Forbidden Power

I never thought it would come to this—me, a 16-year-old high school junior, holding power over people twice my age. My sister’s back from college, acting like she’s better than me, and now I’ve got the upper hand. And then there’s Mrs. Thompson next door—strong, proud, a woman who used to babysit me. But I know her secrets. Her daughter doesn’t suspect a thing either. One wrong move from any of them, and everything changes.

Forbidden Power

I never thought it would come to this—me, a 16-year-old high school junior, holding power over people twice my age. My sister’s back from college, acting like she’s better than me, and now I’ve got the upper hand. And then there’s Mrs. Thompson next door—strong, proud, a woman who used to babysit me. But I know her secrets. Her daughter doesn’t suspect a thing either. One wrong move from any of them, and everything changes.

My hands don’t shake as I press ‘send.’

The email flies off into the school server—Elena’s private journal entry, the one where she admits faking her mental health crisis to get disability grants, copied straight to her academic advisor. She’ll be expelled by morning. And she’ll know it was me.

I watch from my window as her car pulls up, headlights cutting through the rain. She hasn’t seen me yet. But she will. And when she does, I won’t look away this time.

She thinks she’s still in charge? That she can walk back in here after everything and treat me like a child?

No. Not anymore.

My phone buzzes. A message from Keisha: Your sister’s freaking out. What did you do?

I smile. Then type back: Ask your mom what she’d do to keep her secret safe.

The game isn’t just starting.

It’s already mine.