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    255 vouchers


    ‘Like I can’t tell she’s putting on an act. Let’s see how long she keeps up the charade, Tiffany thought to


    herself.


    Tiffany walked up to Alicia and took her hand with a bright smile. “Come on, Alicia, let’s eat together.”


    Alicia frowned. “I already told you, I don’t need your help.”


    Alicia pulled her hand free from Tiffany’s grip, not even using much force, but Tiffany nearly lost her bnce and had to grab onto a ssmate for support.


    ‘Unbelievable. Alicia isn’t even getting mad, Tiffany thought bitterly to herself. ‘No matter whether she flips out or not today, I’m going to make sure everyone turns against her!


    Tiffany bit her lower lip, her eyes shimmering with tears, and whispered in her sweetest, most delicate voice, “Alicia, I–I just wanted to invite you to a meal.”


    Alicia couldn’t be bothered to watch her little performance anymore. Just as she was about to step around Tiffany, a bunch of students who always hovered around Tiffany cut off her escape.


    “Alicia, you’re just the adopted daughter in the Lawrence family. Nobody really cares about you—Tiffany’s the only one who even calls you family.


    “She saw you sitting there hungry and kindly offered to share her meal, but this is how you treat her? You’re so out of line. Hurry up and apologize to Tiffany,” one girl snapped.


    “Seriously. Just because you grew up in the Lawrence family doesn’t make you some precious heiress. Who do you think you are, acting all high and mighty?” another sneered.


    All of them started ganging up on Alicia, taking turns to throw shade and me her however they could.


    Sienna was about ready to go off on Alicia’s behalf. She wanted to speak up for her, but Alicia caught her by the arm, holding her back.


    Alicia didn’t want Sienna getting involved and taking the heat from Tiffany all over again–she knew all too well how things went downst time in her previous life.


    So Alicia stepped up, her eyes locked on Tiffany. “Did I not make myself clear? I said I don’t need your help. Why are you so intent on dragging me into this?


    “Just want to y the hero and show everybody what a saint you are?”


    invity


    “Alicia, you haven’t eaten yet. I just feel bad for you, so I wanted to invite you,” Tiffany said softly, her eyes glistening as she tried her best to look pitiful.


    Alicia couldn’t help butugh. “I don’t have anything to eat? Seriously, Tiffany? We’re in the school cafeteria.


    “Do you really think I’m starving? Let me make this crystal clear: I don’t want your food, and I sure as hell don’t need it.”


    15:42 Wed, Oct <b>1 </b>


    Tiffany was caught off guard. She hadn’t expected Alicia to shut her down so bluntly, without even bothering toe up with an excuse. For once, she was left speechless.


    But Tiffany’s little squad wasn’t about to drop it.


    One of them barked, “Alicia, you really don’t know how lucky you are. Tiffany’s being super nice to you. She’s offering you food from Garden Nook Bistro; do you even realize how exclusive that ce is?”


    “Girl probably doesn’t even know what Garden Nook Bistro is. She’s got no taste at all,” another scoffed.


    “Honestly, it’s almost sad. She’s never tasted anything real, so now she’s actuallyparing Garden Nook Bistro, the second hottest spot in Riverdale, to cafeteria grub? That’s just pathetic,” someone else snickered.


    The snarkyments just kepting, one after another, like waves crashing over Alicia.


    Sienna was practically steaming with anger. She snatched the boxed lunch Tiffany had handed her earlier and shoved it right back at Tiffany. “We don’t want your crappy lunch. Take it back.”


    Tiffany fixed Sienna with an icy, hostile stare.


    Just then, a guy came over to Tiffany, looking a bit nervous. “Hey Tiffany, do you think I could have that lunch?


    “My little sister saw Garden Nook Bistro featured on TV the other day, and she’s been begging to try it. I was hoping I could bring it home for her.”


    Tiffany gave him a smug nce, then passed the lunchbox right to Nora standing beside her, her tone <i>icy </i>and dismissive. “Give it to Hank,” she said, barely bothering to look at the guy.


    Nora wrinkled her nose in disgust at Hank Grant, shoved the box into his hands, and furiously wiped her palms against her clothes, as if she’d just touched something filthy.


    Hank’s eyes dimmed, but he went ahead and took the lunchbox, sighing heavily as he nced at Sienna. “Man, passing up food from Garden Nook Bistro? That’s just dumb.”


    Hank turned to Alicia, saying, “Come on, Alicia, folks like us, with part–time gigs just to make ends meet, it’s not every day we get a shot at something like Garden Nook Bistro.


    “This could be a once–in–a–lifetime thing, and you’re just acting like it means nothing? Have you forgotten what we used to dream about? Just getting a taste from Garden Nook Bistro or Noble Leaf Bistro.


