In my past life, my twin brother Julian was always pushing me to skip class, pull all-nighters at parties gaming, then sleep through school the next day. Whenever I tried to study, he’d tease me for being a bookworm. But behind my back, he was secretly cramming late into the night and sneaking to the library with top students during breaks. When college apps rolled around, he got into an Ivy League school, landed a Wall Street job after graduation, and married a high-paid software engineer. My grades, though, were a mess. My parents looked at me with such disappointment, and I ended up juggling three part-time jobs just to scrape by. Later, I moved in with an abusive woman who eventually beat me to death. At my memorial, Julian said I was clearly smart but didn’t apply myself—everything that happened was my own fault. Unlike him, who’d worked hard since childhood to change his fate through education. The next thing I knew, I woke up crammed in a sweltering, noisy basement, in the middle of an intense gaming session with a group of guys. I shook off my grogginess, grabbed my crumpled backpack, and bolted home. When I got back, Julian was hunched over his desk, scribbling furiously under a lamp. He quickly stuffed his practice papers under his arm when he saw me. “Alex, why’re you back? What about your teammates?” He was always the one dragging me to those wild parties to game. And every time, he’d be the first to say he was tired and head home—only to study in secret. I pulled out a brand-new set of test prep books and taped an Ivy League sticker to my wall. Julian blew up instantly. “You’re applying to the Ivies? Who do you think you are?” Not only am I getting into the Ivies—I’m gonna make you realize talent isn’t something you can outwork.
I stared at the kill feed on the screen, the stench of sweat and junk food in the air making my nose wrinkle, while my teammates screamed and cursed as we lost. I looked around, stunned. I’d been reborn—back to when I was 17, a month before the SATs. I grabbed my grimy backpack off the floor and bolted, my teammates’ confused shouts fading behind me. I’d promised to carry them to the top ranks of the game. If I left, they’d definitely lose. But my future mattered way more than their temporary gaming win. I tuned everyone out, ran as fast as I could, and was home in no time. It was already 1 a.m., but Julian’s bedroom light was still on. His shadow stretched across the window as he scribbled furiously. I pushed open his bedroom door. He jumped, quickly shoving test papers under his arm. I yawned. “You said you were tired—why aren’t you in bed?” He forced a calm tone. “Woke up and realized I hadn’t packed my backpack. I’ll do it and go right to sleep.” Julian’s light went out. I flipped on my desk lamp—a lamp I hadn’t touched in years. I pulled out textbooks that still had blank name lines. In my past life, I crammed last minute and barely got into this high school. Julian, acting shocked, told me grades didn’t matter. What counted was being friends with the “cool kids”—the ones from rich families. There was a small clique at school—kids from rich, powerful families who flunked most classes. They relied on family connections and donations to get ahead. I listened to Julian, skipping class every day to hop between parties. We bragged about who was the best gamer. With minimal effort, I became their top player. But back then, I didn’t realize they were all trust-fund kids who’d go to expensive private colleges or inherit family businesses after graduation. My parents, though, were just regular working-class people. If I didn’t get into a good college, my future would be dead-end. I was decent-looking, and not long after I started working at the fast-food joint, a flashy, high-maintenance woman took interest in me. I told Julian about her, and he encouraged me to chase “true love.” He said love couldn’t be bought, and as long as we cared for each other, we could get through anything. I believed him and moved in with her. We didn’t have a wedding—just a quick courthouse ceremony. But after we tied the knot, she turned violent—hitting me, screaming at me. Every time she got drunk, she’d yell, “You and Julian share a mom—so why’s he a genius and you’re a total idiot?” Tears stinging my eyes, I thought back. I’d always been the more talented one. I’d grasp problems instantly, memorize textbooks like it was nothing. When I bombed exams, my old teachers couldn’t believe how far I’d fallen. Later, that awful woman—my wife—beat me to death. When it happened, I called Julian over and over, but he always said he was busy. The second I died, he showed up. At my memorial, everyone mourned how the once-brilliant kid had ended up so broken. Julian put on a sad face and told everyone I was clearly smart but didn’t apply myself—everything that happened was my own fault. Unlike him, who’d worked hard since childhood to change his fate through education. After everyone left, Julian gloated, finally admitting why he’d lied to me all those years. Turns out I’d been the “gifted child” growing up—all my parents’ attention and hopes were on me. He’d been consumed by jealousy, using my trust to sabotage me. This time, I’d never let history repeat itself. I’d prove that raw talent is something his endless grinding could never truly match. I grabbed a piece of paper, wrote “I WILL get into an Ivy League!” in bold letters, and taped it to my desk. I pulled out my textbooks and started from page one. By 3 a.m., I’d finished two books—every concept already locked in my memory.
