Chapter Twenty Six

Thursday;

Lea and I were sitting in Prof. Montgomery's class, the minutes dragging as we waited for her to arrive. Lea had her feet propped up on the desk, her chair tipped back, her fingers interlocked behind her head in a posture of utter boredom.

"Why is this week moving so slooow?" she groaned, her voice laced with frustration. "I swear this week has been twenty days already."

I couldn't help but nod in agreement. It really did feel like time was crawling, each day stretching out longer than it should. Before I could respond, Prof. Montgomery walked in. Lea immediately pulled her feet off the desk, her posture straightening as if she hadn't just been lazing around.

Prof. Montgomery's sharp gaze scanned the room before locking onto mine for a brief second. The intensity of her eyes made my stomach twist, and I quickly looked away as she placed her handbag on her table, her movements measured and deliberate.

I couldn't stop my mind from drifting back to what she had said to me on Tuesday, "You're playing with fire, Ms. Wilson. Careful not to get burned." Her words had echoed in my thoughts ever since, refusing to leave me alone.

What did she mean by that? There was something in her voice—something that seemed to carry both a warning and a challenge. I wanted to ask her, to get some kind of explanation, but I wasn't sure I could handle her response. Prof. Montgomery had a way of cutting people down with just a few words, and I wasn't in the mood for her sharp tongue. Not yet, anyway.

Prof. Montgomery clasped her hands together, her heels clicking against the floor as she stepped up to the podium. "Morning, everyone," she greeted, her voice cutting clearly through the idle chatter in the room. Her gaze swept over us, her expression unreadable. "I forgot to bring the quizzes, so there won't be any writing today—unless," she paused, her eyes landing on me, her brows slightly raised, "my assistant would like to go and grab them from my office?"

Her gaze seemed to pierce right through me, and I could feel the tension in the air thickening around me. Lea shifted closer, just an inch, her shoulder almost brushing mine. "Dude," she whispered under her breath, her voice barely audible, "do not go and get those quizzes."

I swallowed hard, feeling the weight of the entire room's attention on me. My pulse quickened, and I forced myself to meet Prof. Montgomery's gaze, despite the knot tightening in my chest. "Uh, I really don't want to do that," I said, my voice cracking just slightly as I gulped. I braced myself, expecting her eyes to narrow, her lips to form that familiar disapproving line.

To my surprise, she merely nodded her head, her expression softening for just an instant. "Okay," she said, clapping her hands together, her tone calm and almost... agreeable. "No quiz today."

My mouth dropped open slightly, and I quickly caught myself, trying not to look as stunned as I felt. What? Am I hearing this correctly? I glanced over at Lea, who seemed equally taken aback, her eyes wide as she looked between me and Prof. Montgomery.

She had actually agreed to me saying no. No biting sarcasm, no pointed remarks. Just... acceptance. The thought lingered, catching me off guard.

The whole class sat in stunned silence, glancing between one another with wide eyes, disbelief etched across their faces. Murmurs rippled through the room, low and confused, as if everyone was waiting for the catch.

Prof. Montgomery turned her back to us, her attention focused on her desk as she rummaged through her belongings. Lea leaned in closer, her voice a hurried whisper, "Did she just agree to no quiz?" Her eyebrows were furrowed, her expression caught between confusion and a wary sense of hope.

It didn't last long. The professor suddenly pulled a stack of papers from her handbag, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Oh look, here are the quizzes," she said, holding the papers up for us all to see, her eyes glinting with amusement. "Guess you all will be doing this today."

The groans were instant, and Lea let out a sigh, her head falling back in exaggerated disappointment. "I knew it was too good to be true," she muttered, shaking her head. I couldn't help but feel the same. Of course, she had the quizzes all along, tucked away, waiting for the right moment to pull them out. She did it on purpose. She wanted us to believe, just for a fleeting second, that we might escape.

As Prof. Montgomery walked up and down the aisles, handing out the papers, her eyes scanned each student, lingering on me for a moment longer than anyone else. I looked down at my desk, trying not to let her see my frustration. Wait a second, I thought, my mind racing. If I had said yes to getting them from her office, would she have stopped me before I left the room? Or would she have just let me walk out, sending me on a pointless errand knowing full well the quizzes were right there in her bag?

I clenched my jaw. No, she wouldn't have stopped me. She'd have let me leave, let me waste my time while she had them all along. It was her way of toying with us—with me.

