The Cheater (2 page)

It was a game they often played. Carter and Dan would drive down a block in their fancy North Hills neighborhood and ask each other which house they'd pick if they could have any one they wanted.
Or they'd flip through a magazine and ask each other which outfit they'd pick, or which models they liked the best, or what island they'd go to, if they could go anywhere.

Carter wasn't really in the mood for the game, but she dutifully looked over the cars and pointed to a blue Jaguar.

“I think I'd pick the BMW,” said Dan.

Carter didn't look at the BMW. She was absentmindedly watching as the waiters and waitresses changed shifts. Adam Messner, who was in their advanced math class, took an apron from a hook and tied it around his narrow waist. He was starting his shift behind the counter.

Dan's hand covered hers, and she turned back to him, to his handsome face, his jaunty smile, straight brown hair, and kind green eyes. Good old Dan. He'd always been there for her.

He was acting concerned. “Still worrying about your test?” he asked her.

She nodded. “Things are so tense at home,” she told him. “You know my dad, he always has a lot on his mind. But now, with the Austin case and reporters hounding him, he comes home from court every day in a terrible mood.”

Everyone in Shadyside knew about the Austin case. Henry Austin was a notorious gang leader who'd been arrested for murder. The press couldn't get enough of the story, and Judge Phillips, who hated publicity, was presiding over the case.

“Mom's no help,” Carter went on. “Sometimes I
think all her chatter about her charity balls and committee meetings makes Dad edgier. She lives in her own little world. It's as if she wants to ignore all the tension in the house, pretend it isn't there.”

Carter glanced up at Dan. He nodded and squeezed her hand, encouraging her to say more.

“And then I come along with my stupid math problem. Dan, there's no way I can get a seven hundred on this test. I took a practice test just last week and I only scored six hundred. Dad's going to go through the roof if I don't do better than that.”

She sighed and lowered her head, letting her hair fall over her face. “If only I could borrow your brain on Saturday, just for one day—”

She stopped suddenly and raised her eyes to meet Dan's. She tucked her hair behind her ears.

“Hey,” she said, half-laughing. “You could get a seven hundred again, easily. Maybe you could take the test for me. I mean, Carter
could
be a boy's name….”

She let the sentence trail off when she saw Dan's expression. His smile faded. He frowned.

Carter felt her face grow hot. She knew she was blushing. How could she have said such a thing?

“Hey, come on, Dan, I was just kidding,” she said. She poked him in the ribs and pretended to be offended that he could have thought she was serious.

His face relaxed a bit. “Yeah, I knew you were kidding,” he said nervously.

Carter pretended to believe him.

Dan slurped the last of his milk shake and glanced at his watch. “I've got to go,” he said. “Mom wants me to pick her up at the tennis club. Want a ride home?”

“No thanks,” said Carter. “I'm going to meet Jill at the mall in a little while.”

Dan stood up and kissed her on the cheek. “Don't worry about the test. I know you'll come through.”

She smiled at him. “Sure,” she said. “See you tomorrow.”

He kissed her again, turned, and made his way out of the restaurant.

She watched him walk out the door. Staying a minute longer, she stared at the counter and sipped her milk shake.

Dan was the greatest—sort of. He was so honest, so straight. She liked that about him, but it bothered her at the same time.

Carter was good too, basically. But sometimes she had an urge to do something just a little bad. Dan was always there to stop her, to keep her sensible and honest, to make her feel guilty for thinking about
it,
whatever
it
was.

She pushed her glass away and glanced up. Adam Messner was smiling at her across the counter.

How long had he been watching her?

Carter shifted nervously under his gaze. That smile—there was something behind it. Had he heard her talking to Dan? Had he been listening?

Adam slowly leaned across the counter toward Carter, leaned in close. “I'll do it,” he whispered.

She started and pulled back from him. “What do you mean? Do what?” She knew what he meant.

“The test,” he said. “I'll take it for you.”

She studied his face—a lean, dark-eyed face under longish black hair. He wasn't smiling now. He was serious.

Adam was not a friend of Carter's. He lived in a shabby house on Fear Street, and he hung out with a rough crowd. But he was brilliant at math, Carter knew.

I shouldn't do it, she thought. It wouldn't be right.

But even as she thought this, she knew she wanted to. She thought of her father, how disappointed he'd be when he saw her new score—no better, maybe even worse, than the first.

No, she thought. I
have
to get a seven hundred.

I'll do it.

I'll cheat.

She nodded at Adam. She knew he understood.

“Why are you doing this for me?” she whispered.

“The way I see it,” he said, moving in close to her, his lips almost brushing her ear, “I've got something you want—and you've got something I want.”

“W
-what is it?” Carter stammered. “What do you want?”

Adam rested his head in his hands, elbows on the counter. “You have to go out with me,” he said. “One date.”

One date? Carter thought. That's all?

She relaxed. All she had to do was go on one date with Adam, and her test problem would be over.

Or would it? Could it really be that easy to cheat on the test?

“What if they ask for ID or something?” Carter whispered. “What if they find out what we're doing?”

