The Swap That Sentenced Them

The freshman welcome party was loud—music blasting, people screaming over it. Then the external pacemaker on my chest started shrieking. 10 percent battery. Cold sweat hit fast. I always carried a backup. Always. I yanked open my backpack. No heavy medical battery pack. Just a flimsy power bank. One blinking bar. Chapter 1 My brain short-circuited. I grabbed for my phone to call 911, but my boyfriend, Hampton Finch, caught my hand. "Lily's track player died. I gave her your battery. Just use that power bank." He nodded at the useless brick in my bag. I jerked free, shaking. "That thing's basically dead. If the pacemaker stops, my heart stops." His face went cold. "Lily's the freshman rep. If her opening dance tanks, she's done on campus. You're an upperclassman. Cut her some slack." "My life or her dance?" My vision blurred as I stumbled toward backstage. He locked onto my wrist. "I checked. Pacemakers have backups. You're not gonna die. Stop being dramatic." A sharp pain stabbed through my chest. I slammed the emergency alarm Dad had hung around my neck. The alarm hadn't even screamed for half a second before Hampton ripped it off me. "It's just me lending out your battery. You're seriously calling the cops over that?" He didn't look at me. He faced a trash can, fake jump-shot, and tossed my lifeline in. "Woo. Three points." His dorm bros cracked up. The pacemaker kept beeping. Loud. Steady. Like a countdown in my skull. The room tilted. I grabbed a chair to steady myself and reach for the alarm. He shoved me back down. "Stop being dramatic." His voice edged with annoyance. "You're always fine. Why do you even need that thing? Can't you hold out a few minutes?" I looked at him. "If I hadn't taken that falling surveying instrument for you this summer, would my heart have been pierced? "Three days in the ICU. Thirteen hours in surgery. A month stuck wearing this. Did you forget?" His eyes flickered. The alarm shrieked again. He frowned. "Can you turn it off? You're ruining Lily's performance with that noise." My hands and feet went ice-cold. It felt like a boulder was parked on my chest. My heartbeat ticked down. Apparently worth less than a freshman showcase. He lifted his phone, busy snapping pics of Lily Rowe bowing onstage. Two years together, and I was just now seeing his true colors. Lily hopped down in a strapless mini, all flutter and spotlight, and launched into his arms. "Hampton, thanks to your battery, I crushed it tonight!" I didn't look at him. I held out my hand to her. "Give it back. Now." She blinked up at me, all wide-eyed. "But... I lent it to my dorm mate, Mia. She's up next." "Who told you to do that?" My pulse spiked. My chest squeezed tight. Her eyes went glossy as she ducked behind Hampton. "Hampton, did I make things hard for you? I just saw Mia panicking without her music. I didn't want her to forget the choreography. "I'll go get it right now. Even if she embarrasses herself in front of everyone, even if the tutors get mad, I'll bring the battery back to Juliet." She spun like she was about to run. Chapter 2 Hampton pulled Lily into his arms, voice soft—so soft I barely recognized it. "No need to go. You're kind. You did nothing wrong. She's the one making a scene over a stupid battery and killing the vibe." Lily peeked at me and shivered. "Will Juliet feel unwell?" Then, louder—just enough for the crowd—"When my grandma's heart acted up, she fainted right away. Maybe Juliet's young. She can still stand there and watch the show." Hampton's dorm bros cracked up. "Yeah. She's got plenty of energy to yell." "Doesn't look like a heart patient." "Bullying a pretty freshman 'cause she's jealous? Faking sick for attention? Please. That trick's outdated." Hampton frowned at me clutching my chest, like I was something gross on his shoe. "Done pretending? If you were that sick, you'd be on the floor. You're just petty. Can't handle a younger, prettier girl getting attention." I wanted to slap him. My body didn't cooperate. My heart pounded harder. Cold sweat soaked my back. "The pacemaker... it's dying. I need to charge it. My heart will stop..." I grabbed his sleeve with the last of my strength. Lily gave a tiny laugh. "Juliet, you