Chapter 30: Confidence

"Next time, just come. Don’t bother with all these gifts; it’s like I don’t have enough to eat around here," Professor Lauren said with a mock frown. Chloe knew better. The professor’s words were lighthearted, and she understood that the professor was always looking out for her. “Got it, I’ll behave next time,” Chloe teased, lightly tugging at the professor’s arm. Professor Lauren chuckled. This girl still had that same playful charm she’d had since she was a student. The professor patted Chloe’s hand and motioned for her to follow him upstairs. "Come on, I’ve prepared a few sets of problems for you to solve. I want to see where your skills stand and whether you’re really ready for graduate school." Chloe widened her eyes in mock surprise. "No way! I thought you called me over just to introduce me to that senior and help me make friends. I didn’t realize you were going to make me do problems! I’ve already been giving you progress reports!" “None of that! I’m making sure you’re k