The Cheater Read online

  The place must seem pretty stuffy to him, she thought. And all the people a bunch of stuck-up bores.

  She gave him a stiff smile as they sat at one of the wicker tables in the snack bar to wait for Jill. Some people at a table nearby appeared to be talking about him. Adam didn’t seem to notice.

  “You looked surprised to see me,” Adam said to Carter.

  She shifted uncomfortably. “No, I wasn’t surprised. Really.”

  He gave a low laugh. “Yes, you were. It was written all over your face.”

  She was glad to see Jill striding quickly toward them—it meant she could change the subject.

  As Jill drew closer, Carter saw confusion on her face. She’s recognized Adam, Carter thought, and she doesn’t understand what he’s doing here. What will I tell her?

  “Hi, Jill,” Carter said before Jill had a chance to open her mouth. “You know Adam Messner from math class, right?”

  “Sure,” Jill said. “But—”

  Carter interrupted her. “He’s going to play tennis with us. Now we just need a fourth for doubles.”

  “I’ll join you,” said a voice. It belonged to a tall, good-looking blond guy sitting at the table next to Carter’s.

  Her heart sank when she saw who it was. Richard Smith.

  Richard Smith was cute, but extremely snooty— too snobbish and uptight for Carter’s crowd. He had been trying to get Carter to go out with him since ninth grade, but Carter wouldn’t go. She enjoyed turning him down time after time, though nothing she did seemed to squash his giant ego. He kept coming back for more.

  Richard stood up and sauntered over to Carter’s table. He looked down his long, perfect nose at Adam.

  Adam coolly ignored him. Carter couldn’t help feeling a little proud of Adam, in a perverse way. She was glad Richard didn’t ruffle him. Adam could hold his own.

  “I like your ponytail,” Richard said with a smirk.

  “Shut up, Richard,” Carter said. “You and Jill against me and Adam. Let’s go.”

  They went down to the courts. Adam served first. He aced it.

  “I wasn’t ready yet,” Richard complained. “But I’ll let that one go.”

  Jill returned Adam’s next serve, but Adam and Carter won the point anyway.

  The game quickly became intense. Carter found herself concentrating hard and really enjoying the game. Together, she and Adam were making Jill and Richard run. Sweat was pouring off Richard’s face.

  Adam, with his funky clothes and wooden racquet, was a skilled player. His style was aggressive, and he blew Richard off the court.

  Carter and Adam won the match.

  Richard stormed off the court without a word.

  Jill came around the net and said, “Great game, guys. Sorry Richard was such a bad sport.”

  Carter smiled at Adam. “I don’t think Richard expected to lose. Where did you learn to play tennis so well?”

  “At the public tennis courts,” said Adam. “My older brother taught me.” Adam gave Carter his slow grin. She felt her face get warm.

  “Let’s go shower,” said Jill. “I’ve got to get home soon.”

  Carter pointed out the men’s locker room to Adam. She and Jill went into the women’s.

  As soon as the door closed behind them, Jill cornered Carter. “I’ve been dying to ask you all afternoon,” she said. “What’s going on? What’s Adam doing here?”

  The excitement of the tennis game faded quickly. Carter’s stomach began to rumble nervously. She forgot for a moment why she was with Adam in the first place—because she had to be. Because he knew her secret.

  But Carter was determined not to let Jill find out. She tried to bluff her way out of this.

  “I ran into Adam on my way here,” she said, shrugging. “He was hanging around outside the club, and I thought it would be sort of a good deed to invite him in.”

  Jill seemed to be skeptical. “A good deed? You never gave Adam the time of day before.”

  “I know,” said Carter. “Maybe I was wrong. I’d hate to be as big a snob as Richard is. And Adam really showed him up, didn’t he?”

  Jill giggled. “For sure. I have to admit, that was a hoot—even if I was on the losing side.”

  Now, thought Carter, it’s time to change the subject. She definitely didn’t want to talk about Adam anymore.

