Shadows Between Us (Stella and Sebastian) novel Chapter 216

Chapter 216

Annette and Sebastian sat side by side, even their darting glances perfectly in sync.

Stella was speechless.

Annette played with her fingers and blinked. “I just learned how to shop online.”

“Really?” Stella instinctively glanced at Sebastian.

Sebastian blinked, looking all innocent.

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Allan propped his chin on one hand, sipping his coffee and thoroughly enjoying watching Sebastian act all timid.

Annette said, “Stella, sorry.”

Stella smiled. “It’s okay. If you want something, just buy it.”

Annette beamed. “That’s right. Stella, when we want something, we get it.”

Stella just forced a smile.

However, in the very next moment, Annette grabbed Stella’s wrist, her eyes sparkling. “I bought it just for you.”

Stella fell silent.

Annette leaned in, beaming. “Aren’t you thrilled?”

Stella thought, ‘Uh, yeah!’

Lucas stood before the stacked boxes and slowly tilted his head upward.

He turned to Annette and gave her a thumbs-up.

Allan popped his head up, sulking. “That’s so unfair. Where’s mine?”

Annette replied, “I got you something, too.”

She pointed to the tiny box by her feet. “This one is yours.”

Allan fell silent, staring at the towering pile of boxes stacked nearly to the ceiling. He glanced down at the tiny one by Annette’s feet and felt upset.

Out of the corner of her eye, Stella spotted Snowball slithering over to the mountain of boxes, all sneaky-like. Just like before, boxes started tumbling from the top, almost hitting it.

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Snowball freaked out and hissed nervously.

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Chapter 216

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And suddenly, Big Ben shot out a hand, catching box after box with perfect precision. He even blocked another box with his feet.

Big Ben held a poised stance, steady as a boxing master.

Annette and Lucas both looked surprised and started applauding.

Big Ben instinctively did a little victory pump with his tiny fists. “Yes.”

However, just as he was celebrating, the boxes he’d caught started dropping one after another, bonking Snowball right on the head.

Everyone else was speechless.

Big Ben covered his mouth with both hands until Snowball, trapped under the boxes, stopped moving. Seeing its trembling tail sticking out, he “kindly” covered it with another box. “Sorry about that.”

Snowball was fuming.

Stella closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead. “I’m off to class.”

With that, she slung her backpack over one shoulder and slipped out the door.

Jake was already waiting outside.

Before getting in the car, Stella instinctively checked her backpack, making sure Blackie hadn’t followed her, and then opened the car door.

The door swung open, and Blackie hissed.

Jake stood nearby, arms outstretched. “Surprise.”

Stella just stared, speechless.

Blackie held something in a blue handkerchief in its mouth and gave her an adorable head tilt, telling her to

take it.

Stella reached out for it and unwrapped it.

Inside was a finely crafted yellow phone charm, adorned with sparkling star-shaped diamonds.

Stella turned, glancing into the shadows.

Ivan poked his head out with a sly grin.

Stella whipped out her phone and pretended to hang the charm on it.

Suddenly, a fluffy cat poked its head out of the collar of Ivan’s black coat.

Scared, Blackie twisted its tail and slithered away.

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Chapter 216

Stella shook her head, thinking, ‘Ugh, this disaster better be over soon!

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Stella arrived at Class 3 at Edenbury Academy. She threw her backpack onto the desk and lay her head down, drained, wishing no one would mess with her today.

All around her, her classmates were buzzing, excitedly talking about the fireworks that exploded across the sky over Haliville last night.

The rumors were getting wilder by the minute, and Stella just buried her face in her arms, speechless.

Chantel slammed her backpack down next to Stella, the noise jerking her out of her half-sleep.

Stella opened her eyes, the chill in her gaze razor-sharp with danger.

Chantel, still sulking, was about to protest when someone next to her pulled her and gave a subtle look.

She knew Wendy from the other class had recruited a few people to bother Stella at lunch, so she didn’t have to do anything.

Chantel snorted. She didn’t say another word and just dropped into her seat.

Stella rolled her eyes and closed them again.

Just then, her phone buzzed. Stella opened one eye, expression blank. The yellow charm dangled beside her phone.

Emily: [Love ya. It’s Friday. Dinner is on me tonight.]

And of course, she threw in a heart emoji at the end.

Stella thought, ‘No. I just want to rest.

She slammed her eyes shut again.

Stella slept straight through from first period to fourth, leaving Chantel totally speechless.

She thought she had mastered the art of slacking off, but here was someone even more skilled at it.

By noon, Stella woke up to the classroom chatter about what the cafeteria was serving today.

Hearing the dishes mentioned, she slowly came back to alertness.

Stella carried her tray and sat at an empty table in the cafeteria, expressionless.

Everyone nearby just stared, lost for words. They looked at the literal mountain of pork ribs stacked on her plate, then at the sad little scraps on their own, wondering if something was off.

Suddenly, the cafeteria, which had been buzzing with chatter, fell silent all of a sudden. Everyone instinctively turned to look in the same direction.

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