I slept for two hours, then got up and was the first to rush to the classroom for morning study hall. “Alex is actually studying? That’s a first!” “The exam’s only a few months away. It’s too late to cram now—he’ll be lucky to get into community college.” “With his grades, even community college is a stretch. He’ll probably have to pay for a for-profit school.” I tuned out their whispers. My grades and acceptance letters would do the talking. Julian, as always, strolled into class right as the bell rang. He saw me and asked, “Alex, why didn’t you text me this morning?” “From now on, I’ll be at school by 5 a.m. If you can drag yourself out of bed, join me. If not, set your own alarm.” Julian looked confused. “You never study—why show up so early?” Sophia, who sat behind me, piped up excitedly: “Your brother came early to study today! No clue what’s gotten into him!” Julian froze for a second, then snapped: “Alex, after graduation, let’s get jobs together. I heard fast-food places let you make good tips if you’re good at it!” I pulled out my phone and played a video. “If fast food’s so great, why were you cramming at 1 a.m. last night?” Julian watched the video, his face draining of color. Sophia grabbed my phone and pointed at Julian: “Julian! So that’s why you always bailed mid-game! You were sneaking home to study!” “And you study secretly 24/7, yet you only have a B average? Your brain’s not exactly a supercomputer, huh?” Julian’s face turned bright red. He slammed open his textbook and started memorizing vocab. He repeated one word a dozen times—still couldn’t remember it. After school, I still hung out with my rich friends at parties. I wasn’t cutting them off—after graduation, they’d all be networking connections. In my past life, all the connections I built ended up helping Julian. After leading them to five straight wins, I bolted home. My parents saw me home early and sneered: “Look who decided to come home before midnight. I thought you’d rather die at those parties?” “Go ahead—stay out every night! Let’s see what college accepts you!” In my past life, my parents tried everything to get me to study—but I listened to Julian instead. Eventually, they gave up on me. They only made sure I had food, nothing more. After I died, they grieved for months. Mom even had to stay in the hospital to recover from the shock. I apologized right away. “Dad, Mom—I’m sorry. I was stupid before. I promise I’ll study hard and get into a good college.” Mom stared at me, then turned away to wipe her eyes. Dad helped me up. “Good for you—you’ve always had potential. Even if there’s not much time left, just try your best. Worst case, we can take a gap year and reapply.” I nodded. “Don’t worry—I’ll get in on the first try. My goal is the Ivy League.” Just then, Julian walked out of his room with a textbook. “Alex, why’re you home? I thought you were at the party with Sophia and the guys.” He stepped close, then pinched his nose. “Ugh, Alex—you smell like a bar! You’re making me sick!” Mom sniffed the air and snapped: “I knew you’d never change! You just came from a party, yet you’re lying about studying? With your grades and all the classes you skip—if you get into the Ivies, pigs will fly!” Dad sighed and followed Mom into their bedroom.