  “So, how was your date last night?” Carter asked. “I can’t believe you haven’t even mentioned it yet!”

  Jill had gone out with Gary Brandt the night before. She smiled when Carter brought it up.

  “It was great,” she said happily. “I didn’t want to talk about it in front of the guys, but I really like him. We’ve only gone out three times, but I’ve got a good feeling about Gary. He’s so sweet!” Her face was glowing. “I think this could be the real thing— like you and Dan.”

  At that, Carter had to turn away. The real thing, she thought. Me and Dan.

  Adam’s face kept appearing in her mind. She tried to push the image away, but it was stubborn. It stayed.

  Jill slammed her locker shut. “I’ve got to go,” she said. “Mom’s having people over tonight and I promised I’d help her.” She picked up her tennis bag and said, “See you tomorrow,”

  Carter felt a twinge of envy as she watched Jill hurry from the locker room, her brown ponytail bouncing.

  She seems so carefree, Carter thought. She has nothing more to worry about than dates with a nice guy and helping her mother with a party. And she thinks my life is just the same. If only she knew what I’ve been doing lately….

  Carter sighed and finished dressing. She left the club a few minutes later.

  Just outside the gates she found Adam waiting for her. He was freshly showered, wearing a clean pair of jeans and a white T-shirt, his hair slicked back. Carter smiled at him.

  “You were great today,” she said. “I’ve been trying to find a way to show up Richard Smith for years. Thanks.”

  They walked into the parking lot. Adam stopped and leaned against his black Mustang.

  “I know a better way you can thank me,” he said. “Go out with me again.”

  Carter didn’t know what to say. Another date. Part of her wanted to go. But Dan …

  “Friday night,” Adam said. “I’ll pick you up at the same corner.”

  “Friday night!” said Carter. Now she knew she couldn’t go. She’d promised Dan—and she’d already broken one date with him to go out with Adam. She wouldn’t do it again.

  “I can’t do it Friday, Adam,” she said. She was shocked to hear a pleading note in her voice. How had she come to this—pleading with a boy like Adam?

  Adam sighed. He moved around to the door of his car and got in. He started the motor.

  Carter stood by nervously. Why didn’t he say anything? She stood near the open window of his car.

  Now Adam spoke very calmly.

  “If you really want to go,” he said, “you’ll find a way. And if I were you, Carter, I’d want to keep me happy. Know what I mean?”

  He pulled out of the parking lot, tires throwing up gravel behind them.

  Carter stood there a moment, totally alone.

  Adam was right. She had to keep him happy.

  And she knew it.

  But for how long?

  Chapter 5

  Carter was surprised to find her father already home when she got back from school. It was Wednesday afternoon. Judge Phillips was sitting in his study, with the door open.

  Carter stood in the doorway with her schoolbooks in her arms. “Hi, Daddy. Is the case finished?”

  The judge smiled wryly. “Hardly. The courtroom was so tense that I had to call a recess this afternoon to let things cool down. That Henry Austin—he has no shame. During testimony this morning, he stood up and started threatening the witnesses. I had to order him out of the courtroom.”

  Now Judge Phillips beckoned to his daughter. “Enough about that. Come in and sit down,” he said. “I want to speak with you.�
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  Carter went into the study and sat in the leather armchair on the other side of her father’s desk. She waited to hear what he had to say.

  “Princeton needs your latest math score as soon as possible don’t they?” he asked. “They’ll be making final decisions this month. What if I call the testing service right now and ask for your score? Then we can be sure Princeton will have it in time.”

  Carter tried to hide her nervousness by squeezing her notebooks with her hands—hard. She swallowed before she spoke, to help steady her voice.

  “Good idea, Daddy. Call them. I can’t wait to find out how I did.”

  The judge put on his glasses and reached for the telephone. “I’ve got the number right here,” he muttered.

  He dialed. Carter squeezed her books and shut her eyes.

  Please, she prayed, please let everything be okay.

  She hardly dared to think of all the things that could have gone wrong. What if Adam purposely messed up on the test?

