Cheat by Kristin Butcher Read Free Book Online Page B

beginning of the school year, Sean got on as Mr. Draper’s biology assistant. I think he was hoping it would give him an edge with his assignments. It also gave him a bit of spending money, which Sean doesn’t have a lot of. Cash is pretty tight around his house.
    â€œThe first time he cheated was at the start of basketball season. There was a big math test, and Sean had to pass it or he’d get booted off the team. He found the answer key by accident when Mr. Draper sent him to get something. And”—Jack shrugged—“the temptation was too much. He photographed it. Then he made himself a cheat sheet with just enough right answers to make it look like a legitimate pass.”
    â€œSo how did it turn into a business?” “I’m getting to that.” Jack cleared his throat and settled back into his story. “I didn’t know about the cheating until the second time. We had a big tournament coming up, and Sean didn’t have the money to go. That’s when he came up with the idea to sell cheat sheets. He had practically a whole class of customers in no time. He knew he couldn’t give everyone the actual answer key. If the whole class aced a test, he’d get caught for sure. But he had no idea how to figure out how many right answers each kid needed to end up with their usual mark.”
    â€œThat’s where you came in.”
    Jack sighed. “When Sean first asked me to help, I freaked out and told him no way. But he said he’d already used the money to pay for the basketball trip. If he didn’t come up with the cheat sheets, he’d be toast. The kids in his class would either rat on him or kill him.”
    Jack’s eyes pleaded with me to understand. “Sean’s my friend. I had to help him.”
    â€œBut it happened again.”
    He nodded.
    â€œHow many times?”
    â€œOne time after that, and then I told Sean I was done. No more. Basketball season was pretty much over, so there was no reason for him to cheat anymore.”
    â€œBut—”
    â€œBut he didn’t want to quit. He’s been hounding me to help him one last time. But I told him flat out—no. So he said he’d do it on his own.”
    Jack looked miserable.
    â€œSo you gave in.”
    His head shot up. “No! I already feel like crud for helping him as much as I have. I won’t do it again. I can’t do it again.” He paused before adding, “And I can’t let him do it either.”
    He picked up the envelope and opened it.
    â€œWhen you saw me today in Draper’s office, I was switching the real answer key for a fake. If Sean tries to sell cheat sheets using that, everyone is going to fail, and he’ll be as good as dead.”
    â€œSo now what?”
    â€œSo now I call him and tell him he’s got the wrong answers.” He flopped back onto the bed and stared at the ceiling. “He is going to be so pissed off.”
    â€œMaybe,” I conceded, “but at least he won’t get in trouble.”

Chapter Thirteen
    The cheating scam was supposed to be my ticket to fame. It was a juicy scandal I could take to the editor of the Islander . With a reputation as an ace reporter, I would finally be recognized for me and not just as Jack Quinn’s little sister.
    All I cared about was the glory my article was going to win me. Jack was right about that. As long as the scammer was some faceless kid in school, everything was fine. I didn’t think about what would happen after I exposed him. I was even okay with the situation when I thought Sean was involved.
    But when I found out Jack was part of the scam too, things weren’t so black and white anymore. Jack had done a bad thing, but he wasn’t a bad person. And there was no way I was going to tell everyone at school— everyone in the city! —what he’d done. But to reveal only Sean’s part wouldn’t be fair either.
    So my story