Chapter 248

The next morning brought a light drizzle. The weather was terrible. I called a few senior classmates, but one was stuck because of a massive downpour, the other stranded by a snowstorm—none of them could make it. All they could do was cheer me on over the phone. I gave them a quick reply, nothing more. I was originally supposed to go with the group, but after what happened that night, I decided to head to the competition alone. The only one I might chat with was Eva Baker, but I didn’t even ask how she was doing yesterday—I’d been too wiped out. Plus, she’d just had surgery. Even if she showed up for the first round, no way she had the strength for round two. This was a global-level competition; people here were fighting tooth and nail. There’s no room for weakness. I wore a red dress, covered with a light-colored long coat, heels clicking on the wet pavement. I held a large black umbrella, but still ended up getting pretty wet. As I stepped inside the venue, I spotted Paul Allen right