Chapter 47

The moment Juniper was out of sight, Shanley’s gentle expression vanished. “Find out how she got that injury,” he commanded.
“Yes, sir.” Felton knew that protective look. If Ms. Payne had been bullied, the culprit wouldn’t live to see another sunrise.
“Get this prescription filled,” Shanley added, handing the paper to Flint while rubbing his right wrist thoughtfully.
“Yes, sir.” Felton and Flint exchanged a shocked glance. They hadn’t expected the boss to trust Ms. Payne so completely.
…
At Moultlands, Janet bounced over to Juniper the second she walked in the door, practically vibrating with excitement. “Juniper, I saw the video of you playing! Oh my god, you were so cool! And they got Yolanda in the shot-her face was priceless!” she gushed. “Juniper, can you teach me how to play sometime? Please?”
“Sure,” Juniper said with a laugh, setting down her backpack as Janet clung to her like a koala. She patted her head gently. “Here, have some of this.”
“Is that cake from Moonlight Peak?” Janet’s eyes lit up at the sight of the elegant packaging. “I’ve seen my classmates eat it before.”
Eclara High School, where Janet attended, was full of wealthy kids. A meal at Moonlight Peak was expensive, but the desserts were reasonably priced.
“A friend gave it to me,” Juniper explained, sitting down and resting her chin on her hand, watching Janet tenderly as she cut the cake.
“I see.” Janet respected her privacy and didn’t pry, focusing on serving the cake. “This is delicious!”
She gave a slice to Juniper and her mom first, saving a small piece for herself, which she ate with pure satisfaction. “By the way, Juniper, did you know the standardized tests are coming up?”
Tests? Juniper pushed her slice toward Janet and shook her head. “No, I didn’t.”
But Dolce had mentioned something about it today, that tutors were arranged for the underperforming students. Apparently, the school grouped them together for some last-minute cramming, focusing on the easy, foundational questions. She was on that list of “underperformers.”
“There’s so much I still don’t get,” Janet said, her brow furrowed as she looked at Juniper with pleading eyes. “Juniper, could you help me study?”
“Of course.” Juniper had seen Janet’s report card; her grades were solid across the board. Getting into a good university wouldn’t be a problem, but if she wanted to aim for Eclara University, she’d need a little guidance.
“So, which university are you going to, Juniper?” Janet asked, using the word “going” instead of “applying to.” With her cousin’s abilities, she suspected this year’s top scorer might just shock everyone.
“Doesn’t matter,” Juniper replied casually. As long as she could fulfill her grandfather’s wish, any school would do. Then she added, “By the way, which school has the best cafeteria food?”
Janet just stared at her, “Huh?”
…
At Aurora High School, the video of Juniper backing up Queenie during the competition had gone viral among the students, making her an overnight sensation.
Before, students would give her a wide berth in the hallways. Today was different. People were sneaking photos of her, and the braver ones came right up to ask for an autograph.
Juniper just held up her bandaged right hand with a faint smile, making it clear she couldn’t sign.
“Oh, that’s okay!” The girl’s face flushed redder at her smile. “Juniper, a thumbprint would be fine too!” she said, thoughtfully producing an ink pad.
She was a huge fan. She’d watched the video of Juniper playing at least ten times and was sure that talent agencies would be knocking on her door any day now. If she acted fast, she could be one of her very first fans.