The Cheat

By Sarah Richman

Ted and his friends are upset about an upcoming history test. He is nervous about getting a bad grade, and his friends have other priorities. When one friend sees the answer key, Ted is offered the chance to cheat but refuses. He gets a bad grade and is disappointed. Later that night, he get a mysterious text message asking him if he would like a do-over. He accepts and relives the same day, this time accepting his friends' offer to cheat. He scores better on the test, but will the cheating pay off in the long run?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lerner Publishing
• Release date: Jan 1, 2019
• ISBN: 9781541547179

Sarah Richman

Sarah Richman is a writer, author, and poet based in Washington, DC, where she helps run a magic shop and writing center. Her work is published across the United States and Scotland. She likes good tea and bad jokes, and believes that well-told stories can change the world.

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Copyright © 2019 by Lerner Publishing Group, Inc.

All rights reserved. International copyright secured. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the prior written permission of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc., except for the inclusion of brief quotations in an acknowledged review.

Darby Creek

A division of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc.

241 First Avenue North

Minneapolis, MN 55401 USA

For reading levels and more information, look up this title at www.lernerbooks.com.

Image credits: Piglon/Shutterstock.com; autsawin uttisin/Shutterstock.com; VshenZ/Shutterstock.com.

Main body text set in Janson Text LT Std 12/17.5. Typeface provided by Adobe Systems.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Richman, Sarah, author.

Title: The cheat / Sarah Richman.

Description: Minneapolis : Darby Creek, [2019] | Series: The do-over |

Summary: After eighth-grader Ted decides not to join his friends in

cheating on a big test and scores poorly, he gets a mysterious opportunity

to relive the day and try to set things right.

Identifiers: LCCN 2018029283 (print) | LCCN 2018035956 (ebook) |

ISBN 9781541541979 (eb pdf) | ISBN 9781541540347 (lb : alk. paper) |

ISBN 9781541545489 (pb : alk. paper)

Subjects: | CYAC: Cheating—Fiction. | Conduct of life—Fiction. | Middle

schools—Fiction. | Schools—Fiction.

Classification: LCC PZ7.1.R5333 (ebook) | LCC PZ7.1.R5333 Che 2019 (print) |

DDC [Fic]—dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018029283

Manufactured in the United States of America

1 - 45239 - 36621 - 9/14/2018

For my family, who taught me to love stories, and for Peter, who helped me learn how to tell them. Thank you.

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1

October was late enough in the school year for Ted to accept that summer was over, but still early enough for him to be annoyed about it. He slumped in the passenger seat of the family minivan and glowered at the backpack by his knees.

It was a Monday morning, which was bad enough, and the radio was stuck on a station playing Monster Mash even though Halloween was weeks away.

His mom hummed along and patted the beat on the steering wheel.

Ted did not do early. What he did do, quite well, was sleep. That was what he’d been doing at this time every morning during the summer, before tenth grade came around and ruined it.

Whoever it was who said change was a good thing must have been a morning person, Ted thought.

Not being a morning person, he took a few seconds to process it when, as they stopped at a red light, his mom pulled a drawing of a penguin out of her pocket.

It was a plump little penguin, a bit crumpled now, with a round belly, a snowflake electric guitar, and a Mohawk made out of icicles. Ted had drawn him on a napkin at dinner the night before. There was still a fleck of lasagna clinging to the corner of the napkin, by one of the webbed feet.

Ted stared at the penguin.

Ted’s mom looked over at him. The shading is good, kiddo.

He sighed. Thanks.

The light turned green.

Is this why it took you half an hour to clear the dinner table last night? she asked.

Maybe.

They swerved slightly to avoid a pothole, making their way toward school.

I love the way you draw, Teddy, you know I do. His mom pushed a wisp of hair behind her ear. I’m just hoping that you will spend a little more time on other things too.

Like my grades, Ted thought.

Like your grades, she continued. She flicked the turn signal. You’ll need good grades when you start to apply for college scholarships, and it’s never too early to start standing out.

Ted opened his mouth to respond but then closed it. Unless there was a college scholarship for doodling or for sleeping until noon, standing out wasn’t exactly on the table, but he wasn’t going to push the point.

They rolled up to the front of the Thomas T. Tenley High School, a squat one-story building held up in the front by a set of blue columns and held