Page 128 of Bookworm

"It's okay. You and Mrs. Lee totally kick ass."

"Thanks."

Mrs. Lee was still glaring down at the robber, but she nodded as well.

"I wish I could do that," I said.

The door chimed again, and Bo and Shin stopped in the entrance, dumbstruck by the scene.

"What the hell happened here?"Bo asked. "Halmeoni, you okay?"

She scowled at him. "Why wouldn't I be? He's the one on the ground."

"But—"

"No buts, we're fine," she said.

"Who—Kent?" Bo noticed me then and was suddenly at my side. "What are you doing here? Are you alright?"

"Yeah," I said as he stood there, looking like he didn't know what to do with his hands. "I'm fine. I just came to give you these"—I gestured to the containers—"but instead, I got to see Mrs. Lee and Meech take down this punk. No big."

Though I was joking, inside I was starting to realize what'd just happened.

The trembling started in my stomach then moved out to the rest of me.

"I'm fine," I said again.

But Bo just sighed and pulled me into his arms with a curse.

"You're not," he said. "I'm sorry, Kent. I don't know what I would've done if you got hurt."

I relaxed into him, feeling the fear begin to dissipate.

"Hope you like rice crispies, Marshmallow Bo," I said.

He didn't laugh, just held me tighter.

"Hey, it's okay," I said softly, easing away from him even though I really didn't want to. "If I was like your grandma, I could've taken him no problem instead of trying to talk my way out of it."

Bo frowned. "You talked to him?"

I nodded. "I was trying to wear him down."

"Did it work?"

"More or less."

Mrs. Lee came over to us, looking from me to Bo.

"You take Charlotte-Lottie-Lotte to The Academy," she said. "She needs to learn."

"Yes,Halmeoni."

"You teach her."

"Was already planning on it."

With a nod, Mrs. Lee left, and I turned back to Bo with raised brows.

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