CHAPTER 291: CHAPTER 291: JUICE

Eleanor watched with growing frustration as Olivia didn’t budge from her seat. Her smile widened, but it didn’t reach her eyes.

"Olivia, why aren’t you moving? The fresh air will help you feel better, right?" Eleanor said, almost pleading now. She couldn’t believe Olivia was so stubborn. She just had to sit by the window.

But Olivia remained still, her eyes calm. She wasn’t going to give in.

Eleanor, desperate to get her way, quickly added,

"But you have motion sickness, right? If you don’t sit by the window, you might start feeling sick, and who knows, you could even throw up on someone. Imagine that, all over your friends. It’s better if you just sit by the window."

The group around Olivia immediately started murmuring. Some of them glanced nervously at Olivia, their expressions full of concern.

"Are you okay, Olivia? If you feel sick, you should take a cab instead. We can ask the admin to arrange it for you," one girl suggested.

Another added, "Yeah, we can even book the cab for you."

Olivia waved her hand dismissively, her calm smile never wavering.

"I’ve long since gotten over motion sickness. I won’t feel uncomfortable. Thanks for the concern, though."

Some of the girls nodded but still looked worried. One of them, sitting near the window, chimed in,

"If you feel like throwing up, just let me know, and I’ll give up my seat for you."

"Thanks," Olivia said with a smile. "I’ll definitely treat you all to a meal for being so kind."

As soon as Olivia said that, the group broke into excited chatter. "Oh, me too! I want a meal!" one girl said. "Make sure you remember me!" another called out.

Eleanor stood frozen, her mouth slightly open.

The whole situation had completely flipped. Instead of sympathizing with her about the supposed "motion sickness," everyone was worried about Olivia’s comfort.

No one even cared if Olivia might accidentally make their clothes dirty if she actually did feel sick.

Before Eleanor could respond, a few of the girls turned to her and said,

"Maybe you should move away. If Olivia’s feeling sick, she shouldn’t have to move around too much."

Eleanor’s face flushed with anger. She hadn’t expected things to go this way at all. She was trying to help Olivia, but now everyone was turning on her.

’Why is everyone so obsessed with Olivia?’ Eleanor thought, clenching her fists. ’She’s like some kind of goddess here, and I’m just... well, me.’

Her anger was bubbling up, but she forced herself to stay calm.

With a tight smile, she said,

"I just wanted to save Olivia the trouble of moving if she’s going to feel sick. But if you don’t want me to help, then fine. I’ll back off."

Without waiting for a response, Eleanor turned and walked to an empty seat, her posture stiff. The girls around Olivia started whispering to each other.

"She’s got that ’white lotus’ vibe," one girl said, giggling.

"Totally," another agreed. "She always acts so innocent, but you can tell it’s all just for show."

Eleanor didn’t hear them. She sat down in her seat, looking out the window, but inside, her frustration was building.’Why can’t things just go the way I want?’

Meanwhile, Olivia was still sitting in the back, quietly working on her sketchbook. She heard the whispers but didn’t care. A small smile tugged at her lips.

’They’re right. Eleanor’s acting like the world owes her something.’

As the bus started moving, the journey continued.

The atmosphere was light, and Olivia was left alone with her thoughts. But Eleanor couldn’t stop stealing glances in her direction, hoping something, anything, would happen to ruin Olivia’s calm.

She was still praying that the splash of water from a passing car would somehow happen.

Just as she was getting lost in her thoughts, there was a sudden jerk.

The bus shook, and a juice bottle fell from a girl’s hand. The juice splashed right onto Olivia’s hand, making her jump slightly in surprise.

"Oh no! I’m so sorry!" the girl exclaimed, scrambling to grab some tissues. "Let me help you wipe it off!"

But before she could do anything, Mateo was there. He rushed to Olivia’s side, holding out a handkerchief.

"Don’t worry, I’ll help you clean that up," he said gently, offering the cloth to Olivia.

Eleanor’s eyes lit up. ’Finally! This is the moment!’

