Chapter 14 He’s Pretty Sentimental About His Alma Mater!
Chapter 14 He’s Pretty Sentimental About His Alma Mater!
Tina messaged Stella on WhatsApp: I’m at the gate.
Stella brought her bowl back to the kitchen and waved at Nathan. “I’m heading out. Bye!”
“Bye!”
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Her bright, lively smile and sweet voice left the housekeeper momentarily stunned–then smiling like a proud aunt. “Bye! Be careful out there.
My goodness, what a lovable girl!
Once in the car. Tina handed her a lunchbox.
Mr. Ethan asked me to bring you breakfast. You can eat it on the way if you’re hungry.”
Stella shook her head. “I already ate.”
Tina blinked, surprised. “Where? Did you eat with Mr. Nathan?”
Most of the people who respected Nathan at Ashford called him “Mr. Nathan.” Not only was he one of Ashford’s most powerful figures, but he was also deeply involved in charity work.
Every year, he donated more than anyone else in the country. He’d helped fund education in several churches.
rural areas and even built
Nathan had his own charitable foundation.
Ethan donated to it every year. The bracelet on his wrist came from one of the churches Nathan had built.
“Yeah, Nathan made it himself. It was really good.”
Stella had no problem giving credit to her longtime rival’s cooking.
Tina’s usually cool expression softened into a grin. She teased, “If your old classmates from No. 1 High knew the campus queen and king–who were sworn enemies. were now living under the same roof, and that the school king even made breakfast for the school queen, they’d be shocked”
You had to admit, the two really were fated.
Stella waved it off. “He didn’t make it for me. He just made an extra bowl,”
Then she paused, surprised. “Wait–Tina, you know about me and Nathan?”
Tina kept one hand on the wheel. “Of course. You two were legendary back then.
Stella sighed and leaned back against the seat, a bit glum. “Only he’s still legendary now. I’m not.”
That author really did her dirty in this novel.
Seeing the delicate, pretty girl looking so downcast, Tina’s heart softened. She reached over and patted her head. “What’s the rush? You’ll be a legend again–just give it time.”
Crossing over from eleven years ago? That was already legendary.
Ethan had told Tina everything last night, since he asked her to take Stella to Ashford No. 1 High today to check out the school.
With that out in the open, he hadn’t bothered hiding the rest.
Stella nodded and clenched her fists. “Let’s do this!”
Tina laughed. “Mr. Nathan might not see you as his rival anymore, but you clearly still see him as yours.”
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Chapter 14 He’s Pretty Sentimental About His Alma Mater!
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Stella shrugged. “He’s the only one who ever threatened my top rank in high school. Before he transferred. I was miles ahead of everyone. Of course I took him seriously. Sure, now he’s way out of reach–but hey, a girl’s gotta have dreams!”
Tina liked her more by the second.
Stella had been Ashford’s only female science–track student in the past twenty years to score a perfect SAT. She had a solid core and never saw herself as inferior to anyone.
“I believe in you,” Tina said sincerely.
The front gate of Ashford No. 1 High looked Just the same.
Sunlight filtered through the trees, casting dappled shadows on the pavement.
Ethan had already called ahead to the school administration.
Stella and Tina entered smoothly.
After eleven years, the school hadn’t changed much–just a few new teaching buildings and a brand–new athletic field.
Tina pointed. “Those buildings were all donated by Nathan. One a year, pretty much.”
Stella raised a hand to shield her eyes and took a closer look. All the new buildings had an “ss” printed on them,
“Donated under his company’s name, huh? Guess he’s pretty sentimental about his alma mater
But she didn’t dwell on it. Too much nostalgia just hurt. She looked away and asked, “Do you know what class Lucas’s younger brother Jackson is in?”
Tina replied, “Class One, Top student–always in the top three of the grade.”
“Let’s go take a look then.”
She wasn’t sure how to find Louis through Jackson, but it was worth a try.
If Louis had been adopted after getting lost as a child, he would’ve changed names. Otherwise, she could’ve just searched for Jimmy Marshall.
There were tons of high schools in Ashford. She couldn’t exactly visit each one and demand to meet their “campus bully.”
That’d just get her labeled crazy.
And “campus bully” was a vague term anyway. Novels liked to use it, but in real life? Hard to pin down
She wouldn’t even know who the school bully was back when she was at No, I High.
Every class had a few troublemakers–who was to say which one counted?
By the time they reached Class One, the bell had just rung.
A stampede of energetic boys burst into the hallway like wild bulls.
Tina instinctively stepped in front of Stella to shield her from getting knocked around.
At twenty–five, Tina had a cool, sophisticated aura.
Standing there with a girl who looked like a high school student herself, they drew a lot of attention.
Stella was used to this. For her, high school felt like it had just happened last month.
Her clear gaze swept over the students pouring out and she asked directly, “Is Jackson here? I’m looking for him.” “Whoa, you’re here for Jackson?”
“Is this another girl from a different school here to confess? She’s gorgeous! What does Jackson have that we don’t?”
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Chapter 14 He’s Pretty Sentimental About His Alma Mater!
“Jackson! Someone’s here for you!” a boy called into the room.
Jackson was reading and didn’t even look up. “Tell her to leave. I don’t have time.”
He was drowning in schoolwork–who had time for romance?
The boy
you.”
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turned to Stella with an awkward grin. “That’s just how he is. Don’t take it personally, gorgeous. I’ll drag him out for
A girl like this? At No. 1 High, she would’ve been the undisputed campus queen. And Jackson was acting like he didn’t care?
What a waste.
Stella stepped out from behind Tina. “It’s fine. I’ll go in. Tina, you wait here.”
Tina nodded her phone was ringing anyway.
Stella had been in Class One herself back then, though this wasn’t the same room as before.
The boy who’d spoken up walked in with her, pointing. “He’s over there.”
Stella walked over and sat in the empty seat in front of Jackson.
Her pale, elegant fingers tapped lightly on his desk. “Hey.”
Jackson looked up, annoyed. “What do you want?”
Then he froze, eyes widening slightly.
She was stunning–like a porcelain doll. Her eyes were clear and bright, like rippling water.
And she looked… oddly familiar. Like he’d seen her before.
Jackson resembled Lucas by about thirty percent–handsome enough.
Stella smiled politely. “I just wanted to ask if you’ve had any issues lately with someone from school–or maybe another school–someone kind of troublesome.”
It was the most reasonable way to phrase it.
Louis must’ve had a conflict with Jackson if he ended up hospitalized No way he got jumped at random.
Jackson had no idea why this beauty was asking such a weird question. He looked confused, then shook his head. “No.”
Stella frowned. Think carefully.”
Jackson paused, then his eyes lit up. “I know who you look like! You look like the girl my brother dated in high school!”
Stella was speechless. “That’s not what I asked!”
No matter how she phrased it, Jackson insisted he hadn’t had any recent conflicts. Said everyone liked him.
Stella was starting to get a headache. Maybe that part of the story hadn’t happened yet.
“Alright, let’s add each other on WhatsApp. If anything comes up, let me know.”
She got his contact and left the classroom.
Jackson stared after her, then picked up his phone and snapped a picture of her back.
Then he sent it to his brother.
“This girl looks just like the one you dated in high school!”
