Chapter 64: You Are Smitten With Him
Because of the birthday banquet and her stay in the hospital, Sharon missed another week of classes. Again. The first mock tests were now less than half a month away.
As soon as Sharon returned, she could feel that the atmosphere in the class was much tenser.
The weirdest part was that no one commented on her missing out on an entire week's worth of classes.
...
In the past, she would have been swarmed with people saying things like how she could choose not to attend classes because she had the backing of someone rich like Leonard.
Sharon soon found her seat and sat down.
She studied the students around her who were busy studying and knew that she had no time to accustom herself to the pressure.
With a deep sigh, she pulled out all the exercise papers she had missed from under her desk and laid them out on the table.
Her head started spinning at the sight of the tall pile in front of her.
She quickly sorted through all the papers she had.
There were five English papers, eight mathematics papers, and another eight French papers, bringing the number to over twenty. Oh, Lord!
Sharon stiffened, feeling overwhelmed.
"The lecturers have already explained all these before, so you can just ignore them." Melanie rubbed her nose sheepishly and suggested when she saw Sharon's troubled look. Sharon rolled her eyes.
"But let's be honest. With your results, you don't have to be so worried. I think you'll be fine even if you take the exams now," Melanie said.
"Well, thank you for thinking so highly of me." Sharon chuckled.
"I'm serious," Melanie said with a straight face.
Sharon merely smiled. She took out a French exercise paper and started working on it.
Melanie pursed her lips but did not disturb Sharon when she saw her nose-deep in her papers.
Melanie sighed deeply to herself.
Did you know what the scariest thing in the world was?
It was the people who worked harder than everyone else despite being smarter than most of them!
It was clear that Sharon could rely on her looks to get what she wanted. Instead, she chose to work hard. Melanie groaned to herself silently.
Discreetly, Melanie pulled out a physics textbook and started doing her revisions.
"There's a genius beside me. If I don't work harder, I'm going to appear like an idiot," she thought.
After their classes in the afternoon, Melanie planned to hitch a ride from Sharon since she didn't have to work today.
However, when she finished packing up, she saw that Sharon was still busy with her practice papers.
Melanie did not want to disturb her, so she sat in her seat and waited dumbly.
After almost thirty minutes, Sharon still had no intentions of packing up.
Melanie's smile was dry as she pulled out some mathematics exercise papers.
Another hour soon passed.
Sharon finally lifted her head and capped her pen. She turned her head and saw that Melanie was engrossed in her papers, so she quietly packed her stuff. "Can we leave now?" Melanie looked up at Sharon.
"It's fine to take your time. I'll wait," Sharon responded.
"Nevermind. I'm hungry, so let's hurry home." Melanie stuffed her papers into her bag and dragged Sharon out of the classroom.
When they passed by a snack bar, Melanie bought two hot dogs.
They chatted as they ate, making their way to the school gates.
"Sharon, have you decided on which university to enrol at?" Melanie asked.
"I guess it depends on my results. Although, I don't mind studying abroad," Sharon answered after thinking, her head hung low.
"Studying abroad? I thought you were adamant about staying here?" Melanie frowned at her.
Sharon bit into her hot dog and shrugged. "I changed my mind."
Melanie studied her for a while before smiling. "I think it's a good idea."
"This tastes quite good." Sharon raised her hot dog.
"You're right..." Melanie accepted Sharon's awkward attempt to change the topic.
Sharon looked at Melanie's helpless expression and broke into a grin.
"Sharon."
Just as they walked out, Melanie grabbed ahold of Sharon's hand.
Sharon was surprised. "What's wrong?"
"Look." Melanie pointed with her chin.
Sharon raised an eyebrow and followed Melanie's line of sight.
It was Simon. He was with the lady they met at the mall previously, Alexandrina, his cousin. Another lady, elegantly dressed, was standing in front of a red Maserati while chatting with them. The atmosphere around them looked comfortable.
"Sharon, don't you think that something smells fishy?" Melanie asked in a low voice.
"About what?" Sharon turned and looked at Melanie.
"Alexandrina," Melanie replied.
Sharon looked at her questioningly, confused.
"Tsk. I didn't want to say this aloud, but aren't you too slow when it comes to these things? Don't you realise that Alexandrina treats Simon differently?" Melanie stared at Sharon, irked. Sharon was still confused. "Alexandrina treats Simon differently?"