When Prof. Montgomery reached my desk, she handed me the quiz with a small, knowing smirk. Her eyes locked with mine for a split second, that hint of smug satisfaction unmistakable before she moved on, her heels clicking against the floor. She looked proud of herself, of the little trick she had just pulled. It made my blood boil.

"What a rude woman," Lea muttered beside me, her voice low but edged with irritation. She flipped her paper over immediately, her eyes darting across the questions. Technically, we weren't allowed to turn the quiz over until Prof. Montgomery had returned to her desk, but Lea clearly didn't care about the rules—or at least not when it came to Prof. Montgomery.

As soon as the professor settled back at her desk, I turned my paper over, the rustle of shifting pages echoing through the silent room. I scanned the questions, my eyes moving quickly from one line to the next, and my heart sank. The material looked completely unfamiliar, the words blurring slightly as I realized I had no idea what the answers were.

I let out a barely audible sigh, my shoulders slumping slightly as I sank back in my seat. Crap. I had forgotten to study again.

Why do I keep doing this to myself? I thought, my frustration mounting as I stared at the questions on the quiz paper. From what I'd gathered, I graded the quizzes for the first and second-year students, while Prof. Montgomery graded the third-year quizzes, which meant she would be marking mine. The thought made me grimace.

With a sigh, I glanced at Lea. She had her head propped up on one elbow, her free hand moving lazily across the paper as she doodled instead of answering the questions. A small, amused smile tugged at my lips—clearly, she hadn't studied either.

Feeling my gaze, Lea turned her head, her eyes narrowing slightly as she took in my expression. "You didn't study?" she asked, her voice just above a whisper, her tone laced with curiosity.

I shook my head, and she let out a snort of laughter. "Me neither." She lifted her hand, holding it up in the air between us. "Up top!" she grinned, waiting for a high five.

I hesitated, glancing around the room. Some of the other students had already turned toward us, confused by the sudden outburst. Lea, however, didn't seem to notice—or more likely, she didn't care. She wiggled her fingers, her grin widening. "C'mon! Don't leave me hanging!"

Prof. Montgomery cleared her throat sharply, her voice cutting through the room like a blade. "What is your name?" she demanded, her impatience evident as her gaze zeroed in on Lea.

Lea blinked, taken slightly off guard, then slowly lowered her hand, realizing the high five wasn't going to happen. "Lea Grayson," she replied, her voice carrying an undertone of nonchalance, as if she wasn't entirely bothered by the situation.

The professor's eyes narrowed, her lips pressing into a thin line. "Well, Ms. Grayson," she seethed, her tone dripping with irritation, "why don't you shut the hell up and let the other students focus?"

A few gasps echoed from the other students, but Lea barely reacted. She rolled her eyes dramatically, as if Prof. Montgomery's words were nothing more than a mild inconvenience, before lowering her head back to her quiz, her pencil resuming its lazy doodling across the page.

I watched the exchange with a hint of amusement, shaking my head slightly. Lea was completely unfazed, her attitude almost reckless in its disregard, and for some reason, I found it strangely refreshing. This girl really doesn't have a care in the world, I thought, the corners of my lips quirking up just slightly. And honestly, I'm living for it.

Prof. Montgomery rose from her desk, her movements deliberate as she began collecting the quizzes, her heels clicking across the tiled floor in the otherwise silent room. One by one, she took each paper from the students' desks, her eyes scanning each briefly before moving on.

When she reached me, she looked down at my quiz—completely blank, not a single question answered. Her eyes met mine, her brows furrowing in what could only be described as disappointment. The disapproval in her expression was unmistakable, and it hit me harder than I expected. With a slow shake of her head, she turned away, continuing down the row to collect the other papers.

I watched her, a pang of guilt settling in my chest. I had never been the kind of student to care much about what professors thought of me, but with her, it felt different. Maybe I needed to consider asking her for help—a long shot, but clearly, I needed it. And for some inexplicable reason, I didn't want to disappoint her any more than I already had.

Once she had gathered all the quizzes, Prof. Montgomery returned to her desk, stuffing the stack back into her handbag. She then stepped up to the podium, her presence commanding the room. She adjusted her reading glasses, her eyes sweeping over the class as she spoke. "I've emailed the details of the next assignment to you all," she announced, her voice steady and authoritative.

