Chapter 15

Whether in his previous or present life, Stephen was a pragmatist. "Ms. Hayes, can I… refuse?" Mindy was momentarily taken aback before understanding his meaning. "You brat, you're usually fearless, so why are you suddenly shy about speaking on stage? It's not a big deal. You just have to share some study tips and say a few encouraging words." Stephen was a bit surprised too. It wasn't like he was shy about bragging in front of a bunch of students. "Ms. Hayes, it's not that I'm shy. It's just that… there's no merit for me in doing this. I could do a couple more practice questions with the time used to prepare the speech." Mindy hadn't expected this response from him. Being able to give a speech, rally the crowd, and become a hero in school—shouldn't he feel honored? She frowned while trying to think of ways to persuade him by using class honor as an appeal. Having Stephen speak at the assembly would make her proud, and it would also bring honor to their class. But, before sh