Chapter 24 So You Copied Someone Elses?
Half a minute later, Luna sat back up.
She opened her phone, scrolled through her contacts, and texted Mila.
SadSweetie: [Quick question.]
BuffTheQueen: [Shoot.]
SadSweetie: [How did you go insane this summer and switch from arts track to science track?]
Their school split classes by subject track. Class 1-A was the top forty-five who picked physics, chemistry, and biology. Plus Mila, who'd transferred in from another class.
BuffTheQueen: [Here's the thing. My science grades weren't great. But my arts grades weren't either. Felt like my brain just hadn't clicked yet.]
BuffTheQueen: [So I thought about it. Science at least means less writing. Hehe. So I switched.]
SadSweetie: [...]
SadSweetie: [Makes total sense.]
BuffTheQueen: [When you finish your homework, let me copy it.]
SadSweetie: [Okay.]
Luna looked at the problems. Back to despairing.
Couldn't understand it. Really couldn't. Not one bit.
Math. You're really embarrassing me.
She scrolled through her contacts. Passed the default profile picture again. Found the class rep.
SadSweetie: [Class rep, can you walk me through the math problems?]
SlackerFish: [Sure! I love explaining problems to people.]
Luna breathed a sigh of relief.
In her previous life, she'd barely spoken to the class rep. Her impression was of a thin, quiet boy. Very bookish. Polite.
Didn't expect him to be so helpful.
SadSweetie: [Thank you.]
SlackerFish: [No need to thank me. Explaining to you helps me too.]
SadSweetie: [Okay.]
The class rep sent a long string of voice messages.
Luna had a smile on her face. She tapped play. After one listen, her smile froze.
She didn't believe it. Listened a second time. A third.
The class rep's logic was: A leads to B, B leads to C, so the answer is D.
SlackerFish: [Luna, did you get it?]
SadSweetie: [Luna did not get it.]
SlackerFish: [Which part?]
SadSweetie: [Step one.]
SlackerFish: [...]
SadSweetie: [.....]
Luna's forehead hit the textbook. Thud.
Brain. Why won't you just click?
Since Luna didn't get it, the helpful class rep tried a different approach. Explained it all over again.
SlackerFish: [Luna, how about now? Did you get it this time?]
"..."
Luna's mouth twitched. If she said she didn't get it again, the class rep would question her IQ.
SadSweetie: [Got it. Thank you.]
SlackerFish: [Anytime.]
Luna sighed. Tossed the math test aside. Focused on physics.
Turns out physics was even more abstract.
Luna was so frustrated she started scratching her head.
She took a deep breath. Pulled out a bag of chips. Crunched on a few. Ready for round two.
Her phone buzzed twice.
She opened it. It was from X.
X: [Still want today's homework?]
Luna raised an eyebrow. Somewhat surprised.
SadSweetie: [Not anymore.]
X: [So you looked at someone else's?]
"..."
Luna stared at the message. For some reason, she felt a little bad for Jax.
SadSweetie: [I didn't look at anyone else's.]
SadSweetie: [I'm doing it myself. The accuracy is pretty tragic. But copying forever isn't a plan. Can't exactly copy off you during the exam.]
X: [I see. Good luck then.]
SadSweetie: [Yep.]
Luna finished the night's homework half-guessing, half-winging it. She took a photo and sent it to Mila.
Done with the problems. Exhausted. Luna went downstairs to scavenge for food.
The living room was dead silent. Not a soul.
She went into the kitchen. Helen was washing and cutting apples.
"Is Leo back?" She asked while washing her hands.
"Not yet." Helen paused, a little uneasy. "He should've been back by eight-thirty. It's almost nine. Where is he?"
Luna started worrying too. In her previous life, Leo had hurt someone badly over Chloe. Served two years in prison.
Though in her memory, it happened in a cold month. Not now.
But who's to say her rebirth hadn't triggered a butterfly effect.
Luna finished a slice of apple. Pulled out her phone to call Leo. The front door swung open.
She stepped out of the kitchen.
Leo walked in, hands in pockets, slouching with attitude. Blonde hair wind-tossed. Dark eyes with a hint of recklessness. Outer corners faintly pink. Lips darker than usual.
"Back?"
"Yeah." Leo nodded. He was about to head upstairs when Luna stepped up close to him.
He stopped. Looked down at Luna. "What?"
Luna craned her neck and sniffed him. "Have you been drinking?"
Leo: "...No."
"So you did."
Luna straightened up. Crossed her arms. Narrowed her eyes. She looked like a homeroom teacher catching a truant. "You said you had stuff to do at lunch. So you went drinking?"
"..."
She looked fierce. But to Leo, this counted as caring.
He ran his tongue over his teeth. "Ryder's family had some trouble. He was in a bad mood. I had a few drinks with him."
"Trouble? What kind?" Luna asked. "Need help?"
"His dad cheated. Brought his mistress home. She brought a kid two years younger than him."
Leo kept it brief. "What could you even do?"
"..." Luna asked, incredulous. "What does his dad do?"
"Works construction." Leo frowned. "Hard-earned money. Usually a decent guy."
Luna: "..."
Cheating and love children showing up was old news in old money families. Especially the Porters. Sage's dad was a notorious playboy. Back when Luna ran with Sage, she'd dealt with plenty of love children causing trouble.
But hooking up with a married construction worker? What's the angle?
True love?
"She's into him?"
"Maybe." Leo pinched the back of his neck. "Ryder said the woman used to sell boxed lunches by the construction site."
"Oh," Luna said. "If he needs help, say the word."
Leo's fingers paused. A few seconds later, he went back to normal. "Got it. I'm gonna go shower."
"Mm-hmm." Luna nodded.
Leo was back. Luna felt relieved. She took a few slices of apple and headed back to her room.
Homework done. No more stress. Luna opened the balcony door, stretched out on the lounge chair. Humming a tune. Munching on apple slices.
She found Hayes on WhatsApp. Sent a friendly message.
-
Meanwhile, the Sterling family dining room was buzzing.
Unlike Charles, who'd moved out with his wife and kids, the Sterlings all lived together. Aunts, uncles, the whole family.
Hayes glanced at the message.
Luna: [Good evening!!!]
Followed by a cute sticker of a kitten reaching out its paw.