Chapter 242
“No need, really. I’ll take care of it. If you make it to the next round, you can treat us then,” Claire said, turning Leo down right away.
She wasn’t really rejecting Leo, though. She just didn’t want Linsey to feel awkward. The whole point was to make Linsey comfortable. If Leo chipped in, it would feel like the winners were supposed to pay for everyone else, and Linsey had advanced too.
Leo seemed to get what Claire meant. He gave a half-smile and rubbed his nose. “Alright, next time’s on me p>
Whether there’d actually be a next time, he honestly wasn’t sure.
He’d only offered because he and Len shared the same concern. Everyone knew Claire’s parents were gone and she just had her grandma in the countryside. He wondered if paying for a big meal like this was too much for her. At their age, teenagers could eat a small fortune in one sitting. Still, the James family usually took good care of Claire, so she probably had some money of her own.
Besides, Leo didn’t think Claire was the type to act like she had more than she did.
Linsey didn’t say anything—just shot Claire a grateful look.
Claire saw it, but acted like she didn’t notice.
They all hopped on the bus and headed to a famous roast duck restaurant in Cabinda. The place was always packed, but with the snow falling and the cold settling in, not as many people were out. They didn’t have to wait long for a table.
Sodas in hand, they cheered each other on as dinner wrapped up—wishing Claire and the others good luck in IMO, and hoping everyone’s future would be bright.
Nanette started tearing up, which didn’t surprise anyone—she was always the sentimental one.
“I don’t know if we’ll get another chance to meet, but I’ll definitely miss you all,” she sniffled. “I hope those of you who advanced end up on the international stage. I want to see you win gold medals on the news p>
Len took a swig of his Coke. “Come on, don’t cry. If we all get into college in Cabinda, we’ll have plenty of chances to hang out again, right p>
Everyone laughed and nodded, but deep down, they all knew the truth. Once school got busy people drifted apart Reunions weren’t guaranteed. Still, the meal was a mix of laughter and a little sadness.
They stayed at the table for nearly two hours, all of them stuffed by the end.
“The food at the school cafeteria isn’t bad, but it’s so nice to get out and try something different,” someone said, and everyone quickly agreed.
“Let’s go for a walk and see what Cabinda looks like at night,” Nanette suggested. Everyone was up for it.
As soon as they stepped outside, Claire spotted someone familiar-Dane.
He wasn’t alone. Walking beside him was a striking woman in a black coat. She was tall, wearing short boots and a black-and-white floral dress her long dark hair fell over her shoulders, and she had a kind of quiet elegance.
“Dane, you still haven’t told me what kind of doctor you went to see at Apex,” the woman was saying.
The Franklin family and the Green family went way back, and Latonia, the woman with Dane, was studying Shed flown home when she heard that
medicine overseas ving
Baldrick’s health was getting worse. She obviously cared about him a lot.
Dane kept one hand in his pocket, his expression calm. “Just a really skilled doctor. He’s already passed away, though. The person who treated my grandpa was his student p>
He didn’t say any more about Claire. She was so young that making a big deal about her medical skills wouldn’t do her any good. Plus, Dane knew Latonia was super competitive.
As he spoke, he turned his head just enough to spot Claire out of the corner of his eye.
Claire realized she’d been caught staring and gave Dane a friendly smile.