She watched eagerly as Mateo carefully wiped Olivia’s hand, his movements slow and considerate.

’This is exactly what I wanted! Olivia’s finally going to fall for Mateo. He’s so gentle, so kind. She’ll see how much he cares.’ Eleanor couldn’t suppress her excitement.

Meanwhile, Mateo was focused on Olivia, but he couldn’t help but notice something.

The way she looked when she smiled at him. The way she handled the situation with such grace and calm.

’She really is something else,’ he thought, a little awestruck.

Eleanor, who was still seething with anger because of the previous comments, couldn’t hold it back anymore.

She turned toward the girl who had spilled the juice on Olivia’s hand and scolded her, her voice sharp.

"Can’t you see properly? You splashed so much juice on Olivia’s hand! Now she’s going to feel sticky the whole ride!"

The girl looked flustered and immediately started apologizing. "I didn’t mean to! I’m so sorry, Olivia! It was an accident."

Olivia, however, didn’t seem upset at all. She smiled gently at the girl and said calmly,

"It’s okay. There’s no need to apologize. It was an accident. Don’t worry about it."

She then helped the girl wipe off the juice from her own hand, showing no sign of irritation.

The girl looked up at Olivia, her eyes wide with admiration. ’She’s so graceful,’ the girl thought. ’How can someone be so kind and calm?’

The students around Olivia were equally impressed.

"Wow, Olivia’s like a gentle goddess," one of them whispered. Another girl nodded, "She’s so calm and understanding. I love her even more now."

Mateo, who had been watching the entire scene, was even more awestruck.

’She really is something else,’ he thought, feeling a little speechless.

Eleanor, on the other hand, was silently waiting, her heart racing with anticipation.

’Any minute now, Olivia will fall for Mateo. She has to.’

She stared at Olivia, waiting for her to look at Mateo with even a hint of affection.

After all, once Olivia fell for Mateo, Eleanor would be able to swoop in and snatch him away. She could already imagine the scene, Olivia crying, confessing that she loved Mateo, but by then, it would be too late. Mateo would be hers.

But Olivia just looked at Mateo’s face, gave a small nod, and said, "Thanks. I’m grateful."

That was it. No sparks, no fluttering heart. Just... gratitude.

Eleanor’s excitement died in an instant. Mateo frowned slightly, as if unsure of what to make of Olivia’s response. ’Does her standard really need to be this high?’ he wondered.

’She never even looked at me the way I thought she would. I guess I must not be enough.’

Meanwhile, Eleanor was starting to panic a little. ’Did Olivia not feel anything? Maybe she’s acting like she doesn’t care. She’s a great actor, after all.’

She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself.

’It’s fine. She’s probably just playing hard to get. Mateo will win her over eventually. I just have to wait for the right moment.’

The rest of the bus ride was uneventful.

When the bus finally arrived at the destination, the group quickly got off, eager to explore the beautiful green fields and the nearby lake.

The fresh air and open space were a welcome change. Students scattered in different directions, some wandering by the water, others finding places to sit and sketch.

Olivia, with her sketchbook in hand, walked toward the lake. Eleanor’s eyes followed her, a gleam of excitement in her gaze. This was it.

’This was where everything would unfold, just like in the novel.’

She knew Olivia couldn’t swim, and she was sure something would happen by the lake.

The teacher arrived soon after and announced that they would be working on sketches for the next two hours.

Some students groaned, wishing they had more time to explore, but the teacher, sensing their frustration, added,

"Alright, alright. I’ll give you an extra 30 minutes to roam around before we start. But make sure to work on your sketches!"

Everyone cheered, excited about the extra time. Olivia, however, just nodded and took a seat by the lake, her sketchbook resting in her lap.

Mateo, not wanting to let go of the opportunity, walked over to her.

"How are you feeling now, Olivia?" he asked, trying to strike up a conversation.

Olivia looked up at him briefly and gave a calm smile. "I’m good," she said softly, her attention already back on her sketchbook.

But Mateo wasn’t giving up. "What do you like to do, Olivia? What’s your passion?" he asked, leaning a little closer.