Once we were alone, Julian dropped the act. “Alex, don’t waste your time. You can’t beat me in a few months. I’ve been holding back—my real skills are way better than my GPA shows.” I scoffed and went back to my room to study. Talk is cheap—my grades would prove everything. We had weekly pop quizzes. I was improving, but still failing. Julian, though, stopped holding back. He performed at his real level—second in class, tenth in the grade. Mr. Reynolds, our guidance counselor, praised my progress. He said I could get into a decent community college. I glanced at Julian’s paper. He’d missed the hardest question—his brain really wasn’t that sharp. Julian slammed his paper down in front of me. “Look, Alex—almost perfect in Lit, A in Pre-Calc.” “Now look at yours—59 in Math. So close to passing… if we were using a 100-point scale. Too bad we’re not.” “And you’re so lopsided! At least you passed History—guess your humanities brain works better.” Sophia tried to talk sense into me. “Alex, maybe studying isn’t your thing. Don’t force it. You haven’t pulled an all-nighter with us lately—our ranks keep dropping without you.” Julian fake-scolded her. “How can you say that? My brother’s going to the Ivy League!” The class laughed. “His GPA’s not even 3.0—and he thinks he’s going to the Ivies? That’s gold!” “Does he think the Ivies are a public park? Just walk right in?” I ignored them, pulled out old SAT papers, and started practicing. Just then, Mr. Reynolds burst into the classroom. Mr. Reynolds set a stack of scratch paper on my desk. “Alex—is this yours?” I nodded. The counselor hugged me excitedly. “Genius—you’re a genius!” “Principal Miller always says I only teach average kids—but now I’ve got an Ivy League prospect!” Julian stared, shocked. “Mr. Reynolds—my brother improved, but his GPA’s only 2.8. How could he get into the Ivies?” Mr. Reynolds clapped my shoulder. “He can—definitely can. Your brother’s the most talented student I’ve ever seen.” Sophia whispered: “Mr. Reynolds must be crazy…” Mock exams rolled around. After grading, the rankings went up on the school website. Julian was near the top—I was dead last. Julian laughed. “Look at our future Ivy Leaguer—98th percentile! Wow, such improvement!” Everyone snickered. But Dean Sterling, standing nearby, said quietly: “Alex should’ve been first in the grade.” Julian glared at me, furious. “Why does everyone still believe in you? You can’t raise your GPA from below 2.0 to 4.0 in a few months!” I leaned in. “Want to know why they think I can get into the Ivies?” I laid all my test papers on his desk. His eyes grew wider and wider. “How is this possible?” “No way—you cheated! I’m reporting you!” On my answer sheets, I’d skipped all the easy questions. But every hard one? I nailed them. And of the questions I got right, Julian had only answered half correctly. Julian grabbed my papers and ran to Principal Miller’s office. He didn’t knock—just burst in. “Principal Miller! I’m reporting Alex Sanders for cheating on the mock SAT!” Inside, all the grade’s teachers were sitting with Principal Miller. Principal Miller waved me over. “Alex—perfect timing. We’re looking at your test. Can you explain why you skipped the easy questions but aced the hardest ones… with solutions beyond the curriculum?” “I just started studying. If I ranked first right away, I didn’t want to crush everyone’s confidence.” I glanced at Julian. “So I only did the hard questions. For the real exam? I’ll go all out.” Mr. Reynolds laughed. “See? That’s exactly what I thought.” Principal Miller suggested moving us to AP classes. Julian and I both said no. I didn’t care where I studied—but Julian still wanted to distract me. After school, Julian and Sophia stopped me. “Alex—let’s pull an all-nighter at Jason’s party tonight.” I agreed, leading them to five straight wins. As I was leaving to study, a woman—maybe 7 or 8 years older—stepped beside me, leaning in from behind. “Your moves are off—let big sister show you how it’s done.” I stepped back fast. A wave of cheap perfume and sweat hit me—made my stomach turn. “Who are you?” Julian jumped in: “Alex, this is Luna—no one messes with her around here. With her backing you? You’ll be untouchable.” Luna pulled out a cigarette, lit it like she thought she was cool, and blew a smoke ring. “Alex—I’ve got my eye on you. You’re mine now. Let’s go back to my place.” Julian smiled and pushed my backpack at me. “You’re lucky Luna likes you—go with her. I’ll cover for you with Mom and Dad.” Luna reached for me, but I dodged. “Don’t touch me.” Luna grinned—her teeth were yellow from smoking. “Why so stuck-up? Your brother said you were easygoing.” Sophia stepped in front of me. “I don’t care who you are—get lost! If you touch Alex, you’ll answer to me!” Everyone was staring. Luna looked humiliated—she lunged at Sophia, yelling. By the end, we were all at the police station.
