Chapter 1367
A heavy silence fell over the group. Even Ivan, usually so cocky, wouldn't dare to backtalk Sunset Valley High's most formidable teacher.
"Well then," Elodie said, her gaze sweeping over the assembled students. It landed on Albert. "Albert, why don't you tell me what happened?"
"Ms. Turner," Albert began, touching his bruised eye, "Paul and his friends were talking trash about Ms. Johnson and Ms. Garcia behind their backs. They were saying some pretty nasty stuff about other girls in our class, too. I called them out, and they jumped me. Kevin was just trying to help."
"Ms. Turner, that's a lie! We didn't say anything! Albert's making it up!" Paul blurted out.
"Is that so?" Elodie fixed Paul with an icy stare. She knew these boys. They were troublemakers, racking up demerits almost every semester. Albert's story was far more likely. "Regardless, fighting is unacceptable. All four of you will write a 5,000-word essay reflecting on your behavior. Due this afternoon. If I don't have it, I'll be calling your parents."
"That's not fair, Ms. Turner! Why do we have to write essays?" Paul protested, but Felix quickly yanked him back. Arguing with Elodie was a suicide mission.
After the four delinquents filed out, Elodie turned back to Albert, her expression softening. "Albert, next time something like this happens, report it to a teacher. Don't resort to violence. Are you alright?"
Albert covered his face, muttering, "I'm fine, Ms. Turner. But just writing an essay isn't enough. You don't know the disgusting things they were saying. They're scum."
"Enough," Elodie said sternly. "Do you think I have unlimited power? I can't just expel them. Stop causing trouble and focus on your grades. That's far more important. Now go."
Back outside the Student Affairs Office, Kevin turned to Albert, curious. "Dude, Elodie was way nicer to you just now. She seemed genuinely concerned. Is she, like, a relative or something?"
Albert blushed crimson. "No! She's… actually, she's pretty cool. She's just looking out for us. Tough on the outside, but she's got a good heart. She's not that bad."
Kevin laughed. "That's weird. You used to call her the ‘Crone Enigma.' What's with the sudden change of heart? Don't tell me you've got a crush on her."
"Shut up!" Albert snapped, mortified. "And we're not calling her that anymore. Or you'll have to deal with me."
"Alright, alright, I'm just messing with you," Kevin said, holding up his hands in surrender. He didn't really care about Albert's relationship with Elodie.
Besides, Elodie wasn't a bad person. People disliked her because of her position. Anyone in that role would be unpopular. She was certainly better than someone like Quentin.
"Kevin!" a voice called out. He looked up to see Audrey leaning over the second-floor railing of the administration building, beckoning him. "Come up here."
"Uh oh, Ms. Johnson must have heard about the fight," Albert said, grinning. "You're on your own, man. I'm outta here." He took off running.
Kevin trudged up the stairs, a knot forming in his stomach. Audrey's face was stern, her eyes cold. "Audrey, I didn't start it," he explained quickly. "Ivan and his crew were talking smack about you and Ms. Garcia, saying really disgusting things. They were badmouthing Lucy, too. Albert went after them first, and I was just trying to break it up. Elodie knows the whole story. You can ask her."
"I know," Audrey said, biting her lip. She looked at him, a complex mix of emotions swirling in her eyes. "Come with me."
She led him into the office, pulled a document from a drawer, and handed it to him. "Take a look."
It was a notice about the Hope Cup Statewide Essay Contest, scheduled for next Saturday at Ravenfall Evergreen Academy's student activity center. At the bottom of the participant list, Kevin's name was clearly printed.
"Audrey, what's this?" Kevin asked, confused. He thought the essay contest was over. How was he in the statewide competition?
Audrey explained that the Hope Cup was a prestigious competition, sponsored by the State Book and Cultural Development Group, and had been running for over a decade.
The top three winners would advance to the national competition. The national winner would be granted admission to a top-tier university, bypassing the entrance exams entirely. Ten students from Starfall Town had been selected for the state competition, mostly from the elite Maple Grove and Skyline High Schools. Kevin was the only participant from the lower districts.
"The city education bureau requires each student to be accompanied by a mentor teacher," Audrey continued, her voice tinged with resignation. "I wanted Alissa to go with you, she has more experience with these things, but she's swamped right now. So, I'll be going with you." She really didn't want to go with him, especially with the tension between them. She wanted to teach him a lesson, make him understand he couldn't just act on impulse without considering the consequences.
His interrogation about her relationship with Oliver had infuriated her. Even though they were involved, it didn't mean she had to report every detail of her life to him. Even Jason, her husband, didn't have that right. She sensed a possessive streak in Kevin, a need to control her that she found unsettling.
Especially since she'd become his homeroom teacher, if she so much as talked to another boy, Kevin would sulk and even use his position as class president to interfere. She resented that. She wasn't a modern, independent woman, but she wasn't a subservient housewife who revolved her life around a man, either. Especially not a teenage boy.
She'd been deliberately distant lately, even colluding with Alissa to avoid being intimate with him. She hoped he'd use the time to reflect on his behavior. They'd be in Skyview City for two days for the competition. Knowing Kevin, he'd try to use the opportunity to weasel his way back into her good graces. She knew she wouldn't be able to resist him forever, but she wasn't going to make it easy for him.
"Really?" Kevin's eyes lit up. He'd never been to Skyview City. "That's awesome! You went to Evergreen Academy, right? Can you show me around campus? I've never been to a real college before. It must be amazing."
"Kevin," Audrey said, her voice tight, "there are going to be some incredibly talented students at this competition. Don't get cocky. You're about to see what real competition looks like." She was actually surprised the competition was being held at Evergreen Academy. She hadn't been back to her alma mater since graduating and returning to Harmony County. She'd lost touch with most of her classmates. Part of her wanted to reconnect, but another part feared they'd find out about her current… situation. She felt a pang of conflicted nostalgia.
Kevin stared at her, his gaze lingering on her full lips, her flawless skin, the generous curves of her breasts straining against the soft fabric of her light blue sweater. He couldn't help but compare them to Daisy's perfectly formed breasts. In terms of firmness, shape, and texture, they were remarkably similar. Audrey, however, had a distinct advantage in size, a good three cup sizes larger than Daisy, which made a significant visual impact.
If Daisy's were like ripe cantaloupes, Audrey's were like plump grapefruits, heavy and almost impossible to cup fully in his hands. Even he, having had intimate experience with both women, found it difficult to articulate the subtle differences. In his personal Harmony County Breast Ranking, they were neck and neck. But sentimentality gave Audrey the edge, securing her the current, undisputed top spot.
He mused about having the women in his ranking system vote on each other in the future, for a more objective and democratic process. But that was a future project. Right now, he lacked the power to assemble such a distinguished panel. Even just the four female teachers at Sunset Valley High – Alissa, Vanessa, Audrey, and Kimberly – couldn't be exposed simultaneously. Vanessa was leaving, Kimberly remained aloof, and their recent lack of private interaction frustrated him. Kimberly, despite her reserved nature, had a quiet allure that captivated him. If it hadn't been for Grant's overzealous pursuit, Kimberly might never have fallen into his arms, their physical relationship never ignited.
"Alright," Audrey said, flustered under his intense gaze. Her cheeks flushed, and her breasts trembled slightly. "You can go now. I want you to write five different essays every day next week, and I'll help you revise them." Abstinence was a double-edged sword. It kept Kevin at bay, but it also left her own desires unfulfilled. She was accustomed to regular intimacy, and the sudden drought left her restless. At night, her body felt like a furnace, sleep elusive.
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