almost look real right now." Hampton sneered. "Wow. Heavy breathing right on cue. With acting like that, you should be in soap operas. You'd blow up online." He shook me off. I hit the cold floor. Pain shot up my spine, but the weight crushing my chest drowned it out. I reached into my backpack for my meds. One pill. Just one to get me through the performance. Finally—found the blister pack. Under the shifting stage lights, I squinted at the foil. [Multivitamin.] My dad packed my life-saving meds himself. So how— I snapped my head up at Hampton. On the way here, he'd complained I walked too slow. Took my backpack "to help." I forced my voice steady. "Where's my medication?" Lily covered her mouth, soft gasp—perfect volume for the audience. "Juliet, don't be like that. I saw you only had two pills left. It looked... kind of sad. So I swapped them for the vitamins I take. Full sheet. Nine tablets. Imported." Like she'd upgraded me. Rage shook through me. The stabbing in my chest spread down my arms. The blister pack slipped from my hand. "Who told you to touch something that keeps me alive?" Lily scooped the vitamins up fast. Her eyes went red on command. "Even if you don't like them, don't throw them away. This sheet costs over two hundred. I just wanted to help your health." "Lily meant well. What's your problem?" Hampton grabbed the vitamins, then my chin, forcing my mouth open. "Take them. Don't waste her kindness." His fingers dug into bone. Tears blurred everything. I tried to turn away. He held me still. "I can't take vitamin A. It clashes with my meds. It'll trigger arrhythmia. My heart can't handle it." His grip loosened—just a little. Chapter 3 Right on cue, Lily burst into tears. "Juliet, if you don't want it, fine. Why say something so scary? It's my fault. I shouldn't have tried to help. I'll never be nice again!" Instant waterworks. Instant audience. Hampton's d roommates immediately gathered around her. "She's jealous. Trying to humiliate you." "Lily, you're too sweet. Don't let Juliet bully you." Hampton's face iced over. He shoved the pill into my mouth. "Lily cares about you and you're still nitpicking? I didn't know you were this unreasonable. This ungrateful." The tablet melted fast. Sickly sweet. Bitter underneath. Pressure climbed up my chest. Every breath dragged against something sharp lodged in my heart. My vision blurred. I couldn't tell what hurt more—the poison or his voice. Two years. When he had competitions, I ran across the city to twenty-three supply stores for parts. Stayed up building models until my fingers blistered. When he studied for grad exams, I camped at the library at five a.m. to save him a seat. Typed up a hundred thousand words of review notes while my own thesis stalled. Last summer, I took a falling surveying instrument for him. And this is what I got. A pill forced down my throat. A casual "unreasonable." "Hampton... we're done." The words scraped out of me. I pulled out my phone and dialed my doctor on instinct. "I'm at Aramont University auditorium. My heart—" A hand ripped the phone away. He powered it off. "You done? Who are you threatening with a breakup? Jealous, causing a scene, trying to waste public resources? Ambulances are for people who actually need them." Metal filled my mouth. I clenched my teeth. "I can't hold on. Give me the battery. Call an ambulance." The pacemaker shrieked. 6 percent. The number burned into my eyes. My heart stuttered, drowning between beats. A student nearby leaned in. "She looks really bad. Is she okay?" "Help me..." My lips moved. No sound. Hampton cut in. "She's throwing a tantrum. Sleeps at midnight, up at five. Running around for months. She's not fragile. She's acting. Ignore it." The student hesitated—then stepped back. The ceiling lights spun, splitting into warped colors. My heartbeat raced. Then stalled. Each throb stabbed like needles. "I'm not acting... check my pulse." I forced my arm up, biting my lip until I tasted blood. The hand that grabbed my wrist wasn't his. It was Lily's. She crouched beside me. From everyone else's angle, she looked worried. Up close? Cold. Smug. "Juliet, don't panic. I'll check your pulse for Hampton." Her voice dripped sugar. "Let go..." Her red