Chapter 8
We were still in the same classroom, but it felt like a wide, invisible gap
stretched between us.
Neither of us spoke to the other.
Helen’s attitude toward me had softened. Sometimes, she even smiled at
- me.
I threw myself fully into studying and my part–time job.
By the end of March, the official recommendation notice came out.
I took it to the office to find the homeroom teacher–and ran into
Anderson.
He was holding an application for studying abroad. It looked like he was planning to go to college overseas.
“Congrats,” he said first. His tone was flat, hard to read.
“You too.”
I nodded, took the paperwork from the teacher, and turned to leave.
“Jeanice,” he called again.
I stopped and didn’t turn around,
“That 150 grand,” he said, “I can help you pay it back.”
I turned back and looked at him.
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“Anderson, you still don’t get it, do you? I never wanted the money. I never wanted Luna’s spot. What I want is my own life.”
He stared at me. There was something in his eyes–like he finally understood.
“I’m sorry,” he said quietly.
It was the first time–in both lives–that he’d ever apologized to me.
I paused for a second, then smiled. “It’s okay.”
And it really was.
All the pain, all the anger, all the nights I cried into my pillow–they vanished with those three words.
In mid–April, I got a reply from Professor Jeremy.
He said I could come to Midnight Pack during summer break.
I quit my job at the ice cream shop right away and started packing.
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The day I left school, the weather was beautiful. Sunlight was warm and bright.
I walked out of the school gates with my backpack on and saw Anderson and Helen standing not far away.
Helen didn’t look happy. Head down, lost in thought.
Anderson saw me and waved.
I hesitated, then walked over.
“I’m leaving next week,” I said.
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Chapter 8
“To Midnight Pack?” Anderson asked.
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