The early morning chaos subsided, and Felicia's departure left Felicia unconcerned about the Fuller family's towed car.

Only after Felicia left did Kayla fully recover from the previous night's shock. Clinging to Arnold's waist, she looked up at him with teary eyes. "Arnie," she said, "I rushed over to see you and almost didn't make it..."

Arnold started to say, "This slope isn't high; it's not as dangerous as you think," but the words caught in his throat. He swallowed them, saying instead, "It's alright now. Don't cry."

Last night's events must have terrified Kayla, mirroring his own initial panic. Only after Felicia's scolding had he realized his anxiety was hindering his judgment. The terrain looked daunting, but there was no actual precipice. However, it was too late to explain.

Kayla clung to Arnold, fearing he would vanish if she let go. Her distress made it hard for him to rebuff her.

Then, students who'd heard about the incident rushed over, witnessing Arnold and Kayla's embrace.

"Kayla arrived pretty quickly, didn't she?" someone remarked. "She must have rushed over in the middle of the night. Talk about dedication!"

Kayla had been largely absent from college and wasn't enrolled in this training program. She'd only learned about it from her friend Olivia, who'd urged her to come quickly and ensure Arnold wasn't taken away by Felicia.

Olivia smirked. Despite resenting Kayla's actions from the previous day, her hatred for Felicia was stronger. Anyone who could make Felicia's life miserable was, in her opinion, welcome.

Stepping forward, Olivia said, "Kayla, what a terrible scare you had, getting into a car accident. Thankfully, you're okay. Otherwise, wouldn't Mr. Lawson feel guilty for a lifetime?"

The sarcasm was evident, and Arnold noticed. He glanced at Olivia, who scoffed and walked away.

Kayla, initially frightened, began to sense Arnold's indifference, her heart sinking. Knowing him better than anyone, she recognized a change in him over the past few days; otherwise, he wouldn't be so distant and pensive.

Unease washed over her as she followed his gaze, startled to find him repeatedly looking at Felicia.

"Arnie," she said, "you haven't been paying attention to me these past few days. You even hung up on me yesterday. Do you know I almost died? I was wondering if I'd ever see you again..."

Arnold seemed to ignore her.

Finally, she managed a pained smile. "Arnie," she asked, "who are you thinking about? Is it Felicia?"

Arnold's reaction was immediate and defensive. "Don't talk nonsense," he retorted, his voice filled with resistance. "How could I be thinking about Felicia?"

His disdain was clear. Kayla's initial amusement faded. A man's excessive attention to a woman, even if he denied liking her, often hinted at developing feelings.