Chapter 49

Ultimately, Stephen shrugged off Mindy's words. ... Stephen chatted with Mindy for about half an hour. Zachary had initially planned to wait, but he lost patience after five minutes and promptly left. Natasha, however, lingered in the classroom for at least 20 minutes, hoping to talk to Stephen. Stephen had been deliberately avoiding her lately. It had been over two weeks since their encounter at the swimming pool, and it was also her first time seeing him since. "Nat, let's go. Stephen probably snuck out already," Wendy urged. She was there to keep Natasha company, but she was also growing impatient as most of their classmates had left. Natasha reluctantly agreed, her expression a mix of disappointment and hurt. "Wendy, why does Stephen seem to dislike me so much now?" "Nat, how do you really feel? Have you actually fallen for Stephen, or..." Wendy probed. "I don't know." Natasha pouted, analyzing her feelings. "I'm definitely upset. Stephen used to be so nice to me. Why is he