  No, he wouldn’t do that, but he might not have done as well as he thought he had.

  Carter knew her father would be satisfied with nothing less than 700. She could imagine what would happen if she scored lower than that.

  He’d tell her to close the door. Then what? He’d make it clear that he was disappointed. He’d tell her that her life was ruined—and she’d ruined his too.

  But the worst possibility of all was much more terrible than that. What if the testing service said that they suspected that Carter had cheated?

  What if, somehow, they knew?

  “This is Judge John Phillips,” she heard her father say. “My daughter, Carter, took the math achievement test for the second time last Saturday. We need to send the score to Princeton right away. Would it be possible for you to give it to us early?”

  He paused. Then he put his hand over the receiver. “They’re going to give us the score now, over the phone,” he whispered.

  Carter’s knuckles went white. In her lap, out of her father’s sight, her hands were shaking. She gave him a queasy smile.

  “Yes, I’m here. Phillips. Two l’s. That’s right.”

  There was another pause. Carter could hardly stand it. If they don’t hurry up and give him the score I’ll go crazy, she thought.

  “Yes. Yes. Uh-huh. Thank you. Thank you very much.”

  Judge Phillips put down the phone, his face grave.

  “Daddy?” said Carter. “What did they say?”

  Her father stood up. Carter stared at him in horror as he moved around the desk toward her.

  What had they told him?

  “Carter,” he began, “I have never been as proud of you as I am at this moment.”

  Proud? He was proud? Her mind was whirling. That must be good—right?

  He stood by her chair now and took both her hands in his. “Carter, you can relax. Your score was seven thirty!”

  Now he broke into a wide smile. It was a few seconds before Carter understood what he had said. 730! She got a 730! Everything was all right.

  Judge Phillips pulled her up from her seat. Her books fell from her lap to the floor, but he didn’t notice. He spun her around and around.

  “Princeton, here she comes!” he cried joyfully.

  Carter started to laugh. She had rarely seen her father so happy.

  At last he stopped twirling and said, “Hurry upstairs and tell your mother the good news. I’ve just got to run an errand. I won’t be long!”

  He rushed out. Carter stood in the middle of the study, stunned.

  A moment later Carter’s mother came downstairs and into the study. “Carter?” she said. “Did I hear your father’s car pull out?”

  Carter nodded. “He said he had an errand to do.”

  “That’s funny,” Mrs. Phillips said, shrugging slightly. She seemed to focus on her daughter’s face now. “And what are you doing, just standing in the middle of the room with that strange expression? Has something happened?”

  “Well, yes. Daddy called the testing service to find out what my math score was.”

  “And?”

  “It’s seven hundred thirty.”

  Mrs. Phillips crossed the room and hugged Carter. “That’s wonderful, dear! Your father must be so happy. Isn’t it wonderful?”

  “It’s great.”

  “Carter, we should celebrate! Why don’t you look happier about this? You look sort of numb.”

  Carter gave her mother a kiss and said, “It just hasn’t sunk in yet, that’s all. I can’t believe it’s really true.”

  “Well, it is true. It’s terrific news.” She pulled away from Carter now and started poking through her purse.

  “I wish I could stay and celebrate with you,” she said. “But I’ve got to run out and look at flower arrangements for the Spring Fling.” She gave Carter a kiss and added, “See you at dinner, dear.”

  Mrs. Phillips left. Carter wandered into the hallway, not sure what to do with herself. She sat down on the bottom step of the carpeted staircase.

  It worked, she thought. The whole plan worked out perfectly. I got what I wanted. Nothing bad happened.

  So why don’t I feel happy?

  She had no idea how much time had passed before she heard her father’s Mercedes pull into the driveway. A minute later he came into the house, all smiles.

  In his hand he held a tiny package, wrapped in robin’s egg blue paper and tied with a thin white ribbon.

  He held the package out to Carter, who was still sitting on the stairs. She looked at him in surprise.

  “This is for you, Carter,” said Judge Phillips. “To celebrate the fruits of all your hard work.”

