When They Beg, I Rise!

Orion's gaze was unfathomable, "You trust me this much, not afraid I might fool you?"

"What's there for you to fool me out of?"

Lemira looked at him squarely, "You're pretty much my only friend right now."

Orion's gaze briefly faltered. A friend? His lips curled slightly, and then he put on a stern facade, "Don't just trust people willy-nilly in the future, especially men." "Got it, I'm off."

Lemira waved, slinging her backpack over her shoulder as she left the infirmary.

Orion remained seated long after she'd left, his eyes catching the sight of the cake on the desk. Memories of a car crash scene, with a ruined birthday cake, flashed through his mind.

His head began to throb uncontrollably. Since that car crash, he hadn't touched cake again.

After a while, he got a call, "Mr. Everhart, Ms. Langston has safely arrived home." Only then did Orion hang up, his silhouette stretching long in the setting sun.

---

at the Langston residence, Lemira found Lucian sitting on the sofa, obviously

greeted him

looked up to find his distant yet defiant sister, unsure of what to say. He had suspected her

her achievements were genuine. Except these years Lemira's were mediocre for her school grades,

had truly changed, and it wasn't just a

around him seemed gone. She was

with Alaric's stunt at school. Could this be why she changed so much? Lucian's voice was mixed, "Back so late, were you at the public library

"Yeah."

those public places? It's not safe out there with

it was

out. After all, you're classmates. When she was absent, you could take detailed notes for her."

tall, "I

already proved that you're capable. Eve is our family. Her dropping rank is because of the match, and since you won't join the team, you should make some sacrifice, assisting Eve