A student? Willow Hale instantly deflated. ’If she’s his student, that ans they’ll see each other often! I can’t get to Mr. Grant now, but it would be so much easier if I went through Seraphina!’
"Mr. Hughes, Seraphina and I are in the sa grade. School’s about to start, you see, and I was just worried Seraphina’s grades wouldn’t be good enough for her to enroll smoothly. But now that she has Mr. Grant as her teacher, I don’t need to worry at all!"
Willow Hale’s attitude did a complete one-eighty. Even soone with a perpetual poker face like Hughes couldn’t help but let his expression twitch. Her opportunism was just too blatant! ’To be this shaless... that’s a rare sight indeed.’
Seraphina Sterling hadn’t taken Willow Hale seriously from the very beginning. "Don’t talk like we’re close. This is only the third ti we’ve ever t. If you want to see Teacher Grant, go knock on his door yourself. Don’t even think about using to pull strings! That’s a dead end!"
’Trying to use as a springboard to get close to Terrence Grant? Willow Hale must think everyone’s an idiot! I don’t have the ti or energy to play along with this rich girl’s boy-crazy gas.’
Hughes did his utmost to maintain his professional poker face. "The Young Master said you only need to co over on your weekly day off from now on. However, you can’t let what you’ve already learned go to waste!"
"Don’t worry," Seraphina said as she slung her backpack on and walked right around Willow Hale.
Hughes also turned to leave. The two of them, in a mont of perfect, unspoken understanding, completely ignored Willow Hale, who was trying her best to make her presence felt.
One walked east and the other west, treating Willow Hale as if she were completely invisible.
Willow Hale watched them say their piece and leave without a backward glance. She looked from Hughes to Seraphina, stomped her foot in a huff, and ran straight ho.
The closer she got to ho, the faster Seraphina’s pace beca. She hadn’t seen her mother in over half a month. ’I wonder how she’s been, all by herself at ho!’
"Kimberly, I’m only here to give you a heads-up because we’re family. High school starts tomorrow with new student registration. The school’s going to be swamped. If Seraphina fails her exam tomorrow, you won’t be able to find anyone to pull strings for you, even if you want to pay to get her in! Her high school classes are crucial, and every second counts. If you let Seraphina’s studies get delayed because of money issues..."
Aria Cheney paused to take a sip of water before continuing, "If Seraphina were as smart as our Zoe, maybe missing a few days wouldn’t be a big deal. But you know your daughter—her aptitude isn’t just bad, it’s exceptionally poor. She needs a private tutor just to keep up with normal classes! Don’t even get started on what will happen if she starts a few days late!"
Kimberly Jennings began to waver. Seraphina’s academic performance had been poor her whole life, so her insistence on getting in via the entrance exam was a huge surprise. Kimberly was also aware of Aria Cheney’s motive—to put it bluntly, she just wanted money. But Aria was right about one thing: ’What if Seraphina doesn’t pass the exam and her studies get delayed? What would we do then?’
Aria Cheney knew she had found Kimberly Jennings’s weak spot. What she wanted was now within her grasp! "Look, I’m only giving you this tip because we’re family. If you put up so money now, Seraphina’s exam tomorrow will just be a formality, a simple walkthrough. Even if she doesn’t pass, the school will still place her in a decent enough class!"
Kimberly Jennings was swayed. Her daughter was the center of her universe; she would give anything for her! And her education was the most important thing of all!
Seeing her on the verge of success, Aria Cheney fanned the flas. "How about this: as long as you co up with fifty thousand dollars, I can guarantee Seraphina will get into the very best class!"
"Thanks for coming all this way, Aunt, but don’t you worry. I’ll get into the best class, exam or not!" Seraphina announced, jogging up to them with a healthy flush on her cheeks. "Mom, I’m ho!"
"Seraphina, are you tired? Is Teacher Grant strict? How are you feeling about tomorrow’s exam?" The mont she saw her daughter, Kimberly Jennings imdiately cast Aria Cheney’s proposal aside.
"Mom, don’t worry. Teacher Grant was very thorough. This exam will be no problem at all! Just wait for the good news! Also, I don’t want to board at the school. I wouldn’t be used to it!" ’Terrence Grant’s ’thoroughness’ nearly killed !’
Seraphina seized the opportunity to negotiate. The high school in town wasn’t that strict; commuting was an option.
"As long as you get in, you can choose whether to board or commute. It’s up to you!" Kimberly Jennings said, her face full of maternal love.
"Ahem!" Aria Cheney coughed pointedly, trying to make her presence felt.
"Oh, Aria, I forgot you were still here! Since Seraphina is so confident, let’s just forget about the money. Thanks again for making a special trip!" The mont Kimberly Jennings finished speaking, Aria Cheney’s expression turned ugly.
"Seraphina, don’t bla your aunt for being blunt. I’ve been a dean for many years, and I’ve seen every type of student imaginable. I’ve seen plenty just like you, full of confidence right before an exam, but very few of them actually get good results! If you fail that exam tomorrow, your mother is going to have to cough up even more money to get you into the school!" Aria Cheney adopted her classic ’dean of students’ posture.
Seraphina gave a warm smile. "Don’t worry, Aunt. I will definitely pass. I’ve been studying diligently every single day for the last two weeks. Teacher Grant said I’ve made rapid progress, and that passing the exam, at the very least, will be no problem at all!"
"Teacher Grant? I’ve lived in this town for years, how have I never heard of a teacher with the surna Grant? You haven’t been taken in by so con artist, have you?" Aria Cheney’s brow furrowed even more tightly. "If you’d just listen to , paying the money is the safest option. After today, it’ll be too late. Even if you co begging, there’ll be nothing I can do!"
Seeing that Seraphina wasn’t so easy to fool, Aria Cheney resorted to direct threats. ’They’re just a widow and her child, with no man to support them. They’re bound to panic when things get serious!’
"Don’t worry, Aunt. We definitely won’t co to you for help," Seraphina said, her dimples reappearing. This infuriated Aria Cheney, who slamd the door on her way out. "Ungrateful brat! Do you really think you’re so kind of child prodigy? That you can study for a few days and go from the bottom of the class to a passing grade? If you were half as smart as my Zoe, maybe you’d have a chance! I hope you don’t regret this tomorrow!"
Seraphina had originally planned just to score well enough on the exam to get in, and that was it. But after seeing Aria Cheney’s revolting attitude, she changed her mind.
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