  He gave her the package, then kissed her on the forehead. “I’m so proud of you.”

  Carter opened the package. Inside was a pair of sparkling diamond earrings.

  Her stomach dropped to the floor. They were beautiful. No, they were gorgeous. But she knew she didn’t deserve them. She couldn’t help but think of what she had done to get those earrings.

  Cheater. Cheater.

  The word repeated in her mind.

  She tried to smile brightly at her father, hiding her guilty feelings. “Daddy,” she said, “they’re beautiful. Really beautiful. You shouldn’t have done this.”

  “Put them on, Carter,” said her father. “I want to see how they look.”

  Dutifully she put on the earrings. Her father beamed and kissed her again.

  “Brilliant diamonds for a brilliant girl. Now, I have some work to do in my study, but I’ll see you at dinner.”

  Still grinning, he went into his study and closed the door.

  Carter stood and made her way upstairs to her bedroom. She stood before her dresser, staring at herself in the mirror. The diamond earrings seemed to give off a glare. She cringed.

  Her father’s words echoed through her mind. “Brilliant diamonds for a brilliant girl.”

  I’m not a brilliant girl, she thought. I’m a cheater.

  And Daddy must never find out.

  Dan met Carter at her locker after school the next day. Carter knew she had to talk to him—to break their date for Friday night—but she dreaded doing it. Worse, she had no idea what to say. She had avoided Dan all day. Now he’d finally caught up with her.

  “Want to go to the mall?” he asked her. “Just hang out, look around.”

  “Sure,” said Carter. At least the mall would provide some distractions. “Let’s go.”

  They strolled past the stores on the second tier of the Division Street Mall, sipping Cokes and window-shopping.

  “Hey,” said Dan. “Have you heard anything about your math test yet?”

  Carter nodded. “Dad called early, of course.”

  “So? How’d you do?”

  She tried to smile. “I did great—seven thirty.”

  Dan’s face lit up. “Great? That’s fantastic! Way to go, Carter. I know that really meant a lot to you. Andto your dad.”

  “It did.
Look what Daddy bought me as soon as he found out.” She tucked her hair behind her right ear to show him one diamond earring.

  Dan whistled. “Wow. He really washappy, wasn’t he?”

  Carter laughed, just a little.

  “You see,” Dan went on. “You didn’t need me to take the test for you, after all. You did great all by yourself.”

  Carter smiled weakly.

  Dan stopped in front of a jewelry store window. There were gold rings, bracelets, and necklaces laid out on black velvet. He stood for a few minutes with his hands in his pockets, admiring the display.

  Carter was restless. The last thing she felt like doing just then was to stare at jewelry.

  Dan continued to stand there and pointed to a row of necklaces. “If you could have any one of those necklaces, which would you pick?”

  Carter sighed. She wasn’t in the mood to play “which would you pick” just then. But to make him happy, she pointed to a gold locket in the middle of the display.

  “That one,” she said and talked on.

  He followed her. “You know,” he said, “we should celebrate tomorrow night. Let’s do something really special.”

  Carter raised her face to him now with a pained expression. Here it comes, she thought.

  “Oh, Dan,” she said. “I almost forgot. We had a date for tomorrow night, didn’t we?”

  She hated to lie to him. But just once more, she had to do it. She had to.

  “What do you mean, you almost forgot? Of course we have a date tomorrow.”

  “Dan, I’m sorry. I know I promised you we’d go out tomorrow, but Daddy wants to take me and Mother out to dinner to celebrate. And tomorrow’s the only night he can do it. He’s so busy right now with the trial and everything,…”

  She glanced reluctantly at Dan to see how he was taking this. He was frowning.

  “Dan, please understand. I know I had to break a date with you last weekend, but this is the last time, I promise. We can go out Saturday night if you want—”

  “I can’t go out Saturday night. My grandparents are coming over.”

  “Oh.” Carter focused on the rust-colored tile floor. “What about during the day? We could meet at the club.”