Chapter 21

I nodded. "There was something off about Elena's behavior. She clearly didn't like me, so why would she go out of her way to be nice? I knew she had to have an ulterior motive." "I think you should take a few days off and rest," Lila suggested, standing up. "How about I cover your shift at the coffee shop tomorrow?" I hesitated. "The exams are coming up soon, Serena. How's your revision going?" Lila's tone turned serious when she noticed my hesitation. "If you don't start revising soon, do you think you'll be able to pass?" I thought about it for a moment and realized she had a point. "Besides, I can't do this for free," she added, switching to a more cheerful tone. "I got a look at how much money you have now. Sharing is caring, right? How about you treat me to a big meal?" "No problem," I agreed, standing up. "Let's go." … Lila covered my shift at the coffee shop the next day while I stayed in the dorm and studied all day. By the time she returned, it was already dark. "Sere