Page 33 of Alice Chen's Reality Check

That night, I had everything all planned out. I was going to go through my stack of flash cards, then I’d take the vitamin C tablets my mom made me pack every time I traveled, brush my teeth, and go to sleep at 10 p.m. sharp. But Cindy had other plans.

“We’re having a party!” she exclaimed, bursting into the room waving a handle of vodka in one hand and a canvas tote of cups and bottles of juice in the other.

I glared at her. “We are definitelynothaving a party! And where’d you get that vodka?”

“Alice, I know this competition is a big deal for you, but we’re staying overnight at a hotel with no parents within a hundred-mile radius. And you’ve already studied your ass off. Like, I’m genuinely worried your ass is not there anymore.”

“Hey! Rude.”

“Look,” Cindy said, putting the vodka and juice down. “You’ve done everything you can. It’s time to let go. It won’t hurt to have a little fun.”

“Counterpoint,” I said. “Studyingisfun.”

Cindy rolled her eyes. “Well, I already told everyone, so it’s too late—” A knock sounded, and Cindy gestured at the door. “I think that’s them.”

“Fine,” I grumbled. “Have your party. I’m going to the business center to study.”

“Oh, come on, Alice—”

I opened the door, and our entire Quiz Bowl team poured into the room. By the time I finished gathering up all my flash cards, they’d already set up a big punch bowl on the mini fridge and a drinking gameinvolving way too many red plastic cups.

“Don’t stay up too late,” I called over my shoulder to the team.

But as I power walked down the hallway, laser-focused on geology facts, I walked straight into someone. No, not just someone—Daniel Cho.

Note cards went flying. As they fluttered down around us, Daniel rubbed the spot on his chest where I’d collided with him.

“What are you doing lurking in our hallway?” I demanded. “Spying on us?”

“Yeah, I’m here to steal your top strategies for conquering flip cup,” he said dryly. Now that I wasn’t focused on my flash cards, I could see that a few of his Exeter Prep teammates were behind him. “No, Cindy invited us.”

“Cindy invited you?” I managed to squeak out.

“Hey, guys!” Cindy leaned out of the hotel room and waved. “Over here!”

I turned back to glare daggers at her, and she mouthedsorryat me. I shook my head, crouching down to pick up my scattered flash cards.

Daniel knelt down next to me, reaching for a card. I snatched it away.

“Nice try,” I snapped, “but these are proprietary.”

He held his hands up. “Whoa there, Slayer. I just wanted to help.”

“I don’t need your help,” I said, gathering the rest of the cards. Despite my warning, he’d managed to snag a few cards and handed them to me as I stood up.

“I take it you’re not staying?” he asked.

“I need to study,” I said. “Unlikesome people, I plan on winning.”

“Too bad,” he said. “We could’ve hung out.”

“Why? So you can sabotage me?” I narrowed my eyes at him.

“You got me. I was planning to steal your flash cards and draw butts on all of them.” Daniel nodded at me. “Well, have fun studying. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

As I watched Daniel walk away, the unfairness of it struck me all atonce. Why should Daniel Cho get to have a party inmyroom withmybest friend? And if Daniel thought he didn’t need to study tonight, then surely I didn’t need to either. I was just as prepared as him. No, I was way more prepared. And I was going to prove it to him.

I returned to the room, where the party was already in full swing.

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