NovelBookCole rambled on about everyday things, his voice soft and meandering. By the the reached his last
sentence, his smile had grown a little strained, and he let out a quiet sigh. Tugging his hoodie tighter around his
face, he tried to hide the redness in his eyes and the prickling at the tip of his nose.
Alessia didn’t say a word. She simply let Cole hook his pinky around hers as he went on with his boyish chatter.
Only in moments like this could he let down the stern mask of Mr. Whitley.
As they talked, a few delicate snowflakes drifted down from the sky. Karen had thought of everything-she’d left
an umbrella inside, just in case.
“Con, let's go. Your mom's waiting for us to cback for dinner,” Cole said, getting to his feet.
“Alright.” Alessia stood up, and Cole bent down to gather their things.
“Wait, | think I left something up there.” Halfway down, Alessia rummaged through her small bag.
“I thought we packed up everything?” Cole stopped, angling the umbrella over her.
“Maybe it fell when | stood up.”
“Let's go back and check, then.” Without a hint of complaint, Cole made up his mind immediately.
“I'll go by myself. The snow’s getting heavier-why don’t you bring the car around? I'll be right down.” Alessia
pressed a hand to his arm, stopping him.
“But-"
“I'll be quick.” She waved him off, cutting him short, and jogged back up the steps before he could argue.
“Hey! Take the umbrella! Don’t run-watch your step!” Cole hurried after her, handed her the umbrella, and
fussed over her like a worried parent.
“Okay,” Alessia promised./
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt
Still uneasy, Cole kept glancing back every few steps. Alessia stayed where she was, waving until he
disappeared below, then turned and climbed back up the path. By now, the snow had settled into a thin, soft
layer. Alessia brushed it aside gently.
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Chapter 258
“Dad... Mom...” she whispered, her ears turning red-whether from the cold or from embarrassment, she couldn't
tell.
“Ms. June toldthat if | called you this next time, it would make you happy, so... | hope you don’t mind.”
A breeze picked up, but it wasn’t as biting as usual.
Alessia paused, a small smile playing at her lips even as her nose stung unexpectedly.
“Ill take that as your answer, then.”
She steadied herself, exhaled twice, watching her breath swirl up into the falling
snow.
“Cole and | will be just fine. Please watch over him-let him be safe, healthy, and happy, always.”
She bowed three times, then made her way back down.
Cole spotted her and immediately got out of the car to meet her.
“Did you find it?”
“Yeah, | did.” Alessia’s eyes sparkled with relief.
“Con your nose is bright red from the cold.”
“Alright.” Alessia nodded, reaching out to rub his cheek.
Cole froze for a second, surprised, but didn’t pull away.
After that day, the new semester
finally began. Alessia kept her spot at
the top of the clasoyankings While
OplgTWho@nly Showed up at school
once or twice a term-still managed
to stay in the top ten, thanks to
Alessia’s crash—course tutoring The
content is on novelenglish.net! Read
the latest chapter there!
sessions.
Most students glanced at the leaderboard and moved on, laughing and chatting as usual. Even though it was
their final semester, no one seemed too anxious.
It was a different story at Crestview
High, though. Determined to get
everyone ipgearright Clay the
snot had kicked off the term with a
surprise assessment The content is
on novelenglish.net! Read the latest
chapter there!
test.
The two schools stood just across
the street from each other, but twas
like LG roach sarapletely’
differen Srids—one relaxed and
cheerful, the other tense and
competitive. The content is on
novelenglish.net! Read the latest
chapter there!
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