pter 86

+38

She said, “No, Aiden, don’t say that. It’s not Professor Lawson’s fault. If anyone’s to me, it’s just my bad luck.

“The fact that Professor Lawson thinks so highly of me is the best thing that could have happened to me. I’m proud to still be part of the team.

“If apologizing to Josie is what it takes, I’ll do it. As long bas /bit puts everyone at ease, I’ll do whatever you need me to.”

Natalie’s maturity and willingness made Aiden bfeel /beven more relieved. Suddenly, apologizing to Josie didn’t seem so hard after all.

At least through all this, they were once again sure of Natalie’s grace and poiseb. /b

She lived up to her family background. Aiden felt that she was so impressive, not at all like Josieb, /bwho always seemed so petty and narrow–minded.

As soon as Aiden turned awayb, /ba sly, triumphant smile flickered bacross /bbNatalie’s /bbface/b.

She thought, “Men are bso /beasy to manipte. Honestly, I ought to thank Josie for handing me this opportunity.

‘If Josie hadn’t insisted on digging into the giarism mess, there’s no way I could’ve gained David’s trust so fast, or blended into the team this easily.

‘Nowb, /beveryone’s falling over themselves to feel sorry for me.

Just you wait, Josie. You’ve handed me such a generous gift this time. I’ll be sure to pay you back, with interest.

After leaving theb, Natalie pulled out a phone from her bag.

Josie had kept herself busy these past few days. She barely spent any time in her dorm.

She was either holed up in theb working on herpetition project or following Delh around the hospital for hands- on training.

By the time she saw the team’s public apology that Aiden had posted online, it was already eleven at night.

She had just stepped out of the hospital’s consultation room.

She yawned while staring at her phone, and almostughed so hard she cried.

She’d waited for this apology since before her time travel. It took so long to see them finally bow their proud heads.

But she didn’t need their apology.

When she saw that line about how she was wee back to the team anytime, that just made her feel totally grossed out.

Under that apology letter, people were already cing bets.

Someonemented: [I bet ten cents Josie will totally go back to Professor Lawson’s team!]

Another replied: [Ten cents? Come on, that’s obvious.

[She did all this just to get back into Professor Lawson’s team. After all, it’s the top team at our school.]

Someone else wrote: [Nah, you’ve got it wrong, bro. It’s not just our school. It’s the best research team in the whole country,

12:08 Tue, 26 AugPA.

with the hottest majors both here and abroad.

[She’s not dumb, of course she’ll go back.]

Pretty much everyment was saying she’d end up back with David’s team.

But there was onement that was totally wild and cocky.

20%

+38)

It read: [I bet she won’t go back. If I lose, I’ll give everyone whoments here 3 grand each. I’m putting my money where my mouth is!]

A person asked: [Big talk there, buddy. Three grand per person? Do you know the poption of our school? Can you even pay up if you lose?]

Another person wrote: [Yeah, don’t just run your mouth and then bail when it’s time ito /ipay.

[Anyone with eyes can see Josie’s not gonna turn down Professor Lawson’s olive branch. Come on, it’s Professor Lawson!]

The cockymenter wrote: [Come on, if you’ve got the guts, take my bet. If I lose, I’ll pay up 3 grand to each of you, and if I don’t. I’m a total loser and a coward.

[If you guys lose, you don’t owe me ba /bcent, just go out and do a good deed, that’s all.]

That was when Aiden chimed in. Even though he was using an anonymous ounti, /iJosie could tell it was him.

He wrote: [Since you’re so serious about thisb, /bI’ll take you up on that bet. If Josie chooses ito /igo back to Professor Lawson’s team, I’ll give 3 grand to everyone whomented here.

[To prove I’m serious, I’ll even show my ount bnce right now.]

The cockymenter replied: [Alright, here’s my bnceb./bb] /b

When the other students saw that those two were so rich, thement section exploded with people scrambling to cozy up

to them.

Everyone was tripping over themselves to tter them. Josie, who’d been feeling a bit down, couldn’t help but burst outughing at the spectacle.

Sean came out of the other room and saw Josie grinning like an idiot at her phone.

He couldn’t help but smile a little. “Why aren’t you heading to bed? What’s got youughing like that?”

AD