fantishu
Chapter 15
Chapter 15
"What?"
Calvert spat out his milk in disbelief. "You just said you wanted to buy what?"
Cordelia looked at him, confusion etched across her face. She had no clue why Little Fang was reacting so strongly, but she earnestly explained anyway, "The balloon I saw on the shelf on my first day here."
Balloon? That was clearly condoms...
Calvert tried to speak, but ended up choking on his words, coughing violently.
Cordelia shot a puzzled glance at Everard.
With his hands plunged deep in his pockets, Everard sauntered towards the counter before lazily taking a seat. Only then did he inquire, "You're getting that to play by yourself?"
Cordelia paused for a beat. "...Yeah."
Everard leaned back into the shadows of the shop, his voice laced with amusement, "Playing alone is no fun."
She pondered for a moment, "True, I'll buy it and leave it here then. We can play together some other time."
"Eh!" Just as Calvert took a sip of water to calm his cough, he sprayed it out again.
Cordelia sensed something was off. She was about to ask Little Fang what got him so worked up when the tapping of fingers on the countertop interrupted them, followed by Everard's tempting, "Girl, you're about to be late."
Hearing it, Cordelia glanced at the clock in the shop and realized she had five minutes before the bell rang.
She grabbed her backpack and dashed out, "I gotta run!"
Calvert watched her leave, then slowly turned to his boss, only to find Everard engrossed in a book, perfectly camouflaged in the dim corner.
Calvert approached the counter, leaning against it. "Boss, when are you heading back?"
Everard replied nonchalantly, "We'll see."
Calvert nodded, "By the way, I went to Mr. Griffin's to pick up some coffee beans yesterday. He subtly asked about your whereabouts, and today he messaged again, inquiring what you needed the coffee beans for. What should I say?"
After a moment of silence, Everard chuckled, "An engagement present."
"An engagement present?" Calvert was bewildered but quickly grew excited.
If Mr. Griffin found out that the boss, a bachelor for twenty-five years, now had a fiancée right here in Greenmeadow, his reaction would be priceless.
After sending the message, Calvert reached for the hundred-dollar bill Cordelia had left on the table, intending to pocket it when he heard the familiar tapping of Everard's fingers.
Stiffening, he turned to see Everard's gaze on him. He subconsciously handed over the bill. Everard opened his wallet, placing the hundred with the two hundred from the previous day before returning to his book.
Calvert was speechless.
During the break between classes, Cordelia, having diligently completed her exercises, rushed to tackle the Olympiad problems Latham had set for her.
Suddenly, the classroom was filled with sharp intakes of breath, followed by a hushed silence.
Cordelia didn't pay it much mind until someone pulled the chair in front of her, bumping her desk as they sat down. She glanced up lazily.
Then Merry’s hair caught her eye.
Cordelia blinked, feeling an inexplicable joy bubbling inside her.
However, Merry seemed downcast, resting her head on the desk, while her classmates subtly moved their desks away from her, as if Merry's reverted hair carried a virus...
Latham entered the classroom for math class and lit up at the sight of Merry, wrinkles forming with his smile, "Merry, you're doing great!"
Uncharacteristically, Merry didn't retort and kept her head down, seemingly preoccupied.
Cordelia noticed the low mood enveloping the class ever since Merry's arrival. Whispers circulated, with pointed stares directed at Merry, yet no one dared to speak to her directly.
After class, as everyone headed to the cafeteria, Cordelia finished her last problem and stood up. "You coming to eat?"
Silence. Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.
The few remaining students turned their heads, their eyes wide with horror.
Merry, taken aback that Cordelia would still speak to her, looked up. "You..."
Realizing that Cordelia didn't know her story and was hence so bold, Merry managed a bitter smile. "I'm not hungry. Go ahead."
She didn't want to drag a good student down with her.
Cordelia simply responded, "Oh," and left for the cafeteria.
Returning from lunch, she found Merry still at her desk, nibbling on crackers and sipping milk, seemingly afraid to leave the room.
Cordelia sighed inwardly.
After the afternoon classes, it was study time. Cordelia packed up for Olympiad class when a shadow loomed over her.
Hanley stood before her, hesitation flickering in his eyes before he lowered his voice to a warning, "Stay away from Merry."
Cordelia looked at him, puzzled.
Hanley, slightly defiant, tilted his chin up and blurted, "She's trouble. Dyed her hair back and got into more. Just... keep your distance!"
With that, he turned and left, leaving Cordelia amidst a cloud of confusion and whispers.
After he finished speaking, he caught the misty-eyed gaze of Cordelia staring back at him. For reasons he couldn't fathom, a flutter of panic stirred in his heart. In a hurry to escape the sensation, Hanley turned on his heels and walked out of the classroom.
Juliana had been waiting outside. Upon witnessing the scene, her brows furrowed in concern. "Hanley, what did she say to you?" she asked.
Hanley felt a twinge of guilt and his thoughts were a jumble. "It's nothing," he replied, a bit too hastily.
Juliana was taken aback, not expecting such a brush-off from Hanley. She clenched her fists, the look in her eyes hardening as she glanced back at Cordelia.
Cordelia, for her part, couldn't understand why Hanley had bothered to warn her, and she didn't linger on it. She returned to the classroom to find that Merry had already left her seat.
The room was nearly empty, save for the janitor sweeping the floors, sending swirls of dust into the air. Grabbing her backpack, Cordelia headed out the school gates, but just as she was about to get into her car, she spotted a figure darting into the alley next to the school. It was Merry!
A frown creased Cordelia who was usually impassive.
She wasn't one to meddle in others’ affairs, but the thought of Merry... she didn't hesitate, striding directly toward the alley.
She had to see what was going on.