Another damn assignment? I thought, barely managing to stifle a groan. I could feel the exhaustion settling deeper, an unending cycle of deadlines and pressure I couldn't seem to escape. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Lea slumping forward, crossing her arms on the desk and resting her head, her expression a mix of frustration and resignation.

A student sitting in the front raised their hand, their voice breaking the silence. "Is it a group assignment?" they asked, almost as if dreading the answer. Prof. Montgomery's lips pressed into a thin line, her patience seemingly stretched thin. She let out a sigh before responding. "The details are in the email," she said, a touch of exasperation in her tone. "But yes, it's a group assignment."

Lea's head snapped up, her eyes immediately finding mine, a mischievous glint appearing despite her earlier fatigue. "We're going to crush this assignment," she declared, her voice a low whisper, an attempt at motivation that was more sarcastic than anything. "Possibly fail," she added with a grin, "but we're definitely going to try and crush it."

I gave a small nod, my gaze still fixed on Prof. Montgomery. I could feel the tension in my posture, the way I sat up straight, almost rigid. I wasn't about to risk looking away and catching her ire for not paying attention. There was something about her presence that demanded focus, like she could catch even the smallest lapse, and I wasn't eager to test her patience any further today.

Lea, on the other hand, was still looking at me, her grin widening at my nervous expression. I could almost feel her amusement radiating off her. She thrived on moments like this—ones where the stakes were high, and I was too cautious for my own good. "Don't look so scared," she whispered again, her voice barely audible. I bit back a response, keeping my eyes ahead, waiting for the professor's next instruction.

Prof. Montgomery stood at the podium, her hair tied up in a loose ponytail, a few strands escaping to frame her face. Her reading glasses perched on her nose, somehow managing to perfectly enhance her sharp cheekbones.

There was something about her presence that was almost captivating. The way she carried herself with an air of authority, combined with her attire—a tailored black suit and a crisp white button-up shirt with two buttons undone—gave her an effortless elegance. She looked good, that much was undeniable.

I finally tore my gaze away from her, turning to Lea, who was now watching me with curiosity. "Wanna come over tonight and start working on it?" I asked, breaking the tension in the air.

Lea's eyes lit up with enthusiasm, a grin spreading across her face. "Yes! But make sure you have snacks," she added, her tone playfully demanding.

Rolling my eyes, I couldn't help but smile. "I always have snacks in the pantry," I replied, my voice tinged with amusement. Lea nodded in satisfaction, clearly pleased with my answer, and settled back into her seat, already planning how we were going to tackle this assignment—or at the very least, enjoy the snacks.

After the lecture, Lea and I made our way to the fountain in the courtyard. The midday sun shimmered off the water, casting fleeting patterns on the ground. We were about to sit down when something clicked in my memory—a reminder of something I needed to do.

"I'll be right back," I said abruptly, spinning on my heel before Lea could even respond. Without another word, I made my way across campus, my steps purposeful and brisk, not caring about the curious look Lea shot my way.

Moments later, I stormed into Prof. Montgomery's office. The door swung open with a little more force than I intended, and there she was—sitting at her desk, engrossed in her phone. She looked up, glancing at me over her reading glasses, her face betraying nothing. "Ms. Wilson," she acknowledged, her voice cool, "How may I help you?"

"Professor," I began, my voice trembling slightly, more from nerves than anger, though I couldn't quite tell the difference myself. I watched her calmly return her gaze to her phone, her fingers tapping the screen as if I hadn't even spoken. My brows furrowed, irritation bubbling just beneath the surface. Is she serious? I'm standing here, talking to her, and she's still on her phone.

I marched up to her desk, my footsteps echoing through the quiet office, and without hesitation, slammed my hands down onto the polished wood surface. The sharp sound reverberated off the walls, but Professor Montgomery didn't even flinch. Instead, she let out a weary sigh, her eyes flicking up from her phone. With deliberate calmness, she placed it down and leaned back in her chair, her posture languid as she regarded me.

"You have my undivided attention, Ms. Wilson," she said, her voice dripping with indifference, one hand gesturing for me to continue.

Suddenly, my rehearsed words seemed to evaporate under the intensity of her gaze. I felt my confidence falter, my mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. "I—Well, uh..." I stammered, struggling to find the right words as she watched me with a small, patient smile, her head tilting slightly, as if amused by my struggle.

