Meanwhile, over at Mayweather Polytechnic University, Mica was in a classroom in one of the campus
buildings.She was seated in the last row as she worked on her calligraphy while waiting for Sebastian's
class to end.
Just then, Tiana walked past the back door and spotted Mica from the corner of her eyes.She
sauntered into the classroom and approached Mica, hoping that she would tell her what Elise had been
up to these days.
However, she had only just walked up to Mica when she caught a glimpse of the calligraphy work on
the desk, and she suddenly grew very interested in it.
The Sonnet 18 calligraphy transcription bore the unique font that QH herself had developed.The font
was precise, elegant, and demanded the beholder's attention.
The transcription was as good as a printed copy, but it was obviously hand- written, seeing as it was on
an ordinary piece of paper instead of proper stationery.
Mica couldn't even make the cut for the Calligraphy Association.
Who would've thought that she personally knew a legendary figure who possessed such refined
calligraphy skills? The transcription is superbly done! Just then, Tiana suddenly remembered that
Sonnet 18 happened to be the theme for the Calligraphy Contest finals held by the Tissote Calligraphy
Association.
So, if she could get her hands on this copybook and use it as a guide while practicing at home, she
was bound to win first place! Tiana brightened up at the thought, but she recomposed herself just as
quickly as she reached out to tap Mica on the shoulder.
Mica turned around with a smile as she thought that it was Sebastian who had tapped her shoulder but
frowned when she saw that it was Tiana.
While Tiana was always courteous to her, Mica still found the girl inexplicably and unnervingly hard to
read.
"Good day, Miss Hill," Mica greeted with an awkward nod.
"Is there something I can help you with?"
"It's no big deal, but Sebastian was bringing his friend to the infirmary after the poor lad suffered a heat
stroke, and he was asking if you could go over and lend him some cash," Tiana lied smoothly.
"A heat stroke?"
Mica's eyes widened in concern as she pressed, "Is Sebastian okay?"
"He's fine, but he left his wallet back home this morning, so he really needs your help now" Tiana
answered solemnly.
"Okay, thanks for telling me.I'll get going then!"
Mica said as she slung her purse over her shoulder and hurried out of the classroom.
The classrooms on this floor mainly were used as study halls on campus, and nearly all the desks were
occupied with books and other stationery, indicating that the desks were taken, not to mention saving
students the trouble of moving their stuff around.
This wasn't the first time Mica had been here, and in a force of habit, she had left the more
cumbersome items behind on her desk, such as her calligraphy work.
When Mica's footfalls faded, Tiana went to the doorway and peered out the corridor.
It was only after she was sure that Mica had gone out of sight that she returned to the desk, took the
Sonnet 18 transcription out from the pile of papers, and then shoved it into her bag.
After that, she fled the scene.
Fifteen minutes later, Mica left the infirmary with a confused look, only to run into Sebastian at the
stairwell.
"Sebastian?"
Bewildered, she asked, "Weren't you supposed to be in the infirmary? What were you doing upstairs?"
"Infirmary?" Sebastian blinked at her.
"Class ended earlier than usual, and I came to look for you.Is something wrong?"
"But Tiana told me that you—ah, forget it.Now that your class has ended, shall we grab lunch? I don't
want us to have to wade through the cafeteria crowd when the rush hour hits."
She couldn't care less about anything else now that she had Sebastian with her.
However, when she returned to the classroom to retrieve her things, she immediately noticed that the
Sonnet 18 Elise had personally calligraphed for her was missing.
She flipped through all the papers and books on the table and even the desk drawer, but the script was
nowhere to be found.
Frustration and anxiousness filled her as she realized that this was the second time she had lost
something Elise had given her.
Suddenly, an overwhelming surge of guilt seized her, and tears started welling up in her eyes as she
panicked.
"Hey, why are you tearing up out of the blue?"
Sebastian asked gently when he sensed that she had become gloomy next to him.