Melanie sighed. "Look at how lovingly she looks at Simon. That's not the eyes of an older sister. It's plain as day that she has feelings for him." Sharon was so done. She glanced at Melanie out of the corner of her eye. "I don't think I'm the problem. Your imagination is just too wild." "Oh, just admit it." Melanie had faith in her gut, and her gut feeling was telling her that Alexandrina did not treat Simon as a mere cousin. "That's enough. It doesn't matter who's right. It has nothing to do with us. Let's go." Sharon tugged Melanie along towards Nick.
"Sharon."
Sharon felt a slight headache arriving when she heard Simon's voice.
She wanted to pretend that she heard nothing and continue walking, but Melanie had to nudge her. "He's calling you." Sharon's jaw clenched, and she had no choice but to stop in her tracks.
With pursed lips, she turned to look in Simon's direction.
Simon was waving at her. After speaking with the two ladies for a moment, he turned around and sprinted towards her.
"Ooh. Look at that hot body." Melanie clicked her tongue and drawled.
Sharon pressed her lips together and poked Melanie in the stomach with an elbow. Through gritted teeth, she asked, "Could you be any
"Well, I'm only horny when I'm in love." Melanie shrugged with a smirk.
"You best remember what you just said because when he comes over, I'll tell him how smitten you are with him."
"Sure. Go ahead. I'll be sure to tell him how eager you are to have children with him."
"Bitch!" Sharon exclaimed silently.
Melanie gave an evil chuckle.
"I won't say I know you anymore!" Sharon's narrowed into slits on Melanie.
Melanie spread her hands out with a shrug but zipped her lips when she saw Simon approaching them.
"Sharon, why are you still here? Did you have replacement classes?" Simon asked, staring at Sharon with bright eyes.
Sharon was reminded of Puvis telling her to bring Simon over on Saturday, and her face stiffened. "I was doing some revision. What about you?"
"My classmates and I were playing basketball after school," Simon replied with a silly grin.
"I see." Sharon nodded, not knowing what else to say.
Simon was always reserved when he was in front of Sharon. He scratched the back of his head and asked, "Are you leaving now?"
"Yes," Sharon answered.
"Oh..." Simon's eyes dimmed as he gazed at Sharon.
After an awkward pause, Sharon rubbed her hands uncomfortably and started, "I—"
...
"By the way."
"Yes?"
"You haven't been to school for a week. Were you unwell again?" Simon asked worriedly.
Sharon froze up slightly.
She couldn't find the words to explain her absence, so she just went with his assumptions. "Yes. I was a little sick."
"Have you recovered now?" Simon looked at her nervously, his eyes bright with concern.
"Yes. I appreciate your concern." Sharon nodded.
Simon heaved a sigh of relief. "That's great."
"Well, then. We'll, erm, get going-"
"Simon."
A gentle voice interrupted Sharon before she could finish her words.
Sharon paused and turned around.
Alexandrina was walking over with her arms locked in a woman's. The lady wore a plain bodycon dress and a camel maxi coat.
Sharon froze up when her eyes fell on the woman's face.
She looked...
"Aunt Ruby."
Simon called out to the woman when she and Alexandrina approached.
"Aunt Ruby?"
Melanie whispered in Sharon's ear, surprised.
It was mainly because the woman looked as if she were barely any older than Alexandrina. She looked so young that people might believe her if she said that she was only in her twenties.
However, Simon called her Aunt Ruby...
Then... Did that mean that Alexandrina was her daughter?
The lady came over and studied Sharon and Melanie with kind eyes. "Simon, are they your classmates?"
"They are my friends," Simon explained with a smile, his eyes lingering on Sharon.
The woman smiled and looked at Simon meaningfully. "Is one of them the one Alexandrina told me about?"
Simon blushed. "W-Why does she tell you everything?"
The lady chuckled and shook her head. "My, just look at how shy you're being."
"Mum, this is Sharon Andre." Alexandrina introduced her.
Alexandrina had been staring at Sharon the entire time.
Ruby Wilson broke out into a small smile. "Nice to meet you, Miss Andre."
Sharon was staring at her, transfixed. After a moment, she blinked and broke out of her reverie.
She took a breath and responded.
"It's
a pleasure to meet you, too."
en.swhovels.net
Ruby tilted her head and smiled at Simon. "I'm guessing it's her?"
"Aunt Ruby." Simon had turned beetroot red as he stared at Sharon with bright eyes.
But Sharon paid him no mind. Her eyes were still fixed on Ruby instead.
She couldn't shake off the feeling that she had seen her before.
Noticing Sharon's eyes on her, Ruby returned the gaze, her smile never faltering.
"Miss Andre, have we met?" Ruby asked, puzzled.
For some inexplicable reason, Sharon's heart skipped a beat. ☐☐☐☐☐☐