I shook my head, desperately trying to pull my thoughts back together. "How dare you try to make a fool out of me in front of the entire class?" I finally spat out, my voice louder than intended, the frustration evident.

She lifted a brow, her expression mockingly confused. "Whatever do you mean?" she asked, her voice light and feigning innocence, a hint of a smirk tugging at the corner of her lips.

I could feel the heat rise to my face, my jaw tightening as I struggled to contain my anger. My eye twitched in irritation, her nonchalant attitude fanning the flames. "You know exactly what I mean!" I snapped, throwing my hands in the air in exasperation. "You were going to send me on a wild goose chase, and you knew it!"

She let out an amused chuckle, her shoulders shaking slightly. "I was going to do that," she admitted, nodding her head with an infuriating grin. "It would've been hilarious."

Hilarious? She wanted to waste my time for her own amusement. "You're unbelievable," I muttered, shaking my head in disbelief.

"Yeah, yeah," she said dismissively, waving her hand. "Anyway, I have some work for you. Take a seat." She gestured to the chair in front of her desk.

I raised an eyebrow at her, scoffing inwardly. Haha, yeah, I'm not going to do that. I held her gaze for a second longer, then turned on my heel, fully intent on walking out of her office without another word.

"Ms. Wilson," she called out, her voice sharper now, just as my hand touched the door handle. "Get your ass back here and sit down."

I turned back around, meeting her stern gaze, defiance boiling inside me. "No," I said, shaking my head with conviction. "I will not be working here today."

Her eyes narrowed, the intensity of her gaze sharpening. With her hands pressing down on her desk, she rose from her chair, her posture rigid. "Ms. Wilson," she said, her voice a low warning, "I will not tell you again. Sit down."

"Or what?" The challenge slipped out before I could stop myself. A flicker of surprise danced across my thoughts—I had no idea where the nerve came from. I watched her eyes darken, something dangerous flashing across her face for just a brief moment.

Yeah, definitely not going to question her again. Without another word, I moved quickly back to her desk and sank into the chair, my earlier defiance evaporating.

She didn't acknowledge my sudden compliance, instead simply grabbing a stack of papers from beside her and dropping them in front of me with a dull thud. "Mark these," she instructed, her voice even, as if the tension between us had never existed.

While I marked the quizzes, I kept my head down, focusing on each answer with a rigid determination. I refused to glance up, not even for a second—if I looked at her, I feared I might completely lose my composure.

She's been toying with me and it's infuriating. My initial plan was simple, mark the quizzes, then leave without another word. But there was something I needed to ask her, something I had been turning over in my mind since that quiz we did.

Clearing my throat slightly, I gathered my courage. "Professor," I began, my voice faltering, "would it be possible for you to tutor me?"

She lifted her head slowly, her eyes meeting mine. A frown tugged at her brows as she studied me, her gaze piercing, as though assessing whether I was serious. She pursed her lips, considering, before giving a short, definitive, "No," and returning her attention to her own stack of quizzes.

My chest tightened at her blunt refusal, and I bit the inside of my cheek, trying to suppress my disappointment. Well, I should've expected that. With a deep breath, I forced my eyes back down to the papers in front of me, focusing on the task at hand.

The clock on the wall caught my attention—there were only twenty minutes left before my next lecture. I was almost done marking the quizzes, and the thought of escaping her presence made me work faster. I'd already asked my question, received my answer, and now there was nothing left to keep me here.

Once I'm done, I'm walking out. She might call after me, maybe even yell and demand I take on more work, but I wouldn't listen. What she didn't know was that I had a lecture to attend—and, whether she liked it or not, I'd be leaving anyway.

Once I finished grading the final quiz, I neatly stacked the papers, tapping them against the desk to align the edges, and placed the pen back into its holder. I rose from the chair, slinging my bag over my shoulder, and my movement caught her attention.

"Where are you going?" she asked, her eyebrow arching as her gaze locked onto me.

"I'm leaving," I replied, already making my way to the door, my steps confident.

"Ms. Wilson," she sighed, the frustration evident in her voice, "I have more work for you."

I paused at the threshold, glancing back briefly. "Unfortunately, I don't have any more energy to give you," I shrugged nonchalantly, and without waiting for her response, I walked out. Damn, that felt good!

