The Year I Stopped Being His novel Chapter 419

Her posture was flawless, her shoulders relaxed yet poised. Even leaning casually against the window, she carried an undeniable, magnetic presence—exactly like she had five years ago!

Josh's heart violently slammed against his ribs. His fingers unconsciously dug into his lecture notes, his knuckles turning white.

Was he dreaming?

His throat felt like it was packed with cotton. He opened his mouth, and the voice that came out was so raw and hoarse he barely recognized it.

"Is that... Sloane?"

He was so overwhelmed he couldn't string a full sentence together, his eyes instantly turning red.

At that moment, Piper came jogging out of the classroom. Seeing Josh standing there with red eyes staring intensely at Sloane, the air between them thick enough to cut with a knife