BuzzNovelJoyce's cheeks flushed an even deeper red. It was the first tanyone had ever truly praised her.
At first, she had felt a little uneasy-Alessia was from a wealthy family, after all, and Joyce couldn't help but
wonder if her kindness was just pity. But deep down, she Knew Alessia wasn’t that kind of person.
Still, their backgrounds were worlds apart. Joyce was only human; she'd seen the worst sides of people, and
sometimes, dark little thoughts crept in.
“If... if you don’t mind, my family grows a lot of fruit back home. I could bring you snext time.”
“That sounds wonderful.” Alessia always looked people straight in the eye when she spoke. Joyce used to shy
away from her gaze, but now, as she met those clear, beautiful eyes, she found herself briefly hypnotized.
too! | want some!” Eand Mia chimed in, crowding around with excitement.
“Okay, | actually brought a little this time. I'll... I'll share swith you all later.” Honestly, her dad had told her
to bring the fruit to share with her roommates, but she'd been too shy, afraid they wouldn't like it.
But just as Alessia had said, everyone's circumstances are different. It felt so much better to admit things openly
and honestly than to force herself to fit in.
The two weeks of orientation training flew by. After surviving what felt like boot camp for the hopelessly unfit,
only Alessia and Joyce seemed to have any energy left; Mia and Elooked like they were one step from the
grave.
“Mia, Esme, tto get up! | already got breakfast for you,” Joyce called out cheerfully.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt“Thanks, Joyce,” the two girls mumbled, still half-asleep.
“Still not up?” Alessia entered just as Joyce finished speaking.
Mia finally rolled out of bed, eyes half-shut, stumbling toward the sink. Esme, meanwhile, flopped back onto the
mattress, groaning tically.
“Seriously, what kind of school starts classes the day after orientation ends? Would it kill them to give us one
day off?”
“Oh, stop whining-just accept your fate,” Joyce teased. She'd really cout of her shell since becoming friends
with the others. Sometimes she even joked around,
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09:38
Chapter 296
though her voice was still soft and gentle.
“You two are something else,” Mia said, toothbrush in hand, speech muffled. “One of you is the campus princess,
the other looks like she could blow away in the wind-how are you both totally fine? One’s up at dawn for a run,
the other for breakfast.”
“I grew up helping out on the farm,” Joyce replied with a shy smile. “Working under the summer sun is normal for
me. This training was just standing around outside; honestly, it wasn’t that hard.”
“I've had physical training since | was little. I'm used to it,” Alessia added.
Mia just shook her head in surrender. “Unbelievable.”
Luckily, even though they’d slept in, Ewas quick. The four of them left the dorm together in no time.
“Oh, your boyfriend's here again,” Mia said, nudging Alessia and waggling her brows.
“Wait fora sec,” Alessia said, heading off.
The other three linked arms, watching Alessia’s retreating figure.
“So jealous. Where do | have to pray to get a boyfriend like that?” Esighed.
“Love is for the foolish,” Mia declared
with mock wisdom. “I just want to
know which way hhavedo fade 1d be
reba. As Aesia in my next life.”
After two weeks together, her aloof
persona had faded, leaving only her
goofball side. The content is on
novelenglish.net! Read the latest
chapter there!
“You can't even be jealous—she’s way
out of our league, (| eel iS SWE'At
[
ths poi Ese said. The content is
on novelenglish.net! Read the latest
chapter there!
Joyce understood exactly what they meant. When someone was so far ahead, the urge to compete just
disappeared.
Alessia didn’t hear any of their chatter as she walked over to Cole.
Cole was tall and striking, and waiting
outside the girls” dorm, he naturally
drew a lot of He ubaSt
ost thére) hes b wed, holding a
bag in his hands—looking almost
ridiculously well-behaved as he
waited for the one person he wanted
to see. The content is on
novelenglish.net! Read the latest
chapter there!
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