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.

---

residence, Lemira found Lucian sitting on the sofa, obviously

him without

unsure of what to say. He had suspected her

Except these years Lemira's were mediocre for her school grades, how

just a phase of acting out.

gone. She was genuinely putting in the effort, not

started to reflect, realizing he had looked at Lemira through filtered lens and indeed been neglectful of Lemira's feelings, especially with Alaric's stunt at school. Could this be why she changed so much? Lucian's voice was mixed,

"Yeah."

It's not safe out there with all sorts of people. Stop going to those libraries to

it was again, decisions made for

a tutor for her. You should join in. If Evelina struggles with anything, you can help her out. After all, you're classmates. When she was absent, you could take detailed notes for her." Lemira's gaze turned scornful. So, it was all for Evelina's sake; that was

stood tall, "I

school, but you've already proved that you're capable. Eve is our family. Her dropping rank is because of the match, and since you won't