She leaned in to whisper, “He said he just put an ad up on Craigslist.” She cleared her throat and straightened her back. “I mean, college kids are always looking for a way to make an extra buck. Maybe you can find someone who’s already taken this class and has already written this paper. You would have just enough time to change things up to make it your own.”
I took a deep breath as I thought about her idea. She was right. It was a bad idea, but I was running out of time. The longer I took to think about it, the less time I had. “How much do you think something like this goes for. I’m not exactly rolling in dough, if you know what I mean.”
“Let’s check it out.” She pulled her phone from her pocket and started tapping around. “There are websites where you can purchase pre-written papers, and they’re going for around sixty bucks or so.” She went back to scrolling. “They don’t have very good reviews, though. People say that teachers are feeding the text into a plagiarism detector and they’re getting caught.”
I rolled my eyes. “So much for that idea.”
“I’m going to put up an ad on Craigslist.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but she cut me off.
“Only as a last resort. I’ll put the ad up, and if someone responds, we can buy the paper. You can keep it in your back pocket and use it only when needed. In the meantime, you can do everything you can to write the paper yourself. Sound good?”
I worried my bottom lip until I tasted blood. “Okay, fine,” I agreed. It wasn’t against the rules to buy someone else’s work. It was against the rules to turn in someone else’s work as your own. And I hadn’t broken that rule. Yet. Hopefully, I can complete this paper and avoid it. Like Madison said, using it would be a last resort.
I couldn’t help but feel like I was letting my dad down in some way. I remembered how proud he was when I told him at fifteen that I would graduate from college one day. He and my mom both came from working-class families, and neither of them attended college after high school. My mom got pregnant with my brother during her senior year, so my dad dropped out of school, earned his GED, and went straight to work. My mom managed to graduate from high school, but she was so busy being a young mom that she never found the time to attend college. She was a stay-at-home mom until I started kindergarten, then she got a job working as a receptionist at a local doctor’s office.
My dad worked hard at a factory job to provide for his family, and he did it for many years, slowly advancing up the ranks and earning bigger and bigger paychecks. My parents had always pushed both of us to do our best in school and to work hard for what we wanted. They didn’t want either of their kids to face the same struggles they had, which is why I was determined to attend college. Even after they passed away, I knew it was something I had to do. I had to keep my word. There were days when all I wanted to do was lie in bed and cry over losing them. Still, I pushed myself forward, completing my homework,studying for tests, and ultimately graduating at the top of my class, earning an academic scholarship. I worked too hard to give up because of a professor who wanted to punish me for something my brother had done.
I knew my dad would be upset over the fact that I was planning on cheating, but it was a last resort. If there were any other way, I’d do it. Until then, I had to do what I could to survive. Even though I hadn’t actually done anything yet, the guilt was already eating at me. I was scared that I’d get caught because I knew if Professor West even had the slightest idea that I was cheating, he would end me right then. I turned my head to look over my shoulder at him, but he was gone. I had been so lost in my thoughts that I hadn’t even seen him get up and leave. I just prayed that he stayed in the dark and that I’d still be on campus the following week.
ELLIOT
The pieces were falling into place perfectly. I had her right where I wanted her. She was desperate to stay in school, and she was on the verge of failing. Her little friend suggested the best and worst thing she could do. You know you’re on the brink of genius when the plan forms itself based on a series of events that were unfolding. The moment I heard her agree to buy the paper, I knew what I had to do.
I stood and tossed my untouched lunch into the trash. I was too busy listening to their conversation to worry about eating. I slid my hands into my pants pockets, and I ducked my head as I stepped back out into the rain. It had lightened some, but it was still a near-constant drizzle that would soak you in a matter of minutes. The sky was dark with thick clouds, and a strong breeze was moving through, making it useless even to use an umbrella. One gust of wind sent rain pelting you from whatever angle the wind was coming from.
By the time I reached my classroom, my lunch hour was half over. I had one more class to get through, then I could turn all of my attention onto the task at hand: writing the paper that little Ms. Evelyn Ashford would purchase and turn in, ultimately putting her right where I wanted her. Willing to give meanything I asked for in exchange for not expelling her. My dick throbbed at the possibility of her agreeing to my terms. Already, I was imagining how she’d look naked and spread out across the desk in my office. I imagined stripping her down, discovering every inch of her body like I was Columbus finding the New World. I wondered how many men she’d been with. With as young and shy as she was, I would’ve bet that she hadn’t been with many, if any.
