Don't Mess with the Girl with Candy novel Chapter 628

“Not late?” Byron’s anger finally erupted. From behind his glasses, his eyes shot daggers at Juniper. “The bell rang, and you weren’t in your seat. What is that if not late?”

“What’s the matter?” Byron sneered from the lectern, looking down at her contemptuously. “You think because your professor got lucky and won the championship, you can ride his coattails and act all high and mighty?”

At that, the students below rolled their eyes. For a respected professor, he had a nasty mouth. It was a wonder how he’d ever become “renowned.”

“Got lucky and won the championship?” Juniper was fiercely protective of her friends, especially the old professor whose snacks she’d eaten so many of. Her defenses shot up instantly. “In that case, why wasn't it you, Professor Byron, who had the ‘accidental’ win?”

The question left Byron speechless, his face flushing a deep red.

“Late is late,” he finally snarled, his expression grim. “You get a zero for your participation grade.”

A zero for participation meant she would likely fail the course and have to retake it. And with him in charge, even retaking it would be an uphill battle. He was doing this on purpose.

“I have no problem with losing points for being late,” Juniper said, her expression unreadable as she pulled at the corner of her lip. “But the thing is, I wasn’t late.”

“You—”

“Let’s check the security cameras.” Juniper took out her phone and began tapping the screen with a lazy calm. “Class starts at nine. I arrived at the classroom door at eight fifty-nine and fifty seconds. If you hadn’t stopped me, Professor, I would have been in my seat by the fifty-eighth second. So, I ask you, is eight fifty-nine and fifty-eight seconds considered late?”

Byron was dumbfounded, unable to process what she’d just said.

“Holy crap,” one student whispered. “As expected of the top scorer, her logic is flawless.”

“She really wasn’t late,” the students craned their necks to see the screen, confirming it with their own eyes.

“Where did you get that footage?” Byron demanded through clenched teeth, his hands balled into fists.

“That’s not your concern. Just tell me, was I late or not?” Juniper gave her phone a little shake, her expression flat. “If I wasn’t, may I come in now? It’s class time, and I’d rather not waste everyone’s day.”

Byron looked from Juniper to the students watching him. Finally, he swallowed his pride and gestured for her to enter.

But his resentment toward her had only deepened. First the old one, now the young one was causing him trouble. Fine. He had plenty of time. He’d see who came out on top against a mere girl!