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Inside the ssroom, Nn had somehow appeared without anyone noticing. He slung his backpack over one shoulder, his eyes cold as theynded bon /bZayden.

Students passing by in the hallway paused, heads turning, trying to see what all themotion was about.

“bBack /boff?” Zayden barkedb, /bstill looking ready to throw a punch–just as the noise finally drew a teacher’s attention.

“Zayden! What do you think you’re doing? Get back to ss!” The teacher snapped, face dark with disbelief.

Nn getting involved was one thing. But Zayden? The school’s golden boyb, /bpicking a fight at school?

“Zayden,e on–let’s go,” Naomi rushed in, grabbing his arm and tugging at him.

But Zayden wouldn’t budge. His eyes stayed locked on Eliza and bNn/b.

After the crowd cleared out, Eliza leaned against the wall, coughing hard.

Nn walked over and gently patted her back, then turned her bchin /bbto /bthe side with a light touch.

A dark bruise was already forming around her neck.

“I’m fine…” Eliza pushed him away, putting some distance between them.

“I heard everything. bNn /bsaid calmly.

Eliza froze, a bad feeling creeping in. Heard… what exactly?”

He gave

her a look. “What do you think?”

T–She broke into another cough, waving her hand awkwardly. “T–it’s not what you think… I didn’t mean it like that…”

“I’m all ears,” Nn said as he grabbed a chair and dropped into it, calm as ever.

Looking at his calm, unreadable expression made it even harder to speak. “I just said it without thinking. No one was supposed to take it seriously.”

could use me as your bcover/b?”

“Who said you co

It won’t happen againb./b” Eliza instinctively reached for her neck. Zayden hadn’t held back–his grip had been brutal. Even talking still hurt. She looked at Nn and hesitated. “Why did youe back?”

bNn /bhad been the first to leave after school. Now, twenty minutester, he’d shown up again.

He bwas /bone of the students who didn’t live on campus–she was sure of it.

“I forgot my workbook. Nn pulled a practice book from his desk.

Elza blinked. Nn actually does homework?

–

bJust /bthen, Henry burst into the room, out of bbreath/b. “Dude! What bwas /bthat? You just bolted–what happened?”

Nn calmly shoved the workbook into his bag and stood. “bCame /bback for my homework.

Henry blinked. “Homework?” bNn/b? Doing homework? That workbook’s probably never even been opened

Eliza watched from the window as Nn and Henry left the building together.

Henry trailed behind him as they headed toward the school gates.

It looks like Henry’s probably the only one in ss Nn’s close with, Eliza thought, remembering how the two of them had ended

Chapter 24 Unexpected Returns

up in herst life.

Just then. Nn suddenly stopped and nced up–right at her window.

Their eyes met.

Eliza’s heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively ducked behind the window frame.

Great. He probably thinks I was spying on him.

Down below, Nn’s lips curled slightly.

Henry stared at him. “Wait… did you just smile?”

Nn never smiled. Not like that.

“I didn’t”

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You totally did! What is going on with you today? You ran off in the middle of our game, then came back for a workbook! You haven’t done homework since. bever/b?”

Henry looked genuinely thrown, like he couldn’t keep up with whatever was going on in Nn’s head. Homework? No one in their ss actually did that.

Nn tossed a basketball into Henry’s arms. “Shut up and stop talking so much.”

That night, Eliza walked alone into the dorm.

Westbrook High was one bof /bthe top schools in the city, and the dorm facilities weren’t bad.

But most students didn’t stay there.

The wealthy kids bhad /bcars and drivers–there was no reason for them to live on campus..

And for everyone else? The dorm fees were too high. Most students just went home.

Eliza ended up assigned to an empty room.

It was bspacious/b. Quiet. Compared to the cramped attic she lived bin /bat home, it felt like heaven.

She finished organizing her desk when a bshlight /bbeam flickered across the window. She squinted and walked to the window. Standing below bwas /bZayden.

He must’ve seen her, because her phone buzzed a momentter.

It was him.

“You need something?” the banswered /btly.

Zayden was the perfect student type–bhe /bshould’ve been long gone by now.

But now? It was already 9 p.m.–and he was still here, outside her dorm

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