Chapter 12

Everyone simultaneously looked at Juliana and Hanley

Feeling the collective gaze, Juliana straightened up and flashed a smile at Hanley, asking, “What if Cordelial starts hounding you?”

Hanley lifted his chin with an air of finality. “Our engagement is set. It’s not changing for anyone.”

With that, Juliana relaxed,

She and Hanley had grown up together, their relationship always teetering on the edge of something more. Now, with their engagement on the horizon, she trusted that Hanley harbored no feelings for Cordelia.

Their conversation was neither hushed nor loud, but just enough for the onlookers to overhear.

A few snide voices began to mock Cordelia, “Being the top of the class doesn’t mean you can win Hanley’s heart, huh?”

“If I were her, I’d stay well away. How shameless can you get, always hovering around Hanley…”

Cordelia cooled her gaze but before she could speak up, Merry interjected, “Some folks really have nothing better to do than to poke their noses into others‘ business!”

Merry had a sing–song quality, even when she was hurling insults.

The teasers promptly shut their mouths.

Merry then glanced at Juliana and Hanley with a snort, “And some people really have the gall!”

The classroom fell silent. When it came to quick wit, no one could outdo Merry.

Seeing that Merry had defused the situation, Cordelia nodded to show her thanks and made her way to her seat, but Merry turned and headed for the door.

The class president called out, “Merry, class is about to start, where are you off to?”

Merry looked back, blowing a bubble with her gum, “Arcade.”

Cordelia blinked in surprise.

Merry didn’t return for the rest of the day.

was time for the afternoon

heading to her physics. competition prep class in room 302, right next to the math

caught a glimpse of Cordelia rising a beat slower and heading in their direction.

conflicted,

Η

at the stairwell. As they hesitated on whether to

in their tracks, enveloped in

find only a handful of students had

the class to work on them before approaching Cordelia with a test in hand, “Try this out, I want

I

got to work.

a not–too–distant seat, unable to

test Latham handed to Cordelia was standard competition level, Hanley, a seasoned math competitor, had gotten them all

the two–hour test in one, causing a twinge of

spot,

breathed a sigh of relief. A sense

in competitions, which were more

was just an off day for him at the last

other hand, Cordelia stared at her test, marked with three red

“You got the answers right, but in a formal competition,

shook her head.

“Calculus is a college subject. Where

simply replied, “Self–study.”

“The high school math competition tests logical reasoning, which means you need to solve these problems with high school knowledge. Your answers are

your

not using the designated

up, her misty eyes filled with confusion. This

some notes for

early. There’s still time. I’ll compile so you to review.”

you have any questions, you can also ask Hanley.”

murmured, “Oh.” She glanced at the test on her desk.

calculus, they indeed seemed challenging, but she

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