Chapter 30


    Melvin arrived


    Spotting Preston sitting on the steps with a bruised face, his backpack on the ground, and a twig


    beside him, it wasn’t difficult to figure out what went down.


    He nced at Jocelyn before turning to Preston and asking, “Another fight?”


    “Someone was targeting Jocelyn. I couldn’t stand by and watch, so I intervened, Preston summed up


    the situation in


    one sentence


    Melvin didn’t bother looking at Jocelyn and asked Preston, “Can you walk?”


    As Preston stood up, Jocelyn quickly reached out to help him but Melvin swatted her hand away, not


    letting her touch Preston


    Jocelyn’s hand was stiff as if suddenly frozen with ice.


    “What’s that about, Uncle? Prestonined.


    “Your leg’s not broken, is it? You do really need help? Melvin shot back, his voice icy.


    Preston huffed. How do you know my leg’s not hurt?” He lifted his right foot, hopping on the left, and


    red at him.


    Melvin knew the kid’s game and pulled out his phone. “Maybe I should just call you an ambnce”


    You


    Preston snapped to his feet, ring at Melvin before he stormed off to the car.


    Jocelyn, feeling like a fifth wheel, still felt the need to apologize to the student’s guardian. “Preston was


    just being a good student. He got hurt trying to help me. I’ll cover the medical bills


    Melvin’s tone was anything but friendly, “Of course. Who else?”


    Jocelyn looked down, her feelings a bit fragile.


    Melvin’s attitude was getting under her skin. But she tried to put herself in his shoes; any parent would


    be ticked off if their kid got hurt because of a teacher.


    But Melvin was being too blunt,cking any hint of subtlety.


    She knew why she was upset. Because Melvin had turned frosty way too fast.


    “You should take Preston for the check-up and then send me the bill. I’ll transfer the cash to you,”


    Jocelyn pulled herself together She shouldn’t be over-sensitive; any attitude from him was fair game


    now.


    Melvin’s eyes narrowed slightly. “You’re his teacher, and he got hurt because of you. So, don’t you think


    you shoulde along?”


    Jocelyn bit her lip.


    Yes, she should


    Watching Preston in the backseat, she climbed into the car and sat next to Preston.


    On the way to the hospital, Willow called Melvin to check where he was, and he mentioned they were


    heading to the hospital.


    Once they arrived, Willow showed up wearing a ck mask, worried sick about Preston.


    Tumed out, Preston only had a few scrapes, nothing serious.


    “We should probably start driving Preston to school, Willow’s pretty eyes were full of concern. “Finals


    areing up, and I’m not swamped with work. I can take him to school until the holidays.


    Preston lifted his eyes, staring at Willow. “Who are you?”


    Willow was speechless.


    Nobody expected Preston to diss Willow like that. Those three words were a verbal siap.


    “Preston, L. Willow stammered, settling on “I’m your uncle’s friend.”


    “Then you’ve got no business driving me Preston was tantly dismissive, which was a real p in the


    face to Willow.


    Willow’splexion soured, and she could only muster a show of strength by lowering her head,


    looking visibly


    distressed.


    Jocelyn felt like an outsider in this drama. She came to pay the bill, but Melvin ended up using


    Preston’s insurance card


    instead


    “Preston, get some rest at home, Jocelyn had to break into the conversation, “If you’re still feeling off,


    just let me know


    and take a sick day, okay?”


    “Mhm


    “I’m gonna head out Jocelyn nodded politely at Melvin and Willow before heading for the door.


    While she was waiting for her ride outside, Melvin and Preston came out


    Willow was trailing behind Melvin, looking every bit like parents picking up their kid.


    Jocelyn didnt stick around to watch, but then she heard Melvin call her name


    Jocelyn


    His voice was devoid of emotion


    Taking a deep breath, Jocelyn turned to face him, asking politely, “Is there anything wrong?”


    Melvin approached with his usual aloofness and handed her the hospital receipt. “Mind transferring the


    medical fees to


    me?


    Jocelyn paused, and then took the bill. “I’ll do it right now.”


    “No rush. Just tally it up when you’re home.”


    Jocelyn figured she didn’t need to do that; she could probably tell with just a nce.


    But Melvin didn’t wait, already in the car


    Before getting in, Willow cast a deep, mocking nce at Jocelyn, a hint of a smirk on her face, and


    then closed the car


    door


    Back home, Jocelyn checked the bill and thought about transferring the money to Melvin.


    Opening contacts in her phone reminded her that she’d deleted him; now she had to add him back to


    tell him about the


    transfer of medical fees.


    She typed his card number


    Staring at the nk screen, she hesitated before finally making the transfer.


    The notification popped up, the money was received.


    No extra words, no emojis. Just a cold transaction


    Jocelyn was at a loss for words, so she put her phone down and went to take a shower.


    Before bed, she checked her phone again – no messages.


    She used to fall asleep by ten, but tonight, tossing and turning; it was eleven, and sleep was a no-


    show.


    Forcing herself to sleep, it wasn’t until after midnight that she finally drifted off


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    The next day, as soon as Jocelyn arrived at school, Melvin’s call came through. That familiar number


    made her heart skip a beat


    Clearing her throat, the answered withposed detachment, “Hello, who’s this?”


    On the other end of the phone, there was a brief silence, and Jocelyn’s heart was pounding while she


    waited


    She had a hunch that Melvin could remember her number without even saving it. After all, over the


    three years they’ve been together, even if he couldn’t recite it backwards, he should at least recognize


    who it was at a nce when he saw this string of digits.


    So, Melvin surely could see through her deliberate act.


    “Preston is taking a couple of days off, the voice on the other end grew even colder


    Jocelyn was momentarily stunned and a bit anxious, dropping her act in an instant, “Is he still feeling


    sick? Should we get him checked out at the hospital again”


    Last night was pitch-ck, and those thugs weren’t to be messed with; who knows, they might have


    really hurt him.


    “It won’t be necessary. He just needs to rest at home. Melvin added, “Finals areing up, and I’ve


    heard you guys have been cramming. As his teacher, shouldn’t you spend some time helping him


    review?”


    Jocelyn opened her mouth, thinking about the bet Preston made with her yesterday. She was indeed


    worried about his grades


    But how was she supposed to help Preston review?


    “I… I will make sure to put together a set of key points for him


    Before Jocelyn could finish her sentence, she heard Melvin snort, Jocelyn, how likely do you think it is


    for a student to study diligently on his own?”