Page 48 of Time Stops With You

I shake my head. “I’m fine.”

“Oh. Okay.” She makes a sweeping gesture. “Right this way then.”

I follow Sara to the side entrance just as a resident walks out.

I freeze immediately.

It’s Nardi.

Or… maybe it isn’t.

Am I hallucinating again?

I rub my eyes, but the vision of Nardi remains. She’s staring at me in shock too.

“Mr. Cullen!” A childish voice breaks my stare. Josiah runs in front of his sister, his backpack slapping against his back.

“H-hey, Josiah.” I’m particularly proud of my fast recovery. My voice is upbeat, my smile polite, and most of all, I donotlook like I was imagining Josiah’s sister on top of me last night.

“The pasta you made wasincredible,” Josiah raves.

“You made pasta?” Sara asks, her eyes dripping with intrigue. “In… their apartment?”

I blink rapidly.

Nardi pulls her lips into her mouth.

Thankfully, Josiah saves me by asking, “Did you really donate all that money to our school?”

“How do you know that?” I ask, tilting my head to the side.

“The principal asked me to hand you your certificate?” He smiles proudly.

“Wait, she did?” Nardi frowns. “Why didn’t you tell me about that?”

He shrugs. “You didn’t ask.”

Nardi rolls her eyes.

Josiah looks up at me. “You’re coming to the ceremony, right?”

“Uh… yeah.”

“Promise?”

“Mm-hm.”

I sneak another peek at Nardi. She’s wearing a simple white blouse and a navy blue skirt. Her hair is pulled up into a ponytail. An incredibly dark lipstick coats her mouth and makes it impossible not to stare at her lips.

I gulp, forcing my eyes away from her face altogether.

Nardi isn’t saying anything. Am I supposed to greet her first?

I wait another second.

She still says nothing, so I clear my throat. “Ms. Davis.”

Nardi barely looks at me. “Mr. Cullen.”

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