Chapter 21
Lenore took the milk carton from Bonnie and gently pinched her cheek, a rare warmth in her smile.
“I heard the SAT is stressful, so I’m here to help you study.”
Bonnie’s eyes sparkled with joy. She knew Lenore never lied.
Just as she was about to say something more—
Ding, ding!
The school bell rang, cutting her off.
“I’ve got to get to class now!” Bonnie said quickly.
Lenore nodded. “Go ahead.”
Bonnie jogged up the stairs, her ponytail bouncing with each step.
But before she got far, a blushing boy stopped her and awkwardly handed her a pink envelope.
Lenore chuckled to herself.
Looks like my little girlfriend is all grown up now… even getting love letters.
Tossing the milk carton in her hand, she turned and headed to Class 4.
Class 24 – Chaos
“Kyle! Kyle!”
Lance practically shouted in Kyle’s ear, his excitement causing a ripple effect in the already noisy classroom.
“She’s here! The new girl! And she’s super pretty and cool!”
Kyle, who had been resting his arms on his desk, let out a sigh and rolled his eyes.
“No matter how pretty she is, she can’t be prettier than my Aunt Lenore.”
To him, Lenore was the real star.
Lance waved a picture in front of his face. “Don’t believe me? Look at this!”
Kyle shoved him away. “Not interested. I’m trying to sleep here.”
Lance pouted. “You’re gonna regret this.”
Just then—
The back door of the classroom opened.
A girl walked in, effortlessly tossing a milk carton in her hand.
Lenore.
Lance’s eyes lit up.
“Kyle! Kyle! Look! Just take one peek! If she’s not amazing, you can hit me!”
Kyle sighed and sat up, annoyed.
“Look at what? I swear, I’ll—”
But the moment he turned his head—
His sentence got caught in his throat.
He stared.
The irritation vanished from his face, replaced by pure shock.
“Whoa…”
Lance smirked. “See? I wasn’t kidding.”
I knew he’d react like this.
The Big Reveal
Lenore stopped in front of Kyle’s desk, raising an eyebrow.
Her cold gaze held a hint of mischief.
A slight smirk curled on her lips.
Kyle, suddenly feeling awkward under her stare, felt his heart racing for no reason.
He quickly forced a nervous smile.
“Aunt… Aunt Lenore?”
Lance blinked in confusion.
“Wait. What did you just call her?”
Before Kyle could respond—
Lenore patted his head lightly and said,
“Good boy.”
Kyle: …?!
Lance: …?!
The entire class: …?!
Lance’s jaw dropped. “Huh?! Did Kyle just call her ‘Aunt’?”
His mind went blank.
No way. This guy—the ‘school bully’—is calling her Aunt?
Lance turned to Kyle, eyes filled with disbelief.
“Am I hearing things, or did you actually—”
Kyle cleared his throat loudly, cutting him off.
Then, in a low voice, he asked Lenore cautiously—
“Why didn’t you tell me you were coming to Greenvine?”
Lenore didn’t answer right away.
Instead, she walked over to her desk, moving with the effortless grace of a predator.
Just as she pulled out her chair—
A pile of colorful envelopes tumbled onto the floor.
Love letters.
Lenore frowned slightly, her eyes turning colder.
The Classroom Reacts
Kyle quickly leaned down to help.
“Let me get that.” He offered, a slight smile playing on his lips.
Lance, still in shock, just stood there.
The rest of the class, however—
They were losing their minds.
“Wait… is Kyle… helping her?”
“No way. She just got here, and she already tamed the school bully?!”
“This girl is something else…”
Whispers spread through the room, students exchanging wide-eyed looks.
But Kyle and Lenore?
They acted like nothing was out of the ordinary.
First Period Begins
As the first class started, Kyle couldn’t stop sneaking glances at Lenore.
His curiosity got the better of him.
Leaning over slightly, he whispered—
“Aunt Lenore, where have you been this past year?”
It had been a year since he last saw her.
Lenore, leaning back against the wall, twirled her pen lazily.
“Fixing cars in Peacefield.”
Kyle’s mouth twitched.
“Come on, you don’t have to make up a lame excuse if you don’t want to tell me.”
He muttered in his mind: An indescribably striking big shot like you? Fixing cars? What a joke!
Lenore shrugged, unfazed.
She had told the truth.
If Kyle didn’t believe her—
That was his problem.
