KAI'S POV:
A moment later, the familiar thump-thump-thump of Charlotte's Mom echoed from the hallway. "The Little Conniver," Charlotte, reacted like a startled deer in a cashmere sweater. With lightning reflexes that would make a cat look slow, she unceremoniously dumped me—and I mean shoveled me— onto the cloud-like surface of her bed. One second I was a prisoner; the next, I was a fluffy human projectile.
She then instantly distanced herself, transforming into a statue of innocent, scholarly contemplation. Her face, moments ago a playful canvas of malice, now sported an expression of angelic serenity. It was a high-level performance of "I was just quietly reviewing the quadratic formula." She clearly didn't want her mom to realize she'd been using her neighbor as a ten-year-old human stress ball.
The door swung open, and Charlotte's mom entered, bearing a sacred tray: a slice of what looked like chocolate cake heaven and two glasses of juice. "Here we go, you two! Freshly baked, just for my favorite little guest!" she chirped, radiating enough nuclear-grade maternal warmth to power a small city.
While she set the tray on Charlotte's monstrously large mahogany study table (seriously, that thing could host a small family reunion), I took stock of the room. I swear it could easily swallow six of my own tiny bedrooms and still have space for a miniature pony.
Haah, this richness was one of the reason why I didn't wanted to come here.
I had pride, even as a child.
And look how big-hearted you people are, treating a middle-class boy as someone this special.
Anyway, I don't think I'm going to feel any guilt at all about coming here now.
Since I'm going to become one of the richest man in the future.
I filed away the open textbook—"The 'Studious' act isn't entirely a façade. Good to know," I mused.
"So, Kai-kun," Charlotte's mom began, her benevolent gaze focusing on me. "How are your studies going? Are you keeping up with everything?"
I managed a perfectly calibrated sweet, innocent smile. "They're going... alright, Aunty." (Understatement of the decade. I could probably teach the entire curriculum while solving quantum physics problems in my head.)
She then narrowed her eyes playfully at her daughter. "Is Charlotte bothering you at all, sweetie?"
"Mom, do you really think I would do that?." Charlotte said
My internal moral compass (currently set to 'Strategic Advantage Only') spun wildly. Complain? Tattling would ruin my invaluable "Innocent Little Brother" persona—my most prized asset, worth more than all the stock market tips in my memory. So, I just offered another innocent smile and looked down at my small hands. Silence. Ambiguity, I reminded myself, is a manipulator's best friend.
Charlotte's mom misinterpreted the silence as confirmation of her daughter's angelic behavior. "Well, that's wonderful! You two enjoy your treats." With a final, fond pat on my head—I swear I heard a tiny cha-ching sound effect in my head—she exited.
The second the door clicked shut, the shark attacked.
Before I could even blink, Charlotte pounced. I was scooped up with zero warning, a small, involuntary "oof!" escaping my lips as I landed, once again, firmly on her lap. Her arms wrapped around me, a warm, inescapable velvet vice.
"Alright, Kai-kun," she purred, her voice a low rumble against my ear. "Mom's gone. Now, where were we?" Her caramel eyes sparkled with mischievous triumph, her grip tightening.
My internal monologue, usually composed like a veteran chess master, was in full meltdown. My face was pressed into her stomach, again. That infuriating, expensive vanilla scent was everywhere, again.
The Audacious Counter-Attack
And then, a thought—a brilliant, utterly insane, unhinged spark of genius—flashed through my mind.
Revenge.
I lifted my head. Before she could utter another teasing word, before her brain could even register the threat, I launched my strike. My small hands, surprisingly firm, cupped her stunned, beautiful face.
And then, I kissed her.
It wasn't a gentle peck. It wasn't a sweet, childish smooch on the cheek. Oh no. This was a direct, purposeful, sloppy, full-on assault on her mouth. It probably tasted faintly of childhood tears and unfulfilled revenge, but it was there. I felt the soft, unexpected give of her lips against mine, a strange, electric warmth blooming in my chest.
My tiny brain, even mid-smooch, was furiously calculating: Simple. She made me uncomfortable. I was annoyed. I took revenge. No one would doubt my innocent intentions with this face. It's the perfect deflection.
I pulled back a fraction, just enough for my eyes to meet her absolutely stunned gaze. My chest heaved—a mix of genuine fury at being treated like a plush toy and something else entirely.
"I'm sick of you, Charlotte Onee-san," I declared, my eyes blazing with the ferocity of a genuinely annoyed ten-year-old. "You always make me uncomfortable, always bully me!"
I leaned in again, pressing my lips back against hers, this time with a deliberate, almost punishing pressure. "Well, guess what? Two can play at that game. And now... now I'm going to take my revenge."
I felt her entire body stiffen beneath me. Her eyes—those beautiful, intelligent caramel eyes—were wide with shock, but a strange, unreadable flicker passed through them.
I broke the kiss, a small, triumphant smirk stretching my lips. I could still feel the addictive, lingering warmth and softness of her mouth.
Her hand, surprisingly strong, planted itself firmly on my face and shoved. It wasn't a playful tap. It was a rejection. A hard, physical boundary. The unexpected force sent me stumbling back, my breath hitching in my throat.
"Hey, Kai," she said. The playfulness was gone, evaporated like mist. Her voice was a shard of ice, sharp enough to draw blood. "Do you even realize what you just did?"
My mind, usually a fortress of calculated responses, suffered a structural failure. Silence stretched between us, thick and suffocating.
"What happened?" I finally managed, my voice trembling—half-act, half-genuine shock. "Are you... angry? I... I just did what you do! I get this angry too when you force me to cuddle!"
Keep the façade. Don't let the mask slip. You are a confused child.
"Shut up!"
The command cracked like a whip.
My heart hammered against my ribs, but a cold knot of realization tightened in my stomach. I had miscalculated. Drastically. Based on her obsession, on the way she looked at me, I was arrogant enough to believe I was the exception. I thought she would melt.
But this... this was the real Charlotte. The Ice Queen. In my past life, boys lined up to confess to her, and she shattered them all with this exact, freezing indifference. I was a fool to think I was special.
Your previous self was better than this, Kai. At least he knew his place.
"Answer my question!" she demanded, her eyes boring into mine.
Good. At least the ambiguity is dead.
A —grin, contrasting, bitter, and entirely devoid of warmth—tugged at the corner of my mouth.
"I don't know," I whispered, lowering my head. "I was just... angry."
"But you were smiling," she cut in, her voice dropping to a lethal whisper. "Do you think this is a joke? Assaulting me? What do you think happens if I tell everyone what you just did?"
She was serious. She was actually going to ruin me over a kiss she practically provoked.
Something inside me snapped. The fear evaporated, replaced by a cold, dark resolve.
Fine.
You want a villain? I'll give you one. You think you can treat people like toys and then cry foul when the toy fights back? The audacity.
My eyes were welling up with tears—biology doing its job—but the grin on my face sharpened into something feral.
"Tell them," I said, my voice steady, stripped of all childish inflection. "Go ahead. But remember, Charlotte Onee-san... I will tell everyone your real nature."
You are beautiful, Charlotte. Truly. But I would rather burn this bridge to ash than bow down to a hypocrite.
"Are you... threatening me?" Her eyes widened, a flicker of something unreadable crossing her face.
"I won't say a word," I said, my voice dropping to absolute zero. "As long as you don't."
I turned my back on her. The conversation was over. The relationship was over. I marched toward the door, my hand reaching for the knob.
"Hey! Where are you going?"
I didn't pause. I didn't look back.
Suddenly, fingers locked around my arm. I yanked, putting my entire body weight into breaking her grip, but she held fast. With a strength I hadn't anticipated, she hauled me backward, spinning me around and slamming me down onto the mattress.
Before I could scramble away, she was on top of me, pinning my wrists.
"I thought you would be scared," she breathed, her face inches from mine. "I thought you'd start crying and begging for forgiveness. But instead... you got angry. You tried to leave."
I blinked, the adrenaline still coursing through my veins. The ice in her eyes? Gone. Replaced by a terrifying, glimmering mischief.
"I'm not angry," I spat, struggling against her hold. "Now get off me."
"Then that's great!"
The switch was instantaneous. Psychotic. She collapsed onto me, burying her face in my neck, peppering my skin with rapid-fire kisses.
"Stop it! Or I'll shout!"
"Then I'll tell everyone you kissed me forcefully!" she giggled against my collarbone.
"What the hell do you want?!" I yelled.
"You!" She pulled back, pointing a manicured finger at my nose, beaming like she hadn't just threatened my social existence.
"You just threatened me a second ago!" I said
She sighed, rolling her eyes as if I were the unreasonable one. "Do you remember the last time I tried to kiss you? You started crying. You ran out and told everyone I was bullying you. I got in trouble."
She leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a sultry whisper. "So... what will you do if I forcefully kiss you now?"
My breath hitched. "I..."
"I can't do anything," she finished for me, a triumphant smirk playing on her lips. "Because now, I know your secret. And you know mine. Want to try?"
No you're wrong. It's easy for me to make people believe me. Anyway, let's just make her think she's in control.
But seriously...
Do you have any idea the panic you just put me through? The calculations I had to run? Just for your obsession?
Adrenaline turned into indignation. I bucked my hips, shoving her off balance. I reversed the position, pinning her down, my hands on her shoulders.
She didn't fight back. She went limp, looking up at me through her lashes, biting her lip. She was enjoying this.
"Hey... you're so bold," she purred, her eyes scanning my face with a hunger that made my skin crawl. "It's good, though. I like bold boys."
The sheer, unadulterated hypocrisy!
I remembered the boys from high school—arrogant, bold, confident. She looked at them like they were bacteria. And now? Because it's me?
"Whatever," I grumbled, climbing off her. "I have to go."
"So you don't want to do anything to me?" she asked, her voice dripping with disappointment.
"No. I don't."
"But I want to kiss and hug you lots!" She scrambled into a sitting position,"Will you let me? Please, Kai-kun! I'll give you treats! I'll let you use my computer whenever you want!"
I stared at her. The Ice Queen of the neighborhood, the untouchable Charlotte, bribing him with screen time, for....
No one would believe this. Absolutely no one.
"Fine," I sighed, rubbing my temple. "Later."
I had a mountain of questions about her sanity, but for now, the access to the computer—and her silence—was secured.
Back to the current situation. I have to get away right now. If it were physically possible,I would have executed a dramatic escape by now,but she was clearly stronger than me, a human brick wall with a non-healthy obsession. I like her this way though.
Just then, I heard foot steps approaching, light and quick. Charlotte, with the reflexes of a startled cat, immediately released me and sat up properly on the bed, smoothing her dress, looking like an innocent
angel who wouldn't dream of pinning a poor ten-year-old. Then, the door opened.
Her mom came in, balancing a tray laden with slices of cake and glasses of juice(again), placing them on the glass table next to the bed. And guess what? I was still sprawled on the bed like a discarded rag doll. I wondered what she would think of this domestic tableau.
"Looks like Kai is tired," she said, a hint of amusement, barely concealed, inhervoice.
Now,what was I supposed to answer to that question? My brain, usually so quick with cunning replies, Momentarily short-circuited.
"Yes, and he's also sad because he couldn't win a single game against me," Charlotte chimed in, a triumphant smirk plastered on her face, selling the lie with the conviction of a seasoned politician.
"Hmm, I'll definitely defeat you next time," I retorted, my tone suitably annoyed, playing along with Charlotte's surprisingly effective deception. The things I do for a quiet life... and a computer.
Her mom chuckled, a sound that must have seemed incredibly cute to her. "Alright, you two have fun now, I'm leaving." She said, and as she was about to turn back to leave—my window of opportunity!
"I'll be going, Onee-san!" I declared, quickly scrambling to my feet. As if I'd let this golden chance slip away!
Charlotte shot me an angry glare, a flash of pure fury in her caramel eyes, but just as quickly, she plastered on that sweet, innocent smile when her mom glanced back at us. "Of course, Kai, but eat some cake before you go." She grabbed my arm, her grip surprisingly firm, still maintaining that saccharine, innocent smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
"No, I really have to go now, an urgent task just came to mind," I pleaded, lightly tugging at Charlotte's mom's sleeve, putting on my most earnest face. "You know yourself how much I love cake; if I had even a little time, I'd definitely eat some before leaving. Aunty, please tell Onee-san to let me go!"
Charlotte tightened her grip on my wrist. It started to hurt, a painful reminder of her strength. Her mom looked confused, caught squarely between our silent battle of wills. Finally, with a sigh, she gave me permission to leave.
"Charlotte, let Kai-kun go. If he has urgent work, he should attend to it."
"But Mom, he just got here!" Charlotte protested, her voice laced with genuine disappointment, abandoning her innocent act now that her mom was fully engaged.
"He can visit again later, dear. Don't be so selfish."
With her mom's divine intervention, Charlotte's grip loosened, albeit reluctantly. I quickly slipped out of her grasp, as if escaping a particularly sticky spider web. I walked out of the room with Charlotte's mom, not forgetting to cast a longing look back at the untouched cake and juice. Of course, if I could have eaten them, I definitely would have, but if I did, Charlotte's mom would have left, and then Charlotte wouldn't have let me go. So, it was a strategic retreat, a temporary sacrifice for future freedom.
Charlotte's mom, her smile still warm and unwavering, saw me to the door. "Now, Kai-kun," she began, her voice a gentle chiding, "even though you left without eating today, you won't be getting away with that next time, understand? I'll make sure there's extra cake just for you." Her eyes twinkled with a maternal fondness that was almost as disarming as her beauty.
And she was beautiful. And, dare I say it, quite sexy. Her golden blonde hair, impeccably styled, framed a face that was strikingly similar to Charlotte's, only with the added maturity and grace of a woman in her prime. It was clear where Charlotte inherited her stunning looks and that characteristic flaxen mane. A true testament to good genes, apparently.
The Road to Kagamioka: A Three-Phase Gauntlet
Okay, so, what's next on the agenda for this suddenly shrunk, strategically-minded prodigy? Collecting this preliminary information was utterly trivial compared to the Herculean hurdles I'd face to actually get into Kagamioka Elite Academy.
A small, inconvenient detail: I live in Fukuoka. Not Tokyo. No! Yeah, I know, most protagonists magically reside in Tokyo, right in the thick of the action, where all the convenient plot devices are. But, alas, that's simply not the case in my ridiculously re-rolled life. My journey begins from a different, less glamorous part of Japan.
So, according to my fragmented but crucial knowledge from my previous life, the Quantum Leap Scholarship test is a beast with three distinct phases.
Phase One: The MCQ Gauntlet in Tokyo. First, we hopefuls have to trek all the way to Tokyo to take a multiple-choice questionnaire exam. This isn't just any MCQ; this is the elimination round. Out of all of Japan, only a mere 600 students pass this initial screening. Six hundred! Think of the sheer number of brainy kids, all vying for that minuscule sliver of opportunity. It's less a test and more an intellectual thunderdome.
Phase Two: The Written Crucible in the Alps. Now, this is where it gets really interesting, and frankly, a bit ridiculous. In the second phase, the lucky 600 from Japan, along with an unspecified, but clearly elite, contingent of students from other countries, have to travel to the Japanese Alps. Why the Alps? Because that's where Kagamioka Academy is situated, nestled among peaks like some secret lair for future world leaders. This phase is a grueling written exam.
And yes, you heard that right: students from other countries too! And they're so ridiculously wealthy that they can jet-set from across the globe just to take a scholarship test, but apparently, they can't simply pay for admission? Why, you ask? Because "elite" means playing by their bizarre rules, that's why! It's like having enough money to buy a private jet but still needing to win a raffle ticket to get on a public bus. Just ask them! I'm sure their reasons are spectacularly convoluted and self-important.
Finally, in the third stage, only a select few students remain, and they undergo a viva, a grueling interview designed to expose any weakness, any crack in their intellectual armor. From this terrifying gauntlet, only two students for each grade are selected. All this fuss, all these hoops, all these international flights and Alpine treks, just to pick a grand total of six students? Yes. Apparently, exclusivity is key to their brand.
Anyway, forget that mind-boggling inefficiency for a moment. Let's talk about the cold, hard cash. The registration fee for this scholarship test in Japan is 10,000 yen. And they have the audacity to call that "lowest." Wow, right? For 2014, when 10,000 yen actually meant something substantial, that's not exactly pocket change for a typical family, let alone a ten-year-old with no income. So, these "philanthropic" people are making a tidy little profit along the way. It's clear they've kept the registration fees intentionally high, a brilliant, subtle tactic to effortlessly reduce the competition right from the start. And, naturally, the travel expenses to Tokyo and then all the way to the Japanese Alps are separate. Because, of course, they are.
So, the next question, the rather pressing one: where on earth will I get all this money from? Should I ask Charlotte? Absolutely not! My pride, already slightly bruised from being used as a body pillow, won't allow that. And I only have two months to collect this small fortune. Wow, what a delightfully generous timeframe!