I went from half hard to fully standing at attention when I thought about being her first. I knew that Gabe would’ve hated to learn that I’d been banging his sister, six ways to Sunday, and all over some bullshit that he probably thought no longer mattered. I don’t forget, and I don’t forgive easily. Once I’d been fucked over, it stayed at the forefront of my mind until I got my revenge. And I’d waited long enough to pay Gabe back for his crimes.
I wasn’t a total asshole. I briefly questioned myself, unsure if I was going too far by bringing her into things, but she was just as much a part of it as he or I was. There was the chance that she wasn’t a virgin at all, and if that was the case, I didn’t need to worry so much. If she were like every other college girl, she was already spending every weekend looking for a dick to ride, so manipulating her onto mine was nothing. Honestly, I wasn’t sure what I wanted more: her to be a virgin—so that I could be the one to rip it away—or if I wanted her to be seasoned so I could fuck her any way I wanted without having to worry about getting hit with guilt later on.
I pushed the thoughts aside as I sat behind my desk, working on typing up the paper that I knew she’d buy. It was a stupid ass idea to buy a paper over the internet. With technology being what it was, it was almost impossible to cheat. There were too many ways to get caught. I could upload the paper and almost instantly determine if someone else had written it. She reallyshould’ve considered those things. However, since I knew that I was the one writing the paper, there was nothing to do but wait for her to buy it and turn it in. I didn’t want to respond to the ad too quickly, so I figured I’d wait until the end of the day to track things down.
I worked on the paper until it was time for my next class to start, then I buttoned things up until I got back to my apartment later that day. I poured myself a drink to enjoy as I searched for the ad that was posted during lunch. It didn’t take long to find it. Within minutes, I saw it and replied. After sending the email, I resumed working on the paper. The only problem I was having was figuring out how to make the exchange. I couldn’t exactly give her my personal information for an electronic transfer, and without proof, I couldn’t create a fake name to start an account under either. I had to find someone else to meet with her, someone to hand over the paper and to collect the money. I didn’t give a shit about the money, but if payment weren’t required, it would throw up some red flags on her end. I couldn’t be the one to meet with her either, so I tried to think of who I could get to make the exchange.
If nothing else, I knew I could always resort to using someone who was looking to make a few bucks. I had a few students who were always down to make some money, and they didn’t care if the job was legal or not. I got to work on writing her paper, deciding how I’d get it to her later.
The subject wasn’t that hard, not if you had a good grasp of it anyway. I think she’d gotten to the point where she had psyched herself out. She was convinced from my past reactions that anything she did wasn’t good enough. I managed to write the paper within a matter of hours, but she didn’t think she could pull it off in two days? I didn’t question it. Instead, I sat waiting anxiously until she replied to my email. I was about to give upand turn in for the night when my phone finally chimed with an alert.
USER281,
Thank you for replying to the ad I posted. I would love to purchase the paper you’ve written. The assignment is due on Friday, and I need time to reword some sections to make it appear as if I wrote it myself. When can you meet, and what is your fee? Thanks again!
A smile tugged at my lips as I sat up a little taller, preparing my reply.
Verge of Failing,
I completely understand the need to adjust the paper to your liking. I’m available to meet anytime after lunch tomorrow. Let me know what works best for you and where you’d like to meet. The price of the paper is $100, payable in cash. Please let me know if this works for you.
I hit send and slid my phone into my hoodie pocket. Grabbing the remote from the coffee table, I shut off the TV and stood, ready to get into bed for the night. I turned for the front door, making my way over to it to lock up for the night. Before I could even make it to my room, my phone was going off again.
USER281,
A hundred dollars is totally doable. Can you meet at the fountain in the center of campus around three o’clock? I pass by there multiple times a day. Sticking to my usual routine would be best for me. Let me know. Thanks!
I grinned so wide it felt like my lips were cracking. I wet them and replied once more for the night.
