— I can’t. Finals are coming, and nobody’s going to rescue me if I mess this up. I have to do this on my own.
Brittany would just laugh.
— Fine, Miss Responsible. Then let us borrow your notes, okay? We’re going out.
In the end, Emily’s hard work paid off. She finished her exams early and ended the year at the top of her class. Her roommates barely avoided academic probation and quietly grew to resent her.
— That little teacher’s pet just got lucky. We’re not any dumber than she is. Right, Britt? — Ashley grumbled.
That was when the two of them decided to play a cruel joke on their “perfect” roommate.
By summer break, the dorms had mostly emptied out. Everyone had gone home.
Emily felt lonely, but she had nowhere to go. So she kept going to the library and trying to stay productive. Then one day Ashley and Brittany showed up at the room all smiles.
— Emily, come with us to a cookout out by the lake. Some upperclassmen will be there. We’ll grill burgers, swim, hang out.
— And don’t give us that school excuse. It’s summer break. You’re allowed to have fun, — they insisted.
Emily was honestly surprised by the sudden friendliness. They’d never been close. But after a long year, she did want a little company and a little fun.
So she agreed, thinking fresh air might do her good. It was a beautiful day, and summer had a way of making everything seem possible. What she didn’t know was that the girls had a plan. They knew Emily didn’t drink and hated making a fool of herself, and they thought it would be funny to get her drunk in front of everyone.
They wanted to laugh at the serious scholarship girl and knock her down a peg. That day would change Emily’s life for good. From the start, it was nothing like she expected. Instead of a relaxed get-together, she walked into a flashy party scene.
When they arrived at Brittany’s family’s lake house, Emily found a crowd of older guys from wealthy families and equally polished girls already there. Champagne was flowing, cocktails were being mixed, and loud music blasted across the yard. Surrounded by all that easy confidence and money, Emily felt painfully out of place.
Ashley and Brittany kept chatting about trends, trips, and parties while quietly pouring liquor into Emily’s juice. Her body, unused to alcohol, gave in fast. The world tilted. She felt sick. When she tried to stand, her legs buckled and she stumbled awkwardly onto the grass.
Laughter exploded around her. Instead of helping, Brittany shouted:
— Look at this! Our little honor student is completely wasted. And she acted like she was so pure and proper.
— Guess the quiet ones really are the wild ones, — Ashley chimed in. — Just wait, it gets better.
Emily struggled to her feet, brushing off her clothes, burning with shame. Out of that whole crowd, only one young man stepped forward to help her up.
Tears sprang to her eyes, and she ran from the yard, wanting only to get away from the humiliation. At the edge of the driveway, she turned and shouted back:
— To hell with all of you. Some friends.
She had no idea where to go or how to get back to town.
The house was far from everything, and the roads were unfamiliar. She walked slowly along the shoulder, crying hard. Her scraped knee throbbed, and she cursed herself for being so trusting.
Why did I say yes? I knew exactly what those girls were like. What did I think was going to happen? That rich kids would treat a foster kid like one of their own?
Then a car slowed behind her, and a familiar voice called out:
— Emily, wait. Get in, I’ll take you back to campus. My name’s Daniel. I graduated from your school last year.
She stopped and looked warily at the tall, athletic young man behind the wheel.
He was the same one who had tried to help her up on the lawn. Her first instinct was to refuse. But there was something sincere in his eyes, and that made her hesitate. Wiping her cheeks, she got into the passenger seat without a word.
Well, either way, I’m not walking back before sunrise.
On the drive, Daniel tried to smooth things over.
— Don’t waste too much anger on them. They drank too much and acted like idiots. Without their parents’ money, most of them wouldn’t know what to do with themselves. You’ve got more backbone than any of them.
— I’ve heard about you, by the way. About your grades. You stood out to me right away, — he added. — You’re not like that crowd. You’re real.
Emily answered sharply:
