Chapter 7 Ah, Teenage Boys and Girls

• Realizing that there was no more room for discussion, Erin knew she had to go no matter how reluctant she was. After getting out of the car, she stood by the roadside and watched as Arthur’s car drove off and disappeared from her sight; then, she turned around and walked toward the school gate.
• Just then, a loud and clear male voice came from behind her. “Erin.”
• Erin paused in her tracks and looked back. Then, she saw Jude trotting up to her with his school bag in one hand and a basketball in the other.
• She bit her lower lip lightly.
• Jude stopped in front of her with a shy smile on his handsome face. Staring at her with his starry eyes, he greeted, “We meet again.”
• Erin collected herself before smiling at him. “Jude Sutton.”
• Her voice was soft in the first place plus she had grown up to have a bit of a temper thanks to Arthur’s mollycoddling, so she inevitably spoke with some casual pride and unconstrained
• Jude’s ears went red when he heard Erin calling his name. He subconsciously stretched out his hand to scratch his ear, only to find that his hands were full with his school bag and basketball.
• Embarrassed, he gave Erin a silly smile. “Let’s get inside since we’re almost late.”
• “Alright,” Erin replied while walking into the school with him.
• Jude was definitely considered one of the most popular students in Angelwood High School. His extraordinarily handsome appearance and athletic versatility were two reasons for his popularity, and his family’s active involvement in politics for generations only added to his shining glory.
• Erin was popular too, as Arthur spoiled her so much that everyone in Wingston City knew about it. No one dared to reproach her even if she were to do something uncalled for in Wingston City.
• Therefore, one could imagine how eye-catching it was when they walked through campus together.
• However, they were already used to having everyone’s eyes drawn to them, so they didn’t show much discomfort.
• Class 6-A and Class 6-D weren’t on the same floor. Class 6-A was on the first floor, whereas Class 6-D was on the second floor.
• Stopping at the door to her classroom, Erin said to Jude, “See you again.”
• Jude blushed again. Staring at Erin, he stammered, “I-I’ll watch you go inside.”
• Erin couldn’t help being amused by the sight of Jude’s blushes. Her mouth curved in a smile without her realizing it, and she waved goodbye to him before stepping into her classroom.
• Jude watched as Erin walked into her classroom and sat in her seat. After giggling slightly, the young man ran excitedly upstairs to the second floor in vigorous strides.
• Seeing that Jude ran upstairs as if he had taken stimulants, Isabelle looked back at Erin with a look of amusement, asking, “What’s been going on?”
• “What are you talking about?” Erin didn’t notice how Jude ran upstairs, so she found it strange when Isabelle asked her such a question.
• Isabelle clicked her tongue. “What’s been going on between Jude and you?”
• Erin, who was taking her exam papers out of her school bag, paused. Turning to look at Isabelle, she answered, “We met at the school gate, so we entered the school together.”
• The corner of Isabelle’s mouth twitched. “Is that all?”
• “Yeah.” Erin nodded.
• Isabelle was speechless with disbelief. Does Jude have to be so excited simply because he managed to walk with Erin to their respective classrooms? Oh, I can’t understand teenage girls and boys.
• When school was out in the afternoon, Isabelle got tired of waiting for Erin as she stood at the classroom door. Seeing that Erin kept dawdling in her seat, she asked, “Are you not leaving, Erin?”
• Erin looked back at Isabelle with reluctance written all over her face.
• Isabelle went back, put her school bag on the desk, and looked at Erin with a slightly serious expression. “What’s wrong?”
• Erin shook her head and sighed. “It’ll be the end of me.”
• The end of her? Isabelle was startled. “Why don’t I understand what you’re talking about?”
• Erin gave another long sigh before getting up with her school bag in hand. Then, she looked at Isabelle with a solemn expression, saying, “Isabelle, I’ll be going through God’s test tonight, so please wish me luck.”
• Going through God’s test? Isabelle was amused by Erin’s words. “Will you be ascending to heaven?”
• Erin merely shrugged without giving a reply.
• After walking out of the school gate with Isabelle, Erin saw the Buick Regal parked by the roadside at a glance. Marvin—who came just to pick her up—was leaning against the car while looking at her.
• Isabelle knew Marvin because she had seen him picking up Erin at school several times.
• “Isabelle, I’ll let Mr. Patterson send you home first before I go to the Harrison Residence,” suggested Erin.
• “Nope. I have something else to do,” responded Isabelle.
• Erin frowned. “Do you have to work again?”
• “Yeah,” replied Isabelle. After patting Erin on the shoulder, she turned around and left.
• The furrows in Erin’s brow deepened as she watched Isabelle walking away. Then, she walked up to Marvin, greeting, “Hi, Mr. Patterson.”
• Marvin seemed to shoot a glance in Isabelle’s direction. After curling his lips into a gentle smile, he said, “Let’s get into the car.”
• Erin smiled back at him, then opened the car door and got into the car.
• When the car stopped outside the Harrison Residence, Marvin looked in the rearview mirror at Erin, who was sitting in the back seat with a slight frown. He asked gently, “Aren’t you going to get out of the car?”
• Erin glanced weakly at him and spoke in a feeble voice as if she had been starving for several days. “Mr. Patterson, when will Uncle Arthur arrive?”
• Marvin answered, “Your Uncle Arthur was in a meeting when I went to pick you up, but he should be on the way here now.”
• Knowing that Arthur was already on the way here, Erin let out a breath of relief.