Chapter 73

Debra nodded. That was what Shelia had said when kneeling before her.

“When did she have a boyfriend?” Randy asked.

“How should I know?” Debra shrugged.

“She has a boyfriend and still clings to Juan. What a woman!” Randy snorted with disdain.

“She was just saying that for show. I don’t believe she would date anyone other than Juan,” Debra said, setting down her fork and knife. “I’m done. Enjoy your meal.” She stood up to leave. Jordan pushed his plate aside, saying, “I’m done too.”

Randy mumbled with a mouthful of food, “I’ll be done in a bit!”

In the evening, Shelia stared at her recent pop quiz results in her dorm, her heart heavy. She had always been a consistent top performer, but this time, her grades had plummeted.

Her roommates exclaimed in astonishment, “Shelia, why are you ranking 9th this time? You’ve always been first. This drop is drastic!”

Shelia folded up the report card, forcing a smile. “I wasn’t feeling well during the test, so I didn’t do so well. It’s okay, just a pop quiz.”

Her roommates nodded in agreement. “That explains it. You couldn’t possibly score this low.”

Shelia couldn’t maintain her smile anymore. She dreaded the thought of Juan getting hold of this report card.

Suddenly, her phone rang. It was Joe, calling with a calm yet cold voice. “Miss Miles, please come down.”

“Is Mr. Nichols here to see me?” Shelia asked excitedly. It had been days since Juan had contacted her.

“We’re already here. Please come down,” Joe replied.

Shelia calmed herself and said, “I’ll be right there.” Turning around, she noticed Carrie and Wendy glancing at her. Since the incident the other day, they hadn’t spoken to her. They quickly looked away.

Unfazed, Shelia hurried downstairs. Juan’s car was parked outside the dormitory building. She rushed over, dressed only in a simple nightgown.

“Mr. Nichols, you’re here,” Shelia greeted after getting into the car. She missed him a lot, but Juan remained distant until he saw her nose turning red from the cold. He softened a bit and said, “Wear more clothes next time.”

“I was in a rush. I’ll remember,” Shelia replied, her face flushing at his concern. She had been worried that Juan was still upset about the hotel incident. Now it seemed he still cared for her.

“Mr. Nichols, did you come to see me for something specific today?” Shelia asked.

“The principal called me,” Juan replied. His words caused Shelia’s heart to sink.

Juan looked at her and sighed, “Have I spoiled you too much?”

“Mr. Nichols, I…” Shelia tried to explain.

“Your teachers told me you’ve been skipping classes lately and getting others to sign in for you. Your grades have been dropping significantly,” Juan stated.