Coolest Girl in Town (Elise and Alexander) novel Chapter 138

Elise watched his departing figure as her eyes revealed a shade of inexplicable sensation, which she covered up perfectly as no one noticed it. After dinner, Elise and her grandparents took a stroll around the yard. Aware that she was obviously distraught, the senile couple peered at each other. Laura then quizzed, “Ellie, you don’t wanna go home yet, do you?” Elise pursed her lips when she was so easily seen through. Yet, she remained wordless. 

 

Laura suggestively eyed Robin, who then stretched his back and hastily claimed, “It’s getting cold. I should go get my coat.” Finished, he went into the house. Right when he reached upstairs, he coincidentally bumped into Alexander. “Care for a game of chess, Mr. Robin?” Robin was visibly delighted at the invitation. “Sure! It’s been a while since my last game.” And so, he headed to the games room under Alexander’s lead.

Meanwhile in the yard, Laura was goading her granddaughter into a heart-to-heart. “Now, Ellie, be honest with me. What’s troubling that mind of yours?” After glancing at her, Elise embraced her grandmother’s arm. “Can I stay a little longer for now, Grandma?” Laura smilingly looked at her. “It’s that Griffith boy, isn’t it?” Although Elise never intended to hide it from her grandmother, she was certainly astounded by her keen observation. “I may be feeling something, Grandma.”

A sentence so simple, yet was able to convey all in her heart. Laura was overjoyed to hear that, but she showed not even a tinge of her ecstasy. “Oh, dear Ellie, are you sure? That it’s not just a heat of the moment?” Elise took a deep breath. “That’s the thing, Grandma. I’m not even certain whether it’s real or simply infatuation, which is why I wish to stay a bit longer to make sense of my feelings. Aren’t you all always worried about my love life?

This time, I wish to take things into my own hands.” Elise was always an opinionated girl, and Laura knew that very well. Thereupon, Laura held Elise’s hand. “I trust you, Ellie. But I do have to warn you that often in love, it’s the girl that’s always blinded. Therefore, when you get anxious about it, I hope you’ll be able to stand your ground and not lose sight of everything. Don’t drown yourself and blindly allow yourself to be vulnerable.”

“Thanks, Grandma.” Laura heaved a sigh. “It’s about time, huh. If you truly want to stay, Ellie, I won’t stop you, but there’s a catch.” Having said that, Laura whispered something else in Elise’s ear, to which the latter flickered her eyes before staring at her grandmother and sternly nodded her head. Comforted, Laura stated, “My baby Ellie has turned into a full-grown woman. Sure, you’ll make your decisions yourself. No matter what answer you find yourself with, your grandfather and I will always be here for you.”

Elise shoved herself into her grandmother’s embrace. “You’re the best, Grandma.” Meanwhile, Robin and Alexander were playing chess in the games room upstairs. The two were exceptional, and their levels were indistinguishable. It had been a while since Robin last played someone on par with him and he couldn’t help but be thrilled by Alexander’s moves as they played the game. “Say, Alex, I’m sure chess isn’t the only reason you called for me.” Robin broke the silence.

Despite that, Alexander grabbed a chess piece and brushed it off, slowly voicing, “Say, Mr. Robin, you’re very good at this.” Robin raised his line of sight to Alexander and chortled. “I’ve been doing this for decades. Guess that’s only natural. You, however, are still so young yet you’re already putting me on edge. What a prodigy!” “You flatter me, Mr. Robin.” Robin calmly smiled as he pondered before making another move on the chessboard, to which Alexander countered with another move shortly afterward.

Eventually, the former opened up, saying, “Ellie has been through a lot ever since she was a kid. Her parents died in a car crash when she was eight, and she’s been living with us since. I still remember the first time I saw her after her parents were gone. She was all devastated and not even a trace of energy was left in her, like a spiritless body that purposelessly existed. She didn’t cry nor blurted a sound. It pained us to see her like that.”