nails pressed into my skin. She leaned in, whispering so only I could hear. "Juliet Bowen, you're such an eyesore. Hogging Hampton like you earned him. Tell me—if I scream right now, who do you think he'll believe? You... or me?" Chapter 4 Before I could react, her nails dug straight into my wrist. Everything froze. My mind blanked. My limbs went numb. My heart slammed so hard it felt stuck in my throat. Dying does that. It flips a switch. I kicked. My foot barely brushed her before she clutched her stomach and dropped backward like her bones dissolved. "Ah! It hurts!" "Juliet Bowen! Are you insane?" Hampton shoved me aside and scooped Lily up. "Bullying her in front of everyone?" My back smashed against the metal edge of a chair. Pain detonated under my ribs. My vision went black. I couldn't breathe. In his arms, Lily whimpered, "My ribs... I think they're broken. Does Juliet hate me? She didn't have to kick me that hard..." Hampton turned and kicked my shin. "Stop playing dead. Get up and apologize." The crowd lost it. "She seemed so gentle." "Didn't know she was this vicious." "Competing with a freshman like this? Trying to ruin her?" "Lily's crying and she's pretending to faint?" My heart still wouldn't steady. After a few ragged breaths, I forced the words out. "She... She dug her nails into my wrist..." Lily's sobs shot louder, drowning me. "I was just helping you relax! How can you accuse me? Did I upset you? I'll change, okay? I'll change!" Hampton's face tightened. "Juliet, you've really disappointed me. I even adjusted the program schedule for you. And now you're strong enough to kick someone across the floor? You've been faking it this whole time." One of his dorm bros piped up, "Mr. Thompson's here! Perfect. Kick her out—she's killing the mood." The pacemaker shrieked again. Louder. 3 percent. My eyes burned. I ignored everything and grabbed the nearest guy's pant leg with shaking fingers. "Michael... my pacemaker's dying. Please... help me find a battery..." Michael. Our class rep. He yanked his leg away like I'd stained it. "Stop acting, Juliet. Everyone saw you kick Lily so hard she can't stand. You don't get to play helpless now. Just admit you were wrong." He shook his head. Disappointed. My hand dropped to the cold floor. A tear slid from the corner of my eye. It's over. "What's going on? Why's everyone crowded here?" The voice cut through the noise—Mr. Thompson, the student affairs advisor. I jerked my head up, nails digging into my palm to stay awake. "Mr. Thompson... help me..." He froze when he saw my face—white as paper, hair plastered to my forehead—then rushed over and caught me. "What happened? Why are you this pale? Someone call 911!" I opened my mouth. Nothing. Breathing alone drained whatever I had left. Through the chaos, one sharp, wounded voice rose above the rest. "Don't crowd me... my ribs..." Hampton stepped in front of Lily like her personal bodyguard, blocking everyone out. Then he looked at Mr. Thompson. "Sir, don't worry about Juliet. She's faking it. Trying to scam Lily with this stunt." Chapter 5 Lily's eyes filled on cue. "Mr. Thompson, I'm sorry. It's my fault. I borrowed Juliet's battery to charge the music player. I didn't want to mess up the show. Maybe she's mad about that." Right. Of course she is. Mr. Thompson frowned at me. "Juliet, how can you be so petty? Lily was thinking about the group." Lily turned saintly. "Please don't be upset. It's all my fault. Juliet, let's shake hands and forget it, okay?" One hand on her ribs, the other grabbed my limp fingers before I could move. Head down. Smile sharp as a blade. A rasp scraped out of my throat. I needed him to see her. Then Lily shrieked and flung my hand away like I'd electrocuted her. "Juliet! I already apologized and you're still pinching me!" She held up her wrist. A bright red mark glared under the stage lights. Before Mr. Thompson could blink, Hampton stormed over and slapped me. Smack. The whole room went quiet. Half my face went numb. My ears rang. Still nothing compared to my chest. Hampton pointed at me. "Juliet! Are you insane? You touch her in front of a teacher? Apologize. Now." A guy nearby chucked his latte at me. Cold coffee ran down my hair and face. Sticky. Gross. I