stewart picked up a napkin and gently dabbed at the corners of her eyes.

Joanna tilted her head into it, easy, as if she'd known the gesture forever.

So used to it that Stewart never noticed he'd crossed a line. He just set his face and turned it on me.

"Felicia, what's wrong with you? You won't go yourself, so nobody else gets to go?"

"I'll take Joanna this time, and once your research is finished we'll all go together. Where's the problem?"

I tapped the message on my phone.

"The flight's tomorrow morning."

"If I hadn't found out, when exactly were you planning to tell me?"

"Or were you never planning to tell me at all?"

Joanna's pitiful little expression froze on her face, and Stewart's hand hung in the air with the napkin.

I picked up my bag and got up.

"When you asked me out today, was it to see me, or did you have something else in mind?"

I'd barely gotten home when Stewart called.

"Felicia, what was that about today? What's with the passive-aggressive act?"

"You don't understand?"

Stewart lost his temper. "Don't tell me you're jealous of Joanna. I only agreed to look after your best friend so you could focus on your research!"

"I go out of my way for you, and instead of appreciating it, you throw a jealous fit over nothing!"

"And your research. How many times have I offered to back it up for you? You just never send it. What's that supposed to mean? I'm being kind and you treat me like a thief?"

I hung up on him.

I opened my laptop and pulled up the college application system again.

Brenton University. This time I didn't hesitate at all.

Joanna started posting travel photos.

Scenery, food, couple shots with Stewart.

Someone commented: Handsome guy, pretty girl, perfect match!

Joanna replied with a bashful face.

Stewart sent me one message a day.

Don't let jealousy get in the way of your research. Joanna and I only left you out because we didn't want to derail your big project.

Research. He really did care about my research.

I opened my laptop and added a stroke to it, offhand.

A week later, my Brenton acceptance letter arrived.

I'd just torn open the envelope when Stewart and Joanna showed up, travel-worn and out of breath.

"What's the meaning of you not answering our messages these past few days? Trying to make us feel guilty?"

"Is the research all done?"

I took out the acceptance letter.

"It's done."

"You two looked like you were having such a good time, I didn't have the heart to interrupt."

The moment Stewart heard the research was finished, his whole face relaxed.

"I hear Ashford lets you submit your research now. Send it to me, I can submit it for you!"

I gave the letter in my hand a little shake.

"Why would I submit my research to Ashford?"

Stewart's eyes went wide, and he snatched the acceptance letter out of my hand.

"Brenton? How did you get into Brenton?"

Joanna's face changed too.

"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 tomorrowis 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 allresearch 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 researchidentical.

The paperidentical.

The submitted research documentationidentical.

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 researchare 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 youbecause 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 itFelicia 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 studentthat'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 outexplain 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."