Chapter 65
He wiped the sweat from his brow and looked up at Joseph, his tone icy. “Trash like you doesn’t deserve to know my name p>
With that, he turned and walked away, his teammates celebrating noisily behind him. He grabbed a bottle of water and tilted his head back, chugging it down with a cool, effortless motion that caught the eyes of several Pinecrest girls.
Joseph’s teeth were clenched so tightly he thought they might crack. Aaron, he seethed internally, I’ll remember you.
The game had left him in such a foul mood that he’d completely forgotten about finding the beautiful girl in the stands. As he looked up, he saw her jogging toward the center of the court, her high ponytail swinging in the air. For a moment, Joseph’s heart skipped a beat.
But shame washed over him. He ducked his head and ran off as if his pants were on fire.
It was humiliating the most humiliating moment of his life.
“Captain!” one of the Pinecrest players called out, confused. But then they saw Marguerite and exchanged knowing, gossipy glances.
“That must be the girl from the other school who likes Joseph. I heard she was gorgeous, but I didn’t believe it. My mistake p>
“Man, this was a total disaster. She came all this way to watch him, and he served up a pile of crap p>
The other players also turned and hurried away, their heads down and faces flushed with embarrassment. Updates are released by
Joseph ran so fast he was out of the gym in seconds. He’d never been interested in a girl before, but this one was stunningly beautiful and felt strangely familiar. It was impossible not to notice her. She sent him a message every day. At first, he’d been indifferent, but soon he found himself looking forward to them. He rarely said much in reply, and she respected that, never sending more than one message a day. That made him like her even more. She had a strong sense of boundaries, unlike other girls who clung to him and distracted him from his studies.
He finally stopped under a large tree, panting heavily. It was only then he remembered he’d left his phone in the locker room. He had no idea if his brother had arrived yet. He wanted to go back for it but was afraid of running into the girl.
Defeated, Joseph sat down in the shade to rest. He wasn’t going to let that kid named Aaron get away with this.
The rideshare couldn’t enter the school grounds, so Joshua had to get out at the main gate. Walking without a mask and hat made him feel exposed, so he kept his head down. As he approached the entrance, the security guard stopped him.
“Sorry, sir. All visitors must sign in.” The guard, Mr. Frank, was diligent about his duties.
Joshua looked up. “It’s me p>
Mr. Frank squinted, then recognized him, though his expression remained unimpressed. “Oh, it’s the incomparable Joshua Spencer. You still have to sign in p>
The graduating class of 14 had produced two famous figures: the billionaire tycoon George, and the award-winning, multi-million-fan actor Joshua.
Joshua was impatient. “You already know who I am, what’s the point of signing in? I’m in a hurry p>
Mr. Frank shook his head. “Rules are rules. If anything happens, it’s my responsibility. Besides, I’d advise you not to go in today. It’s Sunday, but there’a basketball game, and a lot of students are here, including from another school. With all your fans, you could cause a commotion p>
Joshua held out his hand. “Then give me a mask p>
Mr. Frank frowned but eventually pulled one from his drawer. “What are you doing here anyway?” he asked casually. “It’s a strange day. Mr. Spencer was here earlier, too.” He added that George had already left.
The mention of Mr. Spencer made Joshua pause. His eyes narrowed. “You’re saying George was here p>
Realizing he’d said too much, Mr. Frank didn’t answer. “Just try not to cause a scene when you go in or!’!I have to stop you next time. Even famous actor wasn’t more
important than the students’ safety.
He handed Joshua a pen. Joshua scribbled his name and bolted onto the campus.
If he could mistake his brother, if the photo could have been Photoshopped,
George’s presence changed everything. It meant there was a ninety-percent chance it really was Marguerite.
Wherever Marguerite was, that psycho George was sure to follow.
His breathing grew ragged, partly from running and partly from the thought of Marguerite.
Could she really be alive?
He had to see her with his own eyes today.
Watching Joshua sprint away as if he were being chased by a dog, Mr. Frank was completely baffled. Then, a name flashed in his mind, connecting with the girl he’d seen in the passenger seat of George’s car that morning.
The class of 14 had one more legendary name.
Marguerite.
If she were still alive, Mr. Frank was sure she would have become someone
remarkable. But she had been dead for eleven years.
The thought was so absurd that he shook his head.
“Impossible. I must be seeing things. Just my mind playing tricks on me before payday p>
Meanwhile, the crowd was leaving the gym, the air buzzing with chatter about the game.
Aaron had just stepped outside when a familiar yet distant female voice called out from behind him.
“Aaron p>