“They won't,” Adam replied confidently. “I took the test at Waynesbridge the last time. It's in this huge auditorium filled with hundreds of kids. Nobody checks IDs or anything. It'll be a piece of cake.”

He's got it all figured out, Carter thought. It
really might work. Dan would be upset if he found out—but he
won't
find out.

Carter was pretty, and she knew how to handle guys. She'd go out with Adam once, get rid of him, and not tell a soul about it. It was almost too easy.

This thought made her pause. She studied Adam again. She'd never realized before that he was interested in her—she'd never even given him much thought.

Now that she was looking at him, she couldn't help but think he was cute, in a dark, brooding way. He didn't have Dan's all-American good looks, but he had something Dan didn't have—an air of mystery, a sexy kind of daring. He was standing behind the counter now, meeting her gaze, slouching, cool as ever.

“All right,” she said. “One date.”

Now he smiled—just a little. “Let's make it Saturday, the night of the test.”

“I can't,” Carter said. “I have a date that night. With Dan.”

“Break it,” Adam replied.

She raised her eyebrows in surprise. But she knew she'd break her date with Dan. Just this once.

Another thought occurred to her. “What is Sheila going to say about this?” she asked Adam.

Sheila Coss was Adam's girlfriend. Carter didn't know Sheila well, but she'd always felt a little afraid of her. She was tough and didn't mind getting into fights.

Adam said, “What Sheila doesn't know won't hurt her.”

Carter nodded. “Well, I'd better get out of here. See you.”

She waited for Adam to reply. Instead he picked up a rag and started wiping up.

Carter woke up with a start on Saturday morning and looked at her clock—eight A.M. She quickly got dressed. She had to pretend to be going to Waynesbridge.

Her father was already shut up in his study when she went downstairs to grab a glass of juice. Mrs. Phillips was on her way out the door.

“What are you doing up so early?” she asked Carter.

“I'm taking the math achievement test today,” Carter said. “Remember?”

“Oh, that's right. Well, good luck, dear. I'm off to the country club. The Spring Fling is almost here, and we've still got so much planning to do!”

She threw her daughter a quick kiss and hurried out the door.

Carter finished her juice and left. She got into her car and drove toward Waynesbridge. But she passed the Waynesbridge exit and continued on to the nearby state park instead. She parked under some leafless trees and sat in the car, waiting.

Staring at the clock on the dashboard. Nine. Adam would be starting the test.

Carter felt her stomach knot up. I hope everything goes okay, she thought.

I hope he really shows up and takes it. I hope no one catches him. I hope they don't ask him for ID. I hope no one recognizes him. I hope I don't get caught…

Three hours later she started the car and drove home. Her mother was still out, her father still locked up in his study.

Carter checked the answering machine for messages. There had been no calls. She wanted to hear from Adam, to know what had happened.

She was sitting in the kitchen when her father came to get his lunch. He looked tired, but he smiled when he saw her. “Carter, you're back. I didn't hear you come in.”

She felt her face grow warm. To hide her blushing, she went to the refrigerator and started digging through the shelves. “Hi, Daddy. Can I fix you a sandwich?”

Judge Phillips sat down at the kitchen table. “How did the test go?”

“Great,” said Carter. “I think I really aced it this time.”

“I'm glad to hear it. I knew you could do better.”

Carter's face reddened even more, but the judge didn't notice. She busied herself making him a ham
sandwich. She was just dropping it on a plate when the phone rang. She nearly jumped.

“I'll get it!” she cried, running to the phone.

“Hello?”

“Hello, Melanie?”

Melanie was Carter's mother. “This is her daughter,” Carter said. “She's out right now. May I take a message?”

She jotted down a message from the woman, who was one of her mother's friends. Then she hung up. Her father was nibbling the sandwich and reading the front page of the newspaper.

The headline caught Carter's eye.

That's Daddy's case, Carter thought.

“I think I'll go upstairs and take a nap,” Carter said. “I'm pretty tired.”

“Go ahead, honey,” said her dad. “You deserve it.”

She went upstairs and shut herself in her room. She had her own phone there. She dialed Adam's number.

He answered.

“Adam!” said Carter. Her heart was beating fast. “It's Carter. How did it go?”

“Beautiful,” said Adam. “It was a breeze.”

Carter breathed a sigh of relief.

Then Adam added, “Until I tried to leave.”

Her heart froze. “What happened?”

“They asked everyone for photo ID. Sorry, Carter. They were ready for us.”

Carter squeezed her eyes shut. This is it, she thought. I've been caught cheating. My life is over.

“Hey,
Carter,” said Adam. “You still there?”

Carter struggled to catch her breath. Finally she choked out, “Yes. I'm here.”

The line went silent. Then Carter heard Adam making some kind of noise. It took her a moment to realize he was laughing.

Laughing!

“What are you laughing at?” she asked in a trembling voice. Did he really think this was funny?

“I was just teasing you, Carter,” said Adam. “No one asked me for ID. No one suspected a thing. The test went perfectly. We're in the clear.”