Betrayed Genius: My Stolen Future, His Downfall

At the graduation party, everyone was ribbing Nat Cox about where he'd put down for college.

"Columbia," Nat said, flat and certain.

The crowd whooped and looked between the two of us. Everyone knew Columbia was my dream too.

My best friend, Abigail Finch, congratulated me, envy all over her face.

"Congrats, Barb. I'm so jealous. A childhood friend that amazing, and you've got the brains for a top school too."

I was floating on it, right up until Nat drove me home and confessed.

"Sorry. At the last minute I changed your application to a state school."