The Classified Confession

At Aldridge Academy, success isn’t an aspiration—it’s survival. In this elite, hyper-competitive school where ranking determines everything, students are reshuffled weekly, their futures dictated by a ruthless meritocracy. The top 20 enjoy unimaginable privileges: mentorships from industry leaders, access to classified research, guaranteed scholarships to the world’s best universities. The rest? They fight to stay afloat, knowing that one bad week could destroy everything. Liam Carter was built for this system. Rank 14. A scholarship prodigy. A perfect machine. With a mind sharper than any algorithm, he has calculated, optimized, and outperformed his way to the top. But when his flawless Ivy League applications are rejected, his entire world fractures. Now, his scholarship is on the line. The school’s administration has given him six months to secure admission to one of ten elite universities—or he loses everything. But Liam isn’t just up against a broken admissions process. Because when his best friend, Ethan Reyes—a wealthy underachiever sinking toward the bottom ranks—posts Liam’s personal statement on Reddit for feedback, it triggers something no one expected. The essay goes viral. Not because of inspirational storytelling—but because it contains something dangerous. A fragment of classified information. A half-forgotten piece of an experiment Liam doesn’t even remember being part of. And now, the wrong people are watching. The CIA believes he’s a leaked asset. A powerful tech cartel wants him recruited—or eliminated. And his biggest rival at school, Jasper Voss, Rank 9, knows Liam’s secret and is willing to use it against him. To survive, Liam must outthink everyone—weaponizing Aldridge’s brutal ranking system, manipulating the school’s elite, and uncovering the truth about his past. Because his rejection wasn’t just bad luck. Someone didn’t want him getting out. And if he fails now, Aldridge won’t just take his scholarship. It will erase him.