I Overslept on the Morning of My Crucial College Entrance Exams Because Someone Turned off My Alarm

On the morning of my medical college entrance exam, I woke up in a panic to find that all my alarms had mysteriously been turned off. As I rushed to get ready, my 8-year-old brother stepped in with a plan that could save the day.

From a young age, I dreamed of becoming a doctor. The desire only intensified after my mother passed away from cancer. I was determined to help people like her, to understand the disease that took her, and to assist others in their battles against it.

Years of hard work had led to this moment—late nights, countless textbooks, and more exams than I could count. Today was the day of my medical entrance exam, a culmination of all my efforts.

The night before, I had taken every precaution to avoid oversleeping. I set three alarms on my phone—6:00 a.m., 6:15 a.m., and 6:30 a.m.—and even left my curtains open, allowing the morning sun to stream in. As I lay in bed, I thought of my mom and promised myself I would make her proud.

When I opened my eyes the next morning, a sense of dread washed over me. It was dark—far too dark. Reaching for my phone, my heart sank as I saw the time: 9:55 a.m. My exam was scheduled to start at 10:00.

“No, no, no! This can’t be happening!” I threw the blankets off and grabbed my phone, frantic as I noticed all three alarms were turned off.

“I know I set these!” I muttered, my hands shaking as I scrambled to get dressed. Confusion swirled in my mind. How could this have happened?

I dashed down the stairs, half-dressed and my hair a wild mess. “Linda!” I shouted, searching desperately for my stepmom. “Please! I need a ride! My exam is in five minutes!”

She was calmly sipping her coffee in the kitchen, raising an eyebrow at my frantic state. Her expression was as cold as her coffee cup was hot.

“You’re already late,” she said flatly. “Maybe you should learn to set an alarm properly next time.”

“I did set them!” I nearly shouted, frustration and panic lacing my voice. “I triple-checked! They were all on!”

With a dismissive shrug and a slight smirk, she replied, “Clearly, you didn’t. Maybe this is a sign that you’re not cut out for med school. If you can’t even wake up on time, how will you handle something serious, like a patient?”

Heat flooded my face as disbelief and desperation washed over me. This couldn’t be happening. Surely my stepmom wouldn’t do this to me.

As I turned toward the door, knowing I couldn’t make it on foot, I heard a small, brave voice behind me.

“I know who did it,” my little brother Jason said, his voice trembling with nervousness, yet his eyes were steady.

“Jason, what are you talking about?” I asked, confused.

He stepped forward, cautiously glancing at Linda. “I saw her last night. She turned off your alarms, Emily.”

Linda shot him a sharp look. “Jason, stop making up stories,” she hissed.

“I’m not lying!” Jason stood his ground, his voice rising. “I saw you go into her room, pick up her phone, and turn off the alarms. You said she didn’t need to be at that stupid exam anyway!”

My mind was spinning. I looked at Linda, searching her face for a sign of denial or a hint that it was all a misunderstanding, but there was none. She simply sighed, arms crossed defiantly.

“You know what, Emily?” she said coolly, her voice hardening. “Fine. Yes, I did it. You’re not fit to be a doctor. It’s a waste of time, energy, and money that your dad could spend on something worthwhile.”

“Like… your beauty salon?” The words escaped my lips before I could stop them.

Just then, the wail of sirens echoed in the distance, growing louder as they approached our house.

Jason, now gripping my hand, offered me a small, hopeful smile. “Don’t worry, Em. I called for help.”

Linda’s face turned to stone as she looked at Jason. “You seriously did this?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

With unwavering conviction, Jason replied, “You’re the bad guy, Linda. Emily is going to be a doctor one day. Mom would be proud of her.”

As Linda’s face twisted in anger, the sirens outside grew louder. I watched her eyes widen with surprise as the front door swung open, and two police officers stepped inside.

“Is everything alright here?” one of them, a tall man with a calm demeanor, asked.

Without hesitation, Jason spoke up. “I called you. My sister needs to get to her entrance exam. Linda turned off her alarms so she’d miss it.”

The officer’s gaze shifted to Linda, who instantly adopted an innocent act. “This is absurd!” she scoffed, crossing her arms. “They’re just children, making things up because they’re late.”

The female officer knelt to Jason’s level. “You called us to help your sister?” she asked gently.

Jason nodded vigorously. “Yes. Emily studied so hard, and she was ready. Linda turned off her alarms so she’d miss her test.”

The officers exchanged glances before turning to me. “Is that true?” the male officer asked.

“Yes,” I whispered, feeling the weight of the moment settle over me. “I need to get to the school right now, or I’ll lose my chance.”

The officers nodded, and the female officer said, “Alright, we’re going to get you there.”

Linda’s face contorted with disbelief. “Wait, you’re actually going to escort her?” she stammered, frustration dripping from her voice. “This is ridiculous!”

“It’s our job to help people,” the officer replied coolly, dismissing her objections. “Now, if you’ll excuse us.”

As I turned to Jason, who beamed with pride, I whispered, “Thank you, Jason. You saved me.”

With the officers leading the way, I stepped into the squad car, and we sped down the road with sirens blaring, weaving through traffic as we approached the school. My heart raced with determination.

When we arrived at the exam center, the doors had already closed. The officers guided me toward the entrance.

One of the proctors noticed us and approached, confusion etched on his face. “Ma’am, the exam has begun,” he said, glancing at the officers.

The policewoman explained quickly, “This young lady had her alarms sabotaged at home, but she’s here now. I understand if you can’t make exceptions, but if there’s any way she can sit for the exam…”

The proctor’s stern expression softened as he listened. He locked eyes with me, weighing my sincerity, then nodded. “Alright. Go on in.”

“Thank you,” I managed, disbelief washing over me as I stepped inside.

Finding my seat, I took a deep breath, still rattled but determined not to let the morning’s chaos defeat me. I closed my eyes for a moment, thinking of my mom. This was my moment, and I wouldn’t let anyone take it from me. I picked up my pencil and began the test.

Hours later, I exited the exam room, exhausted but relieved. The officers who had helped me were gone, but I felt their kindness with every step as I headed home. Jason was waiting on the front steps, and he jumped up as soon as he saw me.

“Did you make it?” he asked eagerly, hope shining in his eyes.

I nodded, a smile breaking through my fatigue. “I did, thanks to you.”

He threw his arms around me. “I knew you would!”

Inside, my dad was waiting, his face pale and his mouth set in a grim line. He had been anxiously awaiting my return to hear everything. Jason took the lead, recounting every detail of what had happened while I was gone.

My dad’s expression shifted to anger, his eyes narrowing as he looked at Linda, who feigned calmness. “Is this true?” he demanded, his voice quivering with restrained fury.

Linda’s eyes darted between us. “I… I was just trying to keep her from making a mistake. I didn’t mean for it to go this far,” she mumbled, finally looking cornered.

“You sabotaged her dreams out of your own selfishness,” my dad said coldly. “You’re not staying here another night.”

Linda’s face paled as she realized he was serious. She tried to protest, but he shook his head firmly. “Pack your things, Linda. This family deserves better than this.”

As Jason and I stood by the door, we watched her leave. There was no satisfaction in it, just a sense of justice and relief.