County High School.
"Karen, we need to talk."
Jennifer struggled to suppress her anger, feeling deeply wronged.
Karen didn't respond. Instead, she glanced at Juno with a dependent expression that only stoked Jennifer's fury further.
"Go ahead," Juno said gently, pulling Karen's hand. "Talk it out."
"Okay," Karen replied obediently and followed the fuming Jennifer to a quiet corner of the school to talk.
"What's going on? You and Karen?"
Adam was dumbfounded.
Juno wasn't tall, and her figure was slender, while Karen had the perfect hourglass shape. Standing side by side, Karen should have been the more striking of the two, but in reality, it was Juno who drew all the attention.
Both were wearing red hoodies, creating a stark and almost absurd visual contrast.
"Thanks to you, I've finally found a bestie," Juno said, giving Adam a aningful look.
"You're welco," Adam replied, bewildered. He thought she was referring to his relationship with Jennifer and asked curiously, "But how did you manage it?"
To him, Juno had never been good at making friends. Otherwise, she wouldn't have gone so many years without a real one. Yet her bond with Karen seed closer than just best friends.
"Trust , you don't want to know," Juno replied with a cryptic smile.
"Huh?" Adam felt a jolt of unease. Rembering Juno's other identity, he couldn't help but glance at her red hoodie, his mind racing. Hesitantly, he probed, "So... um, Juno, why is Karen dressed like Little Red Riding Hood, just like you?"
"Because she's just like ..." Juno paused intentionally. Seeing Adam's expression change, she smiled mischievously and added, "She loves red too. In fact, she even played Little Red Riding Hood once."
"Ha, is that so?" Adam's heart pounded as he forced a laugh, deciding it was better not to dig deeper. Internally, he resolved to keep an eye on Karen.
Birds of a feather flock together. Maybe Jennifer was right—Karen might actually have a ntal illness.
Damn it! Why do I always end up in these situations? First Amy, then Juno, and now Karen. Who knows who'll co next!
---
On the other side of the school.
Jennifer glared at Karen, gritting her teeth. "Why?"
"Why what?" Karen asked, confused.
"You and that Juno!" Jennifer shouted. "I thought we were best friends!"
"I thought so too," Karen replied softly. "But when you ignored
for an entire week, and then over a month later ca to question , that's not how best friends treat each other."
Jennifer froze.
She had been so engrossed in discussing Transforrs and chanical aesthetics with Adam that she had indeed neglected Karen. But since childhood, Karen had always been the one to yield to her. Though Jennifer realized she was partly at fault, she couldn't accept Karen's current attitude.
"What's with your attitude? How dare you treat
like this? Have you forgotten who played with you and protected you when others mocked you? It was ! You're unbelievable..."
Jennifer lashed out, while Karen stood quietly, watching her.
A month ago, Karen had been holding a knife, ready to eliminate the "monsters" Adam and Jennifer, when Juno had appeared before her.
After spending over a month with Juno, Karen had only one thought in her mind:
Juno was her light, her spark, her only myth!
The conversation ended poorly. Jennifer, frustrated by Karen's cold gaze, stord off to complain to Adam.
Adam, wary of Juno and Karen, chose not to ddle and rely gave her perfunctory responses.
---
Love is always a mixture of hormones and novelty. When the novelty fades, it either matures into familial affection or crumbles over ti.
Between Adam and Jennifer, it wasn't love but still followed the sa pattern of novelty's decline.
Jennifer constantly complained to Adam about Juno and Karen, even demanding he cut ties with Juno. Over ti, Adam grew tired of her.
With graduation approaching, Adam focused all his energy on preparing for college. He wasn't a privileged student nor a genius like Sheldon or Peggy. Like most regular students, he had to face the fierce competition head-on.
The SAT score was crucial—a gateway to the next step in college admissions. Without a high score, there was no chance of even an interview.
Fortunately, Adam had worked hard during high school, had access to vast knowledge thanks to his past life, and steadily improved his intellect. The SAT wasn't an issue for him.
Since the SAT could be taken up to seven tis a year, students could always retake it to aim for a higher score.
Next ca recomndation letters.
Getting a letter from a prominent figure (a wealthy individual, celebrity, or industry expert) was a huge advantage.
While this often required connections or money, ordinary students could still seize opportunities through chance encounters with influential people. Most, however, had to rely on their school's application counselors.
Private schools hired high-paid, well-connected counselors, while public school counselors often lacked the sa resources.
Adam managed to secure a recomndation letter from Dr. John Sturgis through Sheldon.
He also shalessly approached Gretchen for a letter from her billionaire father, the town's richest man.
Adding letters from the County High School principal and application counselor, Adam felt adequately prepared.
---
(End of Chapter)
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