    “Sure, we still haven’t made it to Noble Leaf Bistro, but this is already a big deal. Why are you ying it like you’re above all this? Stop putting on airs, seriously.”


    Some of the students burst outughing at Hank. “Seriously? Imagine having lunch as your life goal. That’s hrious.” <fn44af> Fresh chapters posted on f?ndnovel</fn44af>


    “How hopeless can you get? Why would the Lawrence family even bother sending someone like her here? Just throwing their money away.”


    “Wasn’t she just acting all superior, turning up her nose at Tiffany’s invite? Turns out eating at Garden Nook


    Bistro is her biggest wish–what a total poser.”


    “She’s probably sitting there trying not to drool. Guess that’s why she hasn’t said a word.”


    Alicia nced at Hank, and her thoughts shed back to some of her roughest days.


    经


    44


    E56 vouchers


    Back when she first started college, Aaron’s birthday was just around the corner. He had this thing for collecting all kinds of rocks, and there was one piece in particr he really liked, too bad he couldn’t afford it.


    Close to his birthday, he casually mentioned to Alicia how much he wanted that rock.


    Alicia just wanted her brothers to like her, so she was always trying to please them. Once she knew Aaron wanted that stone, she decided to buy it for him.


    The rock cost a whopping 10 thousand dors. Alicia didn’t have much cash on hand. She’d been juggling part–time gigs and secretly selling her art on foreign websites, but the money never seemed <i>to </ist.


    She even borrowed some money from Sienna and spent everyst cent she had, leaving herself dead broke with not even enough for food, all just to get Aaron that stone.


    That month, Alicia basically had nothing to eat. Every day, she survived on bread and sd.


    She stopped showing up at the cafeteria and went straight up to the top of the academic building instead. That was where she bumped into Hank, who was sitting there too, clutching his food.


    Maybe it was their shared struggles, but the two of them ended up talking a lot back then.


    Alicia gradually learned all sorts of things about Hank; his family barely scraped by, he hustled every semester for schrships, and took on several part–time jobs at once just to help keep things afloat.


    Hank also came to understand what Alicia was going through.


    During those days, Hank was always so fired up, telling her, “Doesn’t matter if we started out at rock bottom, as long as we don’t give up, one day we’ll make it.


    “Whenever I push myself a little harder, I just know I’ll get my whole family living better lives. My mom’s health will get better, and I’ll buy her a nice big house.


    “And for my little sister, I’ll finally get her that princess dress she’s always dreamed of.”


    Alicia still remembered the day he asked her, “Alicia, if you ever get rich, what would you do?”


    Back then, without even hesitating, Alicia had said, “I’d splurge on some real food.”


    It wasn’t some grand n; daydreaming just wasn’t her thing. She’d simply blurted out whatever popped into her head at that moment.


    Hank would lick his lips and say with determination, “When I have money, I’m going to give my family the life they deserve.


    “I’ll take them out to eat at Noble Leaf Bistro and Garden Nook Bistro every single day, until we get absolutely


    15:42 Wed<b>, </b><b>Oct </b><b>1 </b>


    tired of it.”


    <b>44 </b>


    55 vouchers


    Alicia also remembered how, back then, some ssmates tried to shame Hank, tossing their half–eaten leftovers at him like dogs getting scraps. But Hank never epted any of it.


    Hank always said with pride, “I won’t eat food that’s been thrown at me out of pity.”


    Despite his tough background, Alicia always thought Hank was a good guy–hardworking, resilient, and someone she genuinely considered a friend.


    But now, watching Hank today, Alicia could only think to herself, ‘What is he even saying? And what is he doing?‘


    Alicia met Hank’s gaze and replied coolly, “Maybe that’s your dream, Hank, but it’s never been mine.”


    Hank gritted his teeth, spitting out the words. “Quit pretending, Alicia. Not your dream? Yeah, right.


    “Back then, you were battling stray dogs over a single pie, licking greasy leftovers off tossed–out lunch boxes. You seriously forgot all that?”


    As soon as Hank spat that out, Tiffany’s crew jumped in,ying on the mockery. “Oh my god, she actually went at it with stray dogs for scraps? That’s nasty.”


    “Fighting over food is one thing, but did you hear? She was out here licking the grease off other people’s discarded lunch boxes. Who even does that?


    “Most people are too grossed out to share a fork, but she was busy licking up leftover crumbs like it was normal. What a total weirdo.”


    “Licking off other people’s lunch boxes? That’s not just weird, maybe she’s got some kind of kink; maybe she’s practicing her licking technique for other stuff.”


    B


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