Part 2The Replacement Rule

I read the list and frowned. What kind of creepypasta nonsense was this?

The first part was whatever, but the "special ability" part? That confirmed it was a prank. If I had superpowers, I wouldn't be stressing about college applications.

And the Costco hot dog thing? Everyone knows that. It’s practically an American institution. $1.50 forever.

Just as I was about to dismiss it all as garbage, a hand snatched the phone from my grip.

"Chloe, are you texting a boyfriend?" Mom asked, her voice sweet but her grip firm.

My face burned hot. "Mom!"

It wasn't even about the texts. It was the embarrassment. If she saw this sci-fi roleplay spam, she’d think I was having a mental breakdown from academic pressure.

I just wanted to be a normal girl.

"Oh? Silence? So there is a boy," Mom teased, looking at the screen.

I felt a sudden spike of panic. But when she handed the phone back, my eyes widened.

The messages were gone.

Deleted. Vanished.

The top message was now from Ben, the class president: Hey Chloe, free tomorrow morning? Meet me at the stadium bleachers?

I knew Ben probably wanted to confess his feelings, but my mind was racing.

Did Mom delete the texts? Or did I hallucinate them?

No. I definitely saw them.

Then a thought hit me. A virus. Maybe the messages were programmed to self-destruct after reading?

But that would require some serious hacker skills. We’re in a high school drama, not Mission: Impossible.

Then, my heart slammed against my ribs.

There was one other possibility.