Chapter 13 The Boba Shop
Hayes stared at the two photos at the top of the feed, face blank.
Whoever took them had a good camera. The photos were razor-sharp.
Sycamore leaves hung thick overhead. Luna had her head down, saying something. She looked a little flustered, a little shy. Her legs were long and straight. Beside her, the boy had one hand hooked around the white earbud cord, lids lowered, watching her with quiet intensity.
From the photos, they made a good-looking pair.
So that cupcake was for Jax?
An indescribable feeling flooded Hayes's chest. The calm he'd worn moments ago shattered. He let out a cold laugh and tossed the phone at Grayson. "Stop showing me this garbage."
Grayson raised an eyebrow and pocketed the phone. "That big a reaction? You jealous?"
"No." Hayes scoffed. "Why would I be jealous over Luna? I'm just annoyed."
"Annoyed about what?" Grayson asked.
"Annoyed that she's pulling stunts to get my attention," Hayes said.
Grayson blinked. "You're sure she's doing all this to get your attention?"
"Why else?" Hayes looked at him. "You think Luna would go for Jax?"
"Not likely," Grayson said, shaking his head.
He'd actually started to think Luna might have moved on. But hearing Hayes say it out loud, he dropped the idea fast.
He and Luna didn't talk much, but they'd grown up together.
Luna had always been a princess. She wanted nothing but the best.
Jax was broke. No way a princess would look twice at him.
By the time they reached the classroom, the bell had just rung, and the room was buzzing.
Kingsley Prep had always seated students by class rank. Every time seats were reassigned, Luna would find a way to pair up with someone ranked high, then have them pick a spot near Hayes.
This time, Luna sat directly behind Hayes.
Hayes's stride faltered for a beat.
Luna had been turned in her seat, chatting with her desk-mate Sienna. At the sound of footsteps, she glanced up. And on seeing Hayes, looked away with complete indifference.
"."
Hayes was used to the way Luna looked at him every time. Eyes bright, dripping with adoration.
He frowned.
-
About twenty minutes later, Coach Stretch finally showed up.
Most of Kingsley Prep's homeroom teachers were young. You rarely saw anyone over forty.
Stretch was just a nickname. He stood six-foot-five, taught PE, and was so tall and lanky you couldn't miss him in a crowd.
He wore a track suit, surveyed the class from the front, and grinned. "Would you look at that. Everyone's here. No stragglers today."
"Your English teacher's stuck in traffic," Stretch said. "She'll be a bit late. Go ahead and review the textbook or do some practice problems on your own."
After Stretch left, the classroom murmured back to life.
Sienna was the English class rep. She never liked policing discipline, so she leaned in and chatted quietly with Luna.
"What did you write for the essay this time?"
Luna tossed her English test paper over.
Her phone buzzed silently.
She picked it up and checked.
BuffTheQueen: [I wasn't done talking earlier.]
Luna didn't have this person added. The message had come through a group chat.
She frowned, thinking.
SadSweetie: [Mila?]
BuffTheQueen: [Yeah~]
Luna added her as a friend.
Mila accepted right away.
BuffTheQueen: [Weren't you asking earlier if Hayes likes Rory?]
SadSweetie: [Yeah.]
BuffTheQueen: [I think he does.]
SadSweetie: [What makes you say that?]
BuffTheQueen: [Last time I went out to eat with a friend, we ended up at the table next to Hayes and Grayson. Rory was working there.]
Long story short. Rory got harassed by a customer, and Hayes swooped in like some knight in shining armor.
SadSweetie: [And that means he likes her?]
BuffTheQueen: [Obviously.]
BuffTheQueen: [A guy doesn't play knight in shining armor unless he wants something.]
Luna was skeptical but typed back: [Alright then.]
She thought back carefully to her past life. Rory and Hayes had only gotten together after the SATs. As for when the seeds were planted, she honestly hadn't noticed.
The whole morning was English and Spanish. Luna could barely tolerate it.
She'd been out of school for years in her past life. Sitting through a full morning almost broke her.
The dismissal bell rang at 11:30 on the dot.
Mila was the type who made friends instantly. She came over and linked arms with Luna. "Want to grab lunch at the cafeteria together?"
"Sure," Luna said. "Let's go."
Mila paused. "You're not eating with Sage anymore?"
"We had a falling out," Luna said, her tone flat.
She and Sage had grown up together. Best friends, or so she'd thought.
Too bad she'd read Sage wrong. After the Harringtons hit rock bottom, Sage turned on her without a second thought.
Her once-devoted best friend had coldly shoved her out: "I've been sick of you for ages. I've liked Hayes for years. Did you really never notice?"
Now, reborn, Luna thought carefully about the timeline.
She and Sage had just had a falling out last Friday over something.
In her past life, Luna had valued that friendship. After a week of the silent treatment, she'd caved and apologized first.
But now.
Luna couldn't be bothered to spare Sage a single glance. At least Sage had chosen the humanities track, so they weren't in the same class.
-
Kingsley Prep had five dining halls in total, serving everything from Asian to American cuisine.
Mila pulled a hair tie off her wrist, gathering her hair as she asked, "What are you in the mood for?"
For Luna at this point, she'd been away from Kingsley Prep for four years. About the only thing she remembered from the dining halls was the spicy noodle bowl at Dining Hall Four.
"The spicy noodle bowl."
"Which one?"
"The one at Dining Hall Four."
"Let's go then."
Dining Hall Four had three floors. The spicy noodle bowl place was on the second.
Stepping off the elevator on the second floor, Luna spotted a boba shop nearby.
Come to think of it, she hadn't had boba in ages. After going broke, one cup cost as much as a whole meal.
"Want boba? My treat."
"Sure," Mila said.
The boba shop was packed. They had to get in line.
At first, Luna figured the shop must be amazing to draw a crowd this big.
Then she spotted the student working the counter. Jax. And everything clicked.
He wore the shop's black uniform, a baseball cap pulled low over his eyes. His features were cool and remote, his frame tall and lean.
"What do you want?"
Mila lifted her chin. "What's with the attitude? Tell us what's popular here."
The shop manager glanced over. She recognized Luna and, assuming the heiress was here to cause trouble again, quickly waved Jax aside.
She smiled warmly. "He's new and still learning the ropes. How about I help you two instead?"