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.

for

as well, heading to her physics. competition prep class in room

Cordelia rising a beat slower and heading in their direction. She couldn’t resist asking. “What if

conflicted, “That’s

Η

pace. By the time Cordelia caught up, they were at the stairwell. As they hesitated on whether to acknowledge

their tracks,

entered the classroom to find only a handful

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

I

nodded and got to work.

not–too–distant seat, unable to keep from monitoring her progress.

handed to Cordelia was standard competition level, Hanley, a

quickly, finishing the two–hour test in one, causing

test on the spot, announcing the result, “Failed! All wrong!”

sigh of relief. A sense of superiority bloomed

in regular math didn’t guarantee success in competitions, which

off day for him at the last test. He was sure to reclaim the

with three red wrong signs and asked,

right, but in a formal competition, everyone will mark these as

shook her head.

sighed, “Calculus is a college subject. Where did you learn

replied,

tests logical reasoning, which means you need to

your

is beyond the syllabus, not using the designated knowledge

up, her misty eyes filled with

some notes for

we caught this early. There’s still time. I’ll compile so

he added, “If you have any questions,

at the test on her

calculus, they indeed seemed challenging, but

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