The Cheater (4 page)

Carter had belonged to North Hills all her life and had always taken all this luxury for granted. To her it was just “the club.”

But now, as she led Adam across the grounds to the snack bar, she noticed people staring at them. Darkly dressed Adam stood out among all the perfectly groomed preppies lounging about in their white tennis clothes.

At the same time Carter tried to imagine how the club must look to Adam, an outsider all his life. Thinking of it made her feel very uncomfortable.

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?

C
arter 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.”

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.