couldn't even lift a hand to wipe it off. "Stop faking it!" he yelled. "If you're that sick, how'd you pinch her hard enough to leave a mark?" Mr. Thompson's face went ice-cold. "Juliet, you've disappointed me. Don't bother applying for this year's national scholarship." He pointed backstage. "You two—take her back there. Let her calm down. I'm calling her parents tomorrow." The noise blurred. In my head, the 1 percent battery warning screamed. I gripped the metal chair leg with everything I had. "No... my dad's a general... I'm going to the base tomorrow... to lay flowers..." They laughed. "Did boot camp mess you up or something? A general? Lay flowers? That's for fallen soldiers' families. Who do you think you are?" "Even a security guard wouldn't claim you." Hampton sneered and fisted my hair, yanking me back. "Keep lying. You're spending the night in detention." Beep— One long, flat tone. My heart jerked once. Then nothing. Black swallowed everything. Warmth slid from the corner of my mouth. My head dropped. The auditorium doors slammed open. The music cut off mid-beat. A roar shook the room. "Let go of my daughter!" Doctors in white coats rushed in with a stretcher, straight for me. "Pacemaker failure. Cardiac arrest!" "Start CPR. Prep defibrillation!" "One milligram epinephrine. IV push!" Chapter 6 Sharp commands sliced through the dead-silent auditorium. A jolt ripped through me. My eyes cracked open. A tall figure in uniform strode in. My dad. Electrodes covered my chest. Blood stained my lip. His eyes went nuclear. He scanned the room. "Who did this? Step forward." No one moved. The same people who'd been yelling a minute ago suddenly found the floor fascinating. Hampton stood frozen, hand still midair from yanking my hair. His face went chalk white. Lily had retreated to a corner. The hand that had pressed into my wrist now shook like she was the victim. Please. The dean rushed over. One glance at the star on my father's shoulder and his spine bent fast. "Sir, I'm Gerald Perry, Dean of Civil Engineering. Your daughter—this was... a sudden heart episode?" My dad's voice turned to ice. "Someone deliberately pulled power from my daughter's pacemaker and blocked her from getting help. That's attempted murder." Hampton's legs buckled. He barely stayed upright. Dr. Perry sucked in a breath and forced a smile. "Let's not say that. They're kids. Maybe it's just... a misunderstanding." He threw Mr. Thompson a desperate look. Too late. Mr. Thompson was already rattled by the four stone-faced guards behind my dad. He pointed with a shaking hand. "Not me! It was Hampton Finch and Lily Rowe! They did it!" Every eye swung their way. Hampton couldn't look at my dad. He pasted on a smile that looked worse than crying. "Mr. Bowen, this is all a misunderstanding. I'm Juliet's boyfriend. She's mentioned me, right?" "Don't know you." Two words. Ice cold. Hampton went ghost pale. He clenched his jaw. "You can't blame us completely. I gave her a power bank. She didn't use it. She was strong enough to kick and grab people. I thought she was fine. Right, Lily?" Lily nodded fast and lifted her wrist like it was Exhibit A. "Yes, Mr. Bowen. My ribs still hurt. I wasn't even thinking about Juliet." "Sir..." Dr. Perry tried, forcing a careful smile. "Maybe we can both take a step back here?" My dad let out a cold laugh and glanced at the officer behind him. "Are the police here?" "You're calling the police?" Dr. Perry's voice jumped. "This semester just started. If this gets out, the fallout will be terrible!" The officer stood straight. "Report, General Bowen. Captain Larsen is personally leading the team. They're at the entrance." "Let them in," my dad said, calm and final. "And find my daughter's emergency alarm." The word alarm drained the last bit of color from Hampton and Lily. After my surgery, Dad had arranged that device himself. Military-grade. The second it activated, it recorded everything and sent my location in real time. He looked at Dr. Perry, each word heavy. "My daughter doesn't cause trouble. And if you've done nothing wrong, you've got nothing to fear. The only people scared of police are the ones hiding something." His gaze sliced past Lily and Hampton. "Search."