Chapter 1
The poor girl my family funded is known as a "clumsy sweetheart."
Before the CIF Volleyball Finals, she spiked my drink with banned stimulants.
I was reported for doping, stripped of my UCLA scholarship, permanently banned, and expelled in disgrace.
When I confronted her, she cried innocent tears:
"Scarlett, I just wanted you to have enough energy to win... I didn't know it was banned."
My boyfriend wrapped his arms around her, glaring at me: "She was just trying to help! Why are you always so mean to her?"
Ruined and depressed, they came to "apologize" with bottles of hard liquor.
She fed me lethal meds when I was drunk, watching me bleed to death on the floor.
Her excuse? "I'm so silly, I mixed up the pill bottles..."
And my boyfriend testified to the police that I committed suicide out of shame.
Then, I open my eyes. I'm back to the day before the finals.
The sharp, piercing shriek of a referee’s whistle snapped me awake.
I gasped, the squeaking of volleyball shoes echoed across the gym hardwood.
I wasn't in the hospital. I wasn't choking on my own blood.
I was sitting on the bench at Randall High. Alive.
Before my brain could fully process the impossible reality of coming back from the dead, a familiar voice cut through the noise.
"Scarlett! Here!"
Mia trotted over to me. She was wearing her oversized practice tee, doing her signature clumsy jog that made the guys in the bleachers coo. She stopped in front of me, flashing a bright, innocent smile, and shoved a cold, green-and-black can into my hands.
"I bought this for you," Mia said, tilting her head. "Drink it before the CIF match tomorrow. It’ll give you a huge energy boost!"
Right on cue, a heavy arm draped over my shoulders. Jake. My boyfriend.
"Aw, look at that," Jake grinned, squeezing my shoulder. "You're seriously so sweet, Mia. Scarlett, you're freaking lucky to have a friend looking out for you like this."
I stared down at the Monster Energy can in my hands. The aluminum was ice-cold against my palm.
Lucky.
In my past life, I had smiled, thanked her, but politely told her I didn't drink caffeine before games. I put it in my bag. I told her not to touch my water bottle.
She did anyway. She laced my water with banned stimulants.
I remembered the humiliation in the past life. The doping scandal. The letter from UCLA revoking my scholarship. The expulsion. And then... the suffocating agony in my stomach as the heavy painkillers she "accidentally" fed me mixed with the alcohol.
My grip on the can tightened.
I looked up. Mia was still smiling that sugary smile. Jake was still beaming at her.
I didn't say a word. I just stood up, turned around, and tossed the unopened can straight into the metal trash bin behind the bench.
Clang.
The loud bang echoed through the gym. The bouncing volleyballs stopped. The chatter died down. Every girl on the court turned to look at us.
Mia froze. Her smile shattered. Her eyes glossed over, and her bottom lip started to tremble.
"Scarlett...?" Her voice cracked. "Did... did you not like it?"
"If you didn't want it, you could have just told me," Mia whimpered, tears spilling over her eyelashes.
"I'm sorry. I know my family isn't rich like yours. We don't have the Hale money. I saved up my lunch money for two weeks just to buy you that drink. It was the absolute best I could afford... I just wanted to help."
She choked on a sob, burying her face in her hands.
Jake’s face instantly flushed red with anger. He dropped his arm from my space and stepped directly in front of Mia, shielding her.
"What the hell is your problem, Scarlett?!" Jake yelled, pointing a finger at me. "Are you out of your mind? So what if you're a rich kid? Stop looking down on normal people! She was just trying to do something nice for you, and you treat her like trash?"
The gym started buzzing. My teammates were whispering, casting glaring looks my way.
"That was so uncalled for."
"Mia is literally the sweetest girl here."
"Scarlett's been acting like such a diva lately just because she's the captain."
Hearing the crowd turn against me, Mia peeked out from behind her hands. She grabbed the hem of Jake’s jersey, tugging it gently.
"Jake, stop, please," she sniffled. "It's fine. It's my fault for buying cheap stuff. Please don't be mad at Scarlett. I don't want to ruin your relationship."
"You didn't do anything wrong, Mia," Jake said softly, patting her hand before glaring back at me. "Apologize to her, Scarlett. Now."
I let out a short, dry laugh.
The sound cut through the gym's tension like a knife. Jake frowned, caught off guard.
I took a step forward, closing the distance. I looked Mia dead in the eyes.
"Anyone with half a brain," I said, my voice cold and loud enough to carry across the dead-silent gym, "knows that high-caffeine energy drinks are strictly banned by the CIF anti-doping committee."
The whispering in the gym instantly stopped.
I watched the color drain completely from Mia's face.
"If I drank that right before the finals tomorrow, I would be instantly disqualified." I tilted my head, mocking her earlier gesture. "So tell me, Mia. Are you honestly just that stupid... or did you try to poison my drug test on purpose?"
