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A splashy swimming session had everyoneâs cheeks aflame, except for Everard, who remained as nonchalant as ever, as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred beneath the waves.
It was only when Cordelia felt her lungs screaming for air that Everard released her, and the pair broke the surface, finally able to stand and speak.
Cordelia scowled. âYou canât swim?â
Everard nodded. âNo, will you teach me?â
A silent rant passed through Cordeliaâs mind. Figures, the guyâs all charm and no substance, a real pretty boy
with no life skills
She exhaled, offering consolation. âDonât beat yourself up, youâll learn if you practice.â
Everard said nothing.
Cordelia probed further, âBut why on earth did you kiss me just now?â
Everard paused. Her question so devoid of romance, it was almost funny. But he had his response ready. âI was running out of breath and needed some air. Iâve seen it on TV shows, sharing a breath is supposed to
work.â
âReally?â Cordelia hadnât felt a thing since heâd sucked all the air from her lungs. âIs that so?â she asked, puzzled.
Everardâs eyes narrowed, about to speak, when Cordelia piped up, âLetâs try again. You give me air this time, and Iâll see if it works.â
âSure.â Everardâs gaze held a hint of amusement, but he watched as Cordelia dipped back under the water, and he followed suitâ¦
Half a minute later, they surfaced again, and Everard asked, âDid you feel it?â
Cordelia shook her head. âNope.â
Everard placed his hands on her shoulders, gently guiding her back down. âThen letâs keep going.â
After several more attempts without success, Cordelia stood upright and declared, âTV is full of lies!â
Everard grinned. âSo, girl, will you teach me to swim now?â
Cordelia said reluctantly, âFine.â
What followed was-
âDonât cling to my waist!â said Cordelia.
âIâm scared Iâll drown. Itâs terrifying in there, I feel so insecure.â replied Everard.
âRelax, youâll float, comforted Cordelia.
âI canât relax around you.â said Everard.
Their exchange, rife with innuendo, drifted to Merry and Bland, who were already feeling awkward and now even more so. After while, Bland asked, âStill scared of the water?â
Merry shook her head. âNot anymore.â
Blandâs voice was low and warm. âThen letâs go up and rest for a bit.â
Chapter 184
âSounds goodâ
They come of the pool, and as Merryâs gaze lingered on Bland, he suggested, âLetâs wait for them in the lounge outsideâ
âAh, yeah, sure,â Merry replied, unable to tear her eyes away from the sight of Bland.
Itâs normal to take a shower change before relaxing. Merry followed Bland a few steps before he stopped and looked back at her. âHey, you want to shower together?â
Thatâs when Merry realized she had unwittingly followed Bland into the menâs locker room!
Thank goodness they had booked the pool privately today, otherwiseâ¦
Blushing furiously, Merry dashed into the womenâs locker room.
They said goodbye to Cordelia, who spent some more time trying to teach Everard to swim. But he remained hopeless
clinging to her every time they got in the water. Eventually she sighed, âLetâs call it a day.â
Once out of the pool and ready to change, Everard suddenly grabbed her arm, pulling her into a collision with his chest.
Their scant attire made the contact all the more palpable. Cordelia, feeling the coolness of his body, was distracted by his voice. âGirl, itâs Saturday. We wonât see each other tomorrow.â
Cordelia was puzzled. âSo?â
Everard leaned in closer. âI promised to stick to our dating schedule. This is this weekâs kissâ¦â
Before she could protest, his lips were on hers.
In the shower, Cordelia touched her swollen lips with annoyance.
She had agreed to one kiss a week, but she hadnât anticipated it could last so long!
When she reached the lounge, Everard was already dressed in a sleek black outfit that accentuated his trim waistline.
Cordelia caught herself staring a bit too long before shaking off the thoughts that lingered in her mind⦠Merry approached her, overhearing Cordelia muttering to herself, reciting poems to refocus her mind. It seemed Cordelia was ruminating on the saying about not knowing the vastness of the sky or the depths of the earth without experiencing them firsthand. But now, it was Everardâs waistline that seemed infinitely fascinatingâ¦.
After a communal lunch, Bland inquired about the afternoonâs plans.
Cordelia wanted to get back to her studies.
Bland and Everard turned to Merry.
Recently influenced by Cordelia, Merry nodded. âI need to hit the books too, exams are coming up!â Determined to get closer to Ontoky City Film and Animation Academy and her brother, she had to buckle down.
Bland and Everard had no choice but to drop the girls off at home.
That afternoon, Cordelia and Merry hunkered down in Cordeliaâs room to study. With Cordeliaâs guidance, Merry soon found her stride, catching up on her weaker subjects, hopeful for a strong exam performance.
At nine oâclock in the evening, like clockwork, Cordelia picked up her phone, ready to dive into her nightly gaming ritual.
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The POT game was brilliantly designed, testing both reflexes and strategy. Cordelia had climbed the ranks to the echelon of champions, match more thrilling than the last, fueling her desire to conquer, to mast
the game.
Despite the warning from the Jungler, Cordelia found it hard to believe that in the vast expanse of the Superiority Country, sheâd actually come across some of Sweetheartâs fans.
But she underestimated the esports grapevine.
As she entered the match and locked in her character choice, she was immediately greeted by a message on the public chat, visible to friend and foe alike, âLadies and gents, we have The Learner on our team. Letâs just stay put, folks. The other team can push mid and end this quick. After this match, everyone can take a screenshot to Sweetheart and collect a cool hundred bucks!â
Cordeliaâs brow furrowed in displeasure.
The match, undoubtedly, was a bust.