Don't Mess with the Girl with Candy novel Chapter 1294

"Are you playing for keeps?" Shanley adjusted his posture, his tone turning clinical. "Given your status and position, even the slightest rumor is going to trigger an absolute media storm. Are you prepared for the tidal wave of backlash?"

If headlines claiming the country's top actor was gay hit the presses, his career would take a devastating hit.

"Heh," Jimmie smirked, a dangerous glint in his eye. "The person I want might not even want me back."

"I'll test the waters first. If she's completely uninterested, I'll take this secret to my grave." Jimmie leveled a serious look at him. "Only my parents and you know. Do not tell Juniper. I'm afraid of how she'd react."

He could barely process it himself, let alone expect someone as young as Juniper to understand.

Shanley nodded in agreement.

***

Leaving the bedroom, Shanley wandered into the kitchen. He wrapped his arms around Juniper's waist from behind, resting his chin affectionately against her cheek. "All packed up?"

"Yeah," she replied, gently shaking the lunchbox. She tilted her head. "What were you two talking about in there?"

"Nothing much." He took her hand, his voice laced with adoration. "Luella didn't show up, so he was just feeling a little slighted. Vented for a minute."

"Oh." Recalling how weird Luella had been acting over the past couple of days, Juniper couldn't help but frown. "Do you think Luella's avoiding him because he's actually worried he'll make him pay the medical bills?"

It wasn't like Luella was strapped for cash!

"Avoiding him?" Shanley's eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

"Not entirely avoiding, but whenever I bring up Jimmie, he acts so strange."

Juniper couldn't figure it out. Luella and Jimmie had always been like oil and water.

"Hmm." Shanley hummed noncommittally, dropping the subject. "Let's go. I'll drop you off at Eclara University."

She had a medical class that afternoon.

***

At Eclara University.

The moment Juniper stepped into the medical building, she could hear the surrounding students whispering.

"I seriously can't fathom what Professor Dawson sees in her."

"When we graduate, don't tell anyone we were in the same class. I couldn't bear the embarrassment."

"If she had a shred of dignity, she'd drop out right now."

While everyone else stayed quiet, Leland kept running his mouth.

Juniper was already annoyed about having to sit through a lecture, and this guy buzzing like a mosquito wasn't helping.

She carelessly shoved her bag into her desk, stood up, and walked straight over to him.

"What do you want?" Leland asked, his voice suddenly guarded.

Without a single word, Juniper leaned over, grabbed the massive lab desk next to him, and effortlessly lifted it to shift its position.

Gasp—

A collective sharp intake of breath echoed through the room as the class stared in pure disbelief at the beautiful, delicate-looking girl who had just turned into the Hulk.