The moment I returned to the fountain, I saw Lea lounging in the same spot, a cigarette pinched between her fingers. She looked up as I approached, her eyes lighting up, and she practically jumped up from her seat. "Val, where the hell have you been?" she demanded.

I plopped down beside her, letting out a tired sigh. "Unfortunately, Montgomery gave me some work to do," I said, rolling my eyes at the thought of the professor's insufferable demeanor.

Lea nodded knowingly, taking a long drag of her cigarette before exhaling the smoke away from me. "I hate that woman," she muttered, her annoyance evident.

"She's... interesting," I hummed thoughtfully, and Lea turned to me, her brows furrowed in disbelief.

"Interesting? There's nothing interesting about her," she said, shaking her head as if trying to understand me.

I actually think she's quite fascinating. There's something about the contradiction of her beauty and that harsh demeanor that makes me want to dig deeper. Why would someone as stunning as her have such a terrible attitude? It doesn't make sense, and that mystery gnaws at me. Her mother, after all, is one of the kindest people I've ever met—warm, patient, always ready with a smile. So why isn't she like that? What happened to turn her so cold?

I've tried to pry a little, asked her some personal questions—nothing invasive, just a way to break the ice—but she shuts me down every time, her walls impenetrable. Part of me doesn't want to try again, but another part of me, the more curious part, thinks I should. There's something hidden beneath that icy exterior, and it draws me in despite myself.

And then there's that cryptic thing she said to me on Tuesday—You're playing with fire. Careful not to get burned. I still can't figure out what she meant by it. Was it a warning? A challenge? It lingers in my thoughts, nagging at me. I could ask her directly, but knowing her, she'd probably just smirk and tell me to figure it out myself, or worse, ignore me altogether.

✿

Lea and I had been camped out in my room for hours, buried under the mountain of work Professor Montgomery had assigned us. The room was in disarray—my bed was strewn with open textbooks, scrawled notes, and empty wrappers from the snacks we'd devoured. Honestly, we'd eaten everything we had within reach. Well, Lea had eaten most of it, if I was being accurate.

She pushed herself up from the bed, stretching her arms above her head, her joints cracking from the hours of sitting still. She glanced down at her watch and grinned. "Alright, let's hit the supermarket and grab more snacks. My treat," she said, her voice tinged with enthusiasm.

More snacks? Just the thought made me feel even more weighed down, but I couldn't say no to her. I sighed and began to stand, my muscles stiff from the hours spent hunched over books. "Alright, but we can use the drive as a break," I conceded, grabbing my keys from the dresser. "Let's take my car."

Lea pumped her fist in the air as if it were a victory, her eyes bright with mischief. "Let's go!" She slipped on her shoes with an exaggerated motion, clearly impatient. I rolled my eyes at her antics, feeling a smile tug at my lips despite myself.

My aunt was working a night shift at the hospital, so I wouldn't be seeing her until tomorrow. She'd left us some cash to order pizza, but after stuffing ourselves with snacks, the thought of more food made my stomach churn.

The supermarket closed at eight, which meant we had half an hour left. The sun had already set, and the sky was painted a deep blue, illuminated by the pale glow of the moon. The streets were quieting down, people heading home as the day wound to an end.

When we arrived at the supermarket, I parked my car in the nearly empty parking lot, right next to where the shopping carts were neatly lined up. The store's lights glowed against the darkness, casting a soft halo over the entrance.

Lea hopped out of the car, her eyes immediately catching on the line of carts. Her gaze lingered, and I could see the wheels turning in her head. She turned to me, her face breaking into a wide, mischievous grin.

"I have an idea," she said, her voice filled with excitement.

I raised an eyebrow, already sensing that whatever she had in mind was going to involve some kind of trouble. "What kind of idea?" I asked warily, though the hint of a smile tugged at my lips.

Lea glanced between me and the carts, her grin growing wider, her eyes sparkling with mischief under the moonlight. "Trust me, it's going to be fun," she said, and I could already tell that my relaxing break was about to take a very different turn.

Lea grabbed one of the carts and pushed it towards me, her eyes twinkling with excitement as she wiggled her eyebrows, motioning for me to take hold of it.

I raised an eyebrow at her but took hold of the handlebar nonetheless, steadying the cart as she climbed in with a playful grin. "Alright!" She clapped her hands together, her enthusiasm contagious. "Push me!" She pointed dramatically in the direction of the store, her voice filled with excitement. "But make it fast!"