Sophia had scrapes on her face. Luna was worse—her nose looked broken. She was sobbing at the station, screaming for justice. My parents arrived and started yelling. “You’re bad enough on your own—now you’re dragging Julian down! I told you—ruin your own life, but leave Julian alone!” Mom tried to hit me, but a cop stopped her. “Mrs. Sanders—please calm down. It’s not what you think.” Julian looked scared the cop would tell the truth. He started crying. “Mom—Alex has been improving. His GPA’s almost 2.8. I saw him at Jason’s party and tried to get him home. I didn’t know he’d gotten mixed up with that woman… then we fought.” “Mom—I don’t want Alex to get worse. Maybe send him to a teen behavior program? Once he’s fixed, he can come back and apply to college. He’d get into a good school then.” Mom sighed. “Maybe that’s the only way. Alex was smart as a kid—but games and bad friends ruined him. I’ll look into it tomorrow.” Sophia—her face still scraped—ran to Mom. “Mrs. Sanders—don’t listen to Julian! He called Alex to the party. He brought Luna there to force Alex to go with her. Alex refused… that’s why I fought Luna.” Julian looked shocked. He started sobbing loudly. “Sophia—I know you like Alex, but you can’t lie about me! How would I know someone like Luna?” “If Alex didn’t hang out at those parties, Luna never would’ve noticed him! They’ve probably been together for months!” Mom slapped me. “You’ve disappointed me so much! You don’t study—and now you’re with that woman! We have to send you away—so you can break up with her!” Julian stood behind Mom, grinning at me. Finally, the cop had enough. He told Mom everything that really happened. Mom stared at Julian. “Julian—you’re always so good. How could you get mixed up with that woman? How could you let her bully your brother? He’s your twin!” “How could you become this person?” Julian’s plan was exposed—he stopped pretending. “Why did I become this way? You and Dad should know! Alex and I are twins—so why is he tall and handsome, and I’m just… ordinary? Like a background character!” Mom had explained this before: we were fraternal twins. I looked like Mom; Julian looked like Dad. But Julian could never accept it. “Why is he so smart? He never studied—crammed for two weeks before ninth grade and still got into this school. Slacked off for three years—studied a month before the SATs and can solve the hardest questions! What about me? I work so hard—sleep four hours a night, got sick, even my period’s messed up—and I’m only tenth in the grade!” “I’m exhausted—and I still can’t beat him! Why did you give him all the good genes?!” My parents stood there, helpless. No one could answer that—looks and smarts aren’t choices. Julian turned to Sophia, angry. “And you—Sophia! What does Alex have that I don’t? You canceled your family’s Europe trip for him! Haven’t you seen how I treat you?” I stared at Sophia, shocked. I thought she only hung out with me to carry her in games. In my past life, Julian and Sophia’s families got close later—I always thought… Sophia’s mom arrived then. After hearing what happened, she smiled. “If young people like each other—so long as it doesn’t hurt their studies—we parents are okay with it.” Mom stepped in front of me, blocking Sophia’s look. “Alex is too young. Now’s not the time for that.” Sophia’s mom stood beside Mom. “Mrs. Sanders—our Sophia isn’t big on school. We don’t expect her to run the business. If Alex and Sophia hit it off later… our family business could go to someone capable like Alex. It’s not a Fortune 500, but it’s worth a lot.” Julian’s face turned red. He ran out into the rain, yelling back: “Alex—I’ll beat you! I’ll be better than you!” Competition is good—I admired his drive. But not if it meant ruining my life.
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