"I lost the calligraphy script Elise gave me.I was supposed to use it as a guide, and now it's gone!" Mica
said mournfully.
"Are you talking about the Sonnet 18 you've been poring over for the whole morning?"
He thought she was being a little melodramatic about this and snapped impatiently, "How is losing a
piece of paper a big deal? It's not as if you'd be making a career out of calligraphy anyway.Can't you
just buy another script or something?"
"No, you don't understand.Elise has been nothing but kind to me, and I...I've just been losing
everything she gave me..."
Mica couldn't help the self-blame that washed over her.
Sebastian grew furious when he heard this.
"What is that supposed to mean? Do you still blame me for losing your precious badge? I thought we
agreed that we'd move on from that.Mica, if you have no intention of getting back together with me, just
tell me right off the bat instead of holding my mistakes over my head!"
Mica was already despondent, but to hear him lash out at her made her gut wrench, and she lowered
her head as tears started spilling down her cheeks.
At the sight of this, Sebastian softened.
He still had some feelings for her, and he didn't like seeing her cry.
As such, he pulled her into his arms, then apologized softly, "Okay, I'm sorry.Stop crying.I only meant to
say that the past is the past, and we shouldn't let it affect us anymore.Mica, you know that I want to be
with you for the long run, don't you?"
She sniffed and stopped crying at once.
"I know.I just wish you'd trust me a little more.I don’t blame you; I'm just worried I would let you guys
down."
"That's enough now.Come on, let's get something good for lunch."
"Okay."
She gathered her things and followed him out of the classroom obediently.
For some reason, she couldn't shake the feeling that Tiana had stolen the script from her, but in the
absence of proof, she could only try to ignore this nagging thought.
Ever since his meeting with Jack, Craig had been struggling to make it as a gigolo.
But, unfortunately, it had been half a month since any of the usual affluent ladies called him up, and he
wasn't sure where they managed to get a hold of the younger trainees, either.
These days, he waited at the restaurants where the wealthy ladies usually patronized to badger them,
only to have them cast him aside after they showed up with their younger new beaus.
Craig was used to living the high life after all this time of getting his hefty allowances from these ladies,
and he couldn't be bothered to entertain those who could only offer him mere thousands.
So, with his source of income shrinking fast, he decided to crawl back to Winona.
He went over to a high-end restaurant and ordered a feast for take-out, then made it look as if he was
the one who had prepared it.
Then, after asking Winona for her address, he showed up at her front door.
The bell had only just been rung when Winona came up to the door excitedly.
"Here you go, Miss Jennings! Kindly sign to accept this lovingly-prepared lunch from a certain admirer,"
Craig said pleasantly with a sweet smile.
Winona took the food containers and played along with his act, "Why, thank you, Mr.Delivery Man.My
boyfriend isn't home right now.Care to come in?"
"Oh? Is that an invitation, ma'am? I can't promise that I won't do anything naughty,"
he teased as he wiggled his fingers like he was about to tickle her, then followed her through the door
while she squealed and made to run away from him.
He had only just passed the threshold when he saw Elise standing by the kitchen counter with a drink
in hand, and she was appraising them with mild amusement.
"Miss Sinclair" he greeted politely with a flamboyant bow.
Winona wasted no time in making introductions.
"Elise, this is my boyfriend, Craig."
Elise pursed her lips and smiled as she eyed Craig meaningfully, then drawled with heavy implication,
"How nice of you to personally bring Winona lunch.Thoughtfulness is a wonderful quality to have in a
boyfriend, indeed."
He chuckled and pretended like he was embarrassed by the compliment, then scratched his head as
he said demurely, "I just haven't seen her for a while, and I thought it'd be nice to drop by for a visit."
Winona flushed but seemed happy as she pursed her lips and said nothing.
Elise, on the other hand, looked highly entertained as she asked knowingly, "You're a drama student,
right?"
As it turned out, one could even pretend to love someone and make it look believable if one tried hard
enough.
62fb1bb41dcb31934bd49bda