I couldn't help but chuckle at her antics. "Are you serious?" I asked, glancing at the slight incline of the parking lot. The ground sloped gently downward—not a hill exactly, but certainly enough to gain some speed. She just nodded, her grin growing wider.

Shrugging, I adjusted my grip, feeling the cool metal of the cart beneath my palms, and began pushing. Slowly at first, then faster, the wheels rattling over the concrete as I picked up speed. Lea laughed, her hair catching the wind, her hands gripping the edge of the cart.

"Okay, now let go!" she called over her shoulder, her voice rising with excitement. "I wanna go fast!"

I hesitated for a moment, watching the incline ahead, knowing this was probably going to end badly. But then, with a smile, I let go of the cart and watched as it sped down the lot, picking up momentum.

"Woooooo!" Lea yelled, her hands thrown high in the air, her laughter echoing in the empty parking lot. For a few seconds, it looked like she was having the time of her life—until her expression changed. Her eyes went wide, panic replacing her smile. "Oh shit!" she screamed, just as the cart barreled into the curb, sending her flying through the air.

Time seemed to slow for a moment, Lea's body suspended before gravity pulled her down. She landed with a thud on the grass beyond the curb, rolling to a stop as the cart tipped and clattered loudly behind her.

I rushed over, my heart pounding in my chest, but as soon as I saw her sitting up, laughing breathlessly, I let out the breath I'd been holding.

"Are you okay?" I asked, trying to sound stern but failing miserably as laughter bubbled up inside me.

She looked up at me, her face flushed, grass in her hair, and let out a groan before breaking into a grin. "That... was awesome," she said, her voice breathless but filled with exhilaration.

I shook my head, offering her a hand to help her up. "You're insane," I said, unable to stop smiling.

"And you love it," she shot back, taking my hand as I pulled her to her feet. And honestly, she wasn't wrong.

We walked into the supermarket, the cart's wheels squeaking faintly as we moved down the aisles. Lea wasted no time, making a beeline for the snack aisle. She grabbed bags of chips, candy bars, and anything else that caught her eye, tossing them carelessly into the cart with a grin. The aisle was brightly lit, the colorful packaging of the snacks almost overwhelming against the backdrop of white shelves. I followed her lead, picking up a few bags of popcorn and some chocolate, trying to focus on the task at hand.

As Lea grabbed a bag of pretzels and dropped it in, she glanced at me. "What's the deal with you and Montgomery?" she asked casually, her voice lowered as if she was sharing a secret. She kept her eyes on the shelves, but I could sense the curiosity behind her words.

I furrowed my brows, pausing for a moment. "What do you mean?" I asked, my confusion evident as I turned to grab a box of cookies. The fluorescent lights buzzed above us, casting sharp shadows on the linoleum floor. Lea shrugged, moving further down the aisle, her fingers brushing over a row of brightly colored candy wrappers.

"I don't know," she said, her tone nonchalant as she picked up another bag of snacks and tossed it into the cart. "I just noticed you looking at her a lot lately." She glanced back at me, her expression unreadable.

A scoff escaped my lips as I shook my head. "That's not true, I barely look at her." I pushed the cart forward, hoping to move the conversation along. Lea must definitely be imagining things, because there was no way I looked at Prof. Montgomery that much.

Lea hummed, a knowing sound that made me roll my eyes. She grabbed a pack of gummy bears before continuing. "I'm not judging you, Val. I'm just curious if there's something going on between you two," she said, her voice teasing but with a hint of genuine curiosity. "Because I noticed her glancing your way multiple times today."

I paused for a moment, feeling a slight heat rise to my cheeks. I picked up a jar of peanut butter and placed it in the cart, trying to seem unaffected. "You're imagining things," I muttered, but my voice lacked conviction. Lea's words echoed in my head. Did Prof. Montgomery actually look at me that often? I tried to dismiss the thought, but it lingered, nagging at the back of my mind.

Lea just smiled, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Sure, whatever you say," she said, her voice light, but I could see the smirk tugging at her lips. She pushed the cart forward, leading us toward the checkout.

As I followed, I found myself lost in thought. Montgomery glancing at me? Why would she? I shook my head, trying to push away the curiosity. It was probably nothing. Just my imagination—or maybe Lea's—but even as I tried to convince myself, I couldn't quite shake the feeling.