Unbelievable Read Online Free PDF Page A

the paper’s front page. She wore a sleek black suit and was giving the camera a confident smirk. Move Over, Trumps! the headline said. Golden Orchid Essay Contest Nominee Spencer Hastings Is Coming!
    Spencer’s stomach heaved. She’d forgotten. The paper was on everyone’s doorsteps right now.
    A figure emerged from the pantry. Spencer stepped back in fear. There was Melissa, glaring at her, clutching a box of Raisin Bran so tightly Spencer thought she might crush it. There was a tiny scratch on her sister’s left cheek, a Band-Aid over her right eyebrow, a yellow hospital bracelet still around her left wrist, and a pink cast on her right wrist, clearly a souvenir of yesterday’s fight with Spencer.
    Spencer lowered her eyes, feeling a whole mess of guilty feelings. Yesterday, A had sent Melissa the first few sentences of her old AP economics paper, the very one Spencer had pilfered from Melissa’s computer hard drive and disguised as her own AP economics homework. The same essay Spencer’s econ teacher, Mr. McAdam, had nominated for a Golden Orchid essay award, the most prestigious high school–level award in the country. Melissa had figured out what Spencer had done, and although Spencer had begged for forgiveness, Melissa had said horrible things to her—things way worse than Spencer thought she deserved. The fight had ended when Spencer, enraged by Melissa’s words, had accidentally shoved her sister down the stairs.
    “So, girls.” Mrs. Hastings set her coffee cup on the table and gestured for Melissa to sit. “Your father and I have made some big decisions.”
    Spencer braced for what was coming. They were going to turn Spencer in for plagiarizing. She wouldn’t get into college. She’d have to go to trade school. She’d end up working as a telemarketer at QVC, taking orders for ab rollers and fake diamonds, and Melissa would get off scot-free, just like she always did. Somehow, her sister always found a way to come out on top.
    “First off, we don’t want you girls to see Dr. Evans anymore.” Mrs. Hastings laced her fingers together. “She’s done more harm than good. Understood?”
    Melissa nodded silently, but Spencer scrunched up her nose in confusion. Dr. Evans, Spencer and Melissa’s shrink, was one of the few people who didn’t try to kiss Melissa’s ass. Spencer began to protest but noticed the warning looks on both her parents’ faces. “Okay,” she mumbled, feeling a bit hopeless.
    “Second of all.” Mr. Hastings tapped the Sentinel, squashing his thumb over Spencer’s face. “Plagiarizing Melissa’s paper was very wrong, Spencer.”
    “I know,” Spencer said quickly, terrified to look anywhere in Melissa’s direction.
    “But after some careful thought, we’ve decided that we don’t want to go public with it. This family’s been through too much already. So, Spencer, you’ll continue to compete for the Golden Orchid. We will tell no one about this.”
    “What?” Melissa slammed her coffee cup down on the table.
    “That’s what we’ve decided,” Mrs. Hastings said tightly, dabbing the corner of her mouth with a napkin. “And we also expect Spencer to win.”
    “To win?” Spencer repeated, shocked.
    “You’re rewarding her?” Melissa shrieked.
    “Enough.” Mr. Hastings used the tone of voice he typically reserved for underlings at his law practice when they dared call him at home.
    “Third thing,” Mrs. Hastings said. “You girls are going to bond.”
    Her mother pulled two snapshots out of her cardigan pocket. The first was of Spencer and Melissa at four and nine years old, respectively, lying on a hammock at their grandmother’s beach house in Stone Harbor, New Jersey. The second photo was of them in the same beach house’s playroom, a few years later. Melissa wore a magician’s hat and cape, and Spencer had on her Tommy Hilfiger stars-and-stripes ruffled bikini. On her feet were the black motorcycle boots she’d worn until they’d gotten so small