Chapter 25 Are You From the Joneses?
+8 Pearls
The seating chart had already been arranged, with everyone seated in pairs. Halford, who had unexpectedly joined at the last minute, was assigned a lone seat in the very back, directly behind Liana.
Curious about the new transfer student, Liana quickly found him easy to talk to. Both were talkative. Once the first topic was broached, their words flowed like a rushing river.
Thankfully, the last period in the afternoon was usually a self–study session, and the scattered chatter in the classroom provided cover. Otherwise, with the volume and intensity of their conversation, the teacher would’ve scolded them and sent them to stand in the hallway as punishment.
“Why are so many transfer students joining our class lately?” Liana whispered, gesturing lightly toward Nigel’s back. “He transferred in just a week after school started.”
Halford chuckled. “I know. He’s a good friend of mine.”
“Oh.” Liana looked surprised for only a split second before shrugging as if it made perfect sense.
Her reaction piqued Halford’s curiosity. “Why doesn’t that surprise you?”
Liana gave a knowing smile and began counting on her fingers. “Well, for one, you both look good, obviously come from decent families, and even though your personalities are completely different, you probably complement each other and get along. And…” She paused for effect before continuing, “It’s more of a gut feeling. Some people just seem like they’re meant to click, while others look mismatched no matter what.”
“Stop being so superstitious.”
“Ha, you don’t get it.” Liana rolled her eyes. “It’s called a girl’s intuition.”
That wasn’t entirely wrong, Lilith thought to herself. This world seemed like it was preordained. Some people were destined to meet and stay together, while others were fated to part ways. Everyone’s path had already been charted, waiting only for time to play out and seal the deal with a perfect conclusion.
Some people were simply never meant to be together. They were like heaven and earth, worlds apart–a single step could feel like an insurmountable divide.
“Lilith, I’m going to grab an ice cream. Want one?”
Lilith shook her head. “Cut back on the sweet stuff. Weren’t you just talking about dieting the other day?”
“Desserts are a must no matter what,” Liana teased, sticking out her tongue playfully at her. Hooking arms with another girl, she ran off cheerfully.
Halford, who had been napping with his head on the desk, suddenly sat up and stared at Lilith for a few seconds, as if some connection in his mind had clicked. He seemed to overlay her face with a name buried deep in his memory.
Then, in an overly familiar and unapologetic tone, he asked, “You are from the Joneses?”
It was phrased as a question, but Lilith could tell he already knew the answer. She didn’t respond, lowering her head instead and remaining silent.
When she didn’t reply, Halford suddenly chuckled and said, “Doesn’t seem like it.”
Although Lilith knew he didn’t mean any harm and was just teasing, the implication in his words was clear. Most people would have found it awkward to hear.
However, Lilith simply lifted her head, gave him a faint smile, and said, “It’s normal not to look like it. I’m just an ordinary person, nothing special.”
Her calm response seemed to catch Halford off guard. He froze for a second, then gave a small smile and said nothing more.
Within half a month, Liana and Halford became fast friends, chatting about anything and everything whenever and
wherever.
9:28 PI
Chapter 25 Are You From the Joneses?
+8 Pearls
Liana, with her bubbly and inexhaustible energy, could strike up a conversation with anyone, even a stranger on the street. Most of the class got along with her, and thanks to her, Lilith managed to become at least somewhat familiar with her
classmates.
When they chatted, Liana would often pull Lilith into the conversation. Lilith’s responses were brief, often just a word or two, and she mostly stayed quiet.
Truthfully, she didn’t want to have anything to do with the people from her past–Nigel included, along with his friends.
That said, Halford wasn’t around much, either. He often arrived late, left early, or disappeared for days at a time. The teachers turned a blind eye to his behavior, treating it as normal. Lilith suddenly recalled him telling Liana before that he had “school aversion syndrome.” It turned out to be true.
Nigel, on the other hand, was absent less often but typically missed at least three days at a time.
Liana often clicked her tongue in exasperation, marveling at how the two of them were truly a pair of born troublemakers.
However, the teachers were far more lenient with Nigel, likely because of his exceptional grades. He consistently scored astonishingly high in every subject, ranking among the top students of the year. His demeanor was polite and well- mannered, so even if he skipped class, he was easily categorized as a brilliant but unmotivated prodigy.
At the beginning of November, the weather gradually turned colder, and one could feel a cool, chilly air filling the atmosphere almost every morning.
The midterm exams covered only two subjects, and once again, Nigel missed all the remaining tests. Halford, on the other hand, skipped two days of exams and the subsequent days of test reviews.
The next event was the school sports day after the midterms. It was said that Halford had never participated in a domestic school sports event, so he specifically came to watch and signed up for a few events.
Though his academic results were undeniably hopeless, Halford wanted to maintain his image as a charming and dashing young man. He tried to look cool in front of the girls and impressive in front of the boys. As a result, he put considerable effort into training for various sports–skiing, rock climbing, shooting, long–distance running, and basketball. He could even talk knowledgeably about tea–tasting, drinking, and smoking, displaying a deep understanding of these subjects and their
nuances.
But Nigel was different. Most of the time, he was very quiet. He had always carried himself with a maturity beyond his years -exceptionally intelligent, quick–witted, and yet deeply introspective, as if his mind was shrouded in a mysterious fog that made it difficult to see through. He seemed to hide many secrets, yet it felt as if his mind were clear and transparent.
Perhaps due to his physical condition, Nigel’s favorite activity was reading. Sometimes, he would visit the church and sit on the long pews, not seeking anything–just sitting in peace.
His pupils were dark and bright, and he gazed at the solemn Virgin Mary statue before him with a cold expression. The Virgin Mary’s compassionate and kind eyes seemed to silently watch the young man, as if seeing through his entire life.
With his strong physique and boundless energy, Halford easily secured a place in the top three of every event he entered. Many girls offered him water and cheered for him. Halford smiled broadly, clearly proud of himself.
In the afternoon, there was a basketball match as part of a league with other schools.
The noise inside the gymnasium was deafening, and the sound of cameras clicking filled the air. The seats in the venue were already full, yet people continued to pour in, almost crowding the building to its breaking point.
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