I was just mentally calculating the approximate number of lemonade stands it would take to earn 10,000 yen (plus travel, ugh) when someone punched me squarely from behind. Not hard enough to hurt, but enough to annoy. I spun around, already annoyed.
"How are you, idiot?" a voice chirped.
It was a chubby boy. I knew him; he was a classmate whose name... I'd conveniently forgotten. What do I do now? My memory for trivial details like childhood bullies' names wasn't exactly stellar, even in my past life. He also had three scrawny lackeys with him, and I didn't know any of their names either. Great.
In a situation like this, facing a nameless, chubby aggressor and his equally anonymous posse, there was only one sensible thing I could do.
I started running away.
"What, I'm a scaredy-cat?" I muttered to myself as my little legs pumped. "Hey, it's not fear! It's a strategic retreat! A tactical disengagement!"
"Where are you going to run, you won't escape!" their leader shouted, his voice surprisingly breathless, and started running after me, his lackeys following close behind, their little legs flailing like synchronized swimmers.
So, the question is, why did I run? What else could I do? It would be ridiculously easy to make them cry, to send them sprawling with a well-placed trip or a feigned stumble that made them look like clumsy oafs. But if I did that, their overly protective parents would undoubtedly come complaining, accusing me of bullying their precious angels. And besides, since I'm a "good kid" (I'm acting as one, a truly convincing performance, if I do say so myself), I can't be seen fighting. Fighting kids aren't liked by people; they're seen as delinquents, troublemakers.
Yes, people like kids who just stay quiet, get bullied, and endure it all, so that some heroic adult can swoop in and become a hero by saving those poor, defenseless kids. It makes me absolutely furious! The injustice of it all!
Huh, okay... no getting angry. Deep breaths. I could easily outrun them and get rid of them without breaking a sweat, but... you know! It's about maintaining appearances.
I kept running through the narrow street for a while, turning corners, dodging imaginary obstacles. "Oh man," I thought, huffing a little (purely for show, of course), "why is no one around? Have all the people here disappeared? Am I going to have to outsmart these pint-sized villains all by myself?" It was almost a letdown. Where were the dramatic alleyways, the sudden convenient fences to leap over, the random dog that could chase them away? This strategic retreat was turning into a rather boring cardio session.
As I took a sharp turn, I spotted her: a high school girl, seemingly plucked from the pages of a shojo manga. Her body was slender, almost impossibly delicate, save for her... well, you know! And she was undeniably cute, with eyes that sparkled and a gentle aura about her. Without a moment's hesitation, I darted towards her, a tiny shadow seeking refuge, and hid behind her.
"Onee-chan, please save me," I pleaded, my voice pitched perfectly for a cute puppy-dog face, which I was sure I was sporting.
She looked down at me, a flicker of surprise in her eyes, then her gaze hardened, turning to the approaching gang with an angry, protective look. Yes, Onee-chan. I am that innocent, defenseless boy who is being mercilessly troubled. Now, teach them a lesson. A painful one, ideally.
"Okay, so, are you going to tell me what's going on here?" Onee-san asked, her voice calm but with an undeniable edge.
"Nothing, Onee-san!" chirped the chubby leader, his bravado deflating slightly. "We were just playing a game with our friend, and he ran here!"
"Oh," she replied, raising a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. "But he's saying you guys were bullying him."
"He's lying!" exclaimed one of his lackeys, stepping forward indignantly.
"Whether he's telling the truth or lying," she said, her voice dropping to a cool, dismissive tone, "it's clear he doesn't want to play with you guys. So, get out of here. Now."
They exchanged hesitant glances, muttering under their breath, but the authority in her voice was undeniable. They reluctantly turned and slunk away, their grand pursuit ending in utter humiliation. Victory!
She sat down, her delicate hand reaching out to touch my cheek. Her touch was soft, comforting.
"Onee-chan—" I started, preparing my next line.
"Don't worry," she interrupted, a soft smile gracing her lips. "I know you're telling the truth. Do they always bother you like this?" she asked, her concern palpable.
"...Yes," I said reluctantly, forcing a faint tremble into my voice. There's no way a cute, innocent kid like me could possibly lie, right?
"You should really do something about this," she said, her brow furrowing with genuine worry. "You escaped this time, but what will you do next time if I'm not around?"
"Does that mean if I come to you for help next time, you won't save me?" I asked, feigning ignorance, my lower lip trembling ever so slightly.
"No, silly," she sighed, a small laugh escaping her. "Of course not! Suppose if I'm with you, nothing will happen, but if I'm not with you, what will you do? I can't always be with you, can I?" she said, her fingers gently caressing my cheek, her touch surprisingly tender.
"I... I guess not," I murmured, playing the lost, vulnerable child to perfection.
"Anyway, forget that for now," she said, a brighter tone entering her voice. "There's a coffee shop nearby. Will you come with me? My treat!"
Uhh, I don't have any money in my pocket right now. Zero. Zilch. If I told her I didn't have money, she'd insist on buying coffee for me too and pay for it herself. There's no way my pride would allow that. So, the plan: after going there, I'd just say I don't like coffee and only drink water. Simple, elegant, and maintains my fabricated sense of independence.
"What's wrong? What are you thinking about so hard?" she asked, a hint of amusement in her voice. "Don't worry, I said it's my treat. Come on now." She took my hand, her fingers warm and slender around my small one, and gently tugged me along.
"That's not it..." I mumbled reluctantly, my voice trailing off as if I were too shy to explain.
"By the way, what's your name?" she asked, already walking, clearly unfazed by my hesitation.
"Kai... Kai Shiroyanagi."
"That's a very cute name," she cooed, her smile widening. "Who gave it to you? Your mom?"
Oh no, she's treating me like a baby. I know I'm technically a child, but... this is just cringy. My internal, cynical 18-year-old was revolting.
"By the way, Kai... you look very cute when you're shy," she said, glancing down at me, a teasing glint in her eyes. It seems she misinterpreted my stony silence for bashfulness. Wow, a master manipulator, a strategic genius, being teased by a high school girl. Who would have thought? The irony was almost too delicious.
We went inside the coffee shop, the inviting aroma of roasted beans filling the air. We found a small, empty table in a corner.
"Okay, Kai, so what would you like to eat?" she asked, picking up the menu.
"I'm on a diet," I stated flatly, my face a mask of seriousness. "I'll just drink water."
She stared at me, a fork halfway to her mouth. "Look, you—"
"I'm not shy," I cut in, my voice unwavering. "I genuinely don't feel like eating. Too much excitement today, you know?"
Her eyebrows rose, a challenging glint in her eyes. "Then why did you come to this coffee shop with me?" she pressed, clearly trying to corner me.
Okay, if I acted innocent now, she'd definitely think I was just being shy and bashful. Time for a little boldness.
"Because I wanted to spend time with you," I said, looking up at her with wide, earnest eyes. I hope I didn't say too much. I could feel a faint blush creep onto my cheeks, not entirely feigned. The silence that followed stretched, filled only by the distant hum of the espresso machine.
"Oh," she said, her voice softer now, a faint blush appearing on her own cheeks. "Well... that's... that's nice, Kai-kun." She paused, then picked up the menu again, a little less confident than before. "So, water for you then. And what about me... hmm." She was flustered! My little gambit had paid off!
She still ordered two coffees and two pastries, seemingly unfazed by my "diet" declaration. Perhaps she merely considered it a minor, adorable quirk.
"Come here for a moment," she said flatly, her voice losing its earlier playful tone. My internal alarm bells went off. There's no way she would hit me or scold me just because I boldly said that I wanted to spend time with her, right? But the sudden change in her demeanor was unnerving. I braced myself for what was to come, cautiously moving closer.
Suddenly, with surprising strength, she picked me up and, before I could react, placed me firmly on her lap, hugging me tightly. Her embrace was warm, almost suffocating.
"Oh man, you're so cute. I wish I had a brother just like you," she cooed, burying her face slightly in my hair.
Alright, time to play my card, a risky gambit, but one that could accelerate my objective.
"Brother? Only a fool would want to be a brother of a cute girl like you," I said, the words slipping out with a practiced innocence that belied the calculation behind them. I had to hold back a triumphant grin. To get outcomes faster, one has to take risks. Besides, I just met her today, so I didn't care if she got angry with me. Worst case, she'd just drop me off and I'd be back to square one with my scholarship hunt.
"Oh, really?" she asked, pulling back slightly to look at me, her eyes wide with surprise, then a slow, curious smile. "So, what would you like to be then?"