Ivy was slightly taken by surprise. "I''m kind of busy tonight, but... Happy birthday!"


    The girl seemed to have expected Ivy''s answer and remainedposed, but another girl protested, "Ivy, you''ve never shown up for any of the ss activities, and you are turning Gloria down even when it''s her birthday? You are being arrogant!"


    "I''m sorry, but I really do have something to attend to tonight," Ivy said. "I would havee along if it was yesterday or tomorrow."


    "It''s fine." Gloria smiled. "I believe that you are actually busy."


    "I''m sorry!" Ivy said before leaving.


    Once Ivy was gone, the girl who protested said sarcastically, "Is she working part-time or something? Why else would she be in such a hurry?"


    "I don''t know," Gloria said. "She never talks about herself."


    "I guess it''s because she is ashamed! She was seen with some foreign guy in a cafe outside campus some time ago... I think she must live a rather ''colorful'' life. After all, she is the only one who doesn''t need to stay in the dorms. Lucky her. She probably does whatever she wants out there."


    Meredith overheard everything and walked over with her bag in hand.


    "Can you stop talking about others behind their backs? If you truly wanted her to join you for dinner, you could have asked her earlier?" Meredith said. "Ivy Foster isn''t the only student who doesn''t stay on campus, so why would you weaponize that against her? She lives in the area right outside campus. If you can afford that, I''m sure you can apply to stay outside as well."


    "She lives in the area outside? Are you sure?" the girl retorted. "Did she tell you herself? Are you two that close?"


    Meredith realized that she had said something she should not have and blushed. "We are all ssmates, and you shouldn''t have said such


    horrible things about a fellow


    ssmate."


    "I didn''t say it to her face! I can say whatever I want in private, and it''s none of your business!"


    Gloria grabbed the girl''s arm. "That''s enough. Stop it. Let''s go eat!"From N?velDrama.Org.


    "Gloria, this girl isn''t even in our ss. Is something wrong with her? She''s poking her nose in other people''s business! You must have too much time on your hands!"


    Meredith was furious.


    Just then, a girl from Meredith''s ss walked over. "Meredith, why would you stand up for Ivy? Are you close? She didn''t tell you goodbye before leaving, though." "The things they were saying were just too nasty. Ivy isn''t like that. I might not be that close with her, I know she''s not like that," Meredith said.


    "Even if you stand up for her, she won''t be your friend," the girl said. "I think that the people on the school forum are right. She seems to look down on us."


    "She isn''t looking down on anyone. She is just focused on her studies, and doesn''t have time to socialize These were the exact words that vy had told Meredith, and Meredith


    could empathize. "Not everyone enjoys socializing."


    "I guess! She''s an odd one, though. I''ve never seen anyone who doesn''t need friends."


    "She''s not odd. She just knows what


    she wants and is willing to work hard for it. Shees from a pretty


    wealthy family, and she doesn''t even need to work part-time jobs." en.swhovels


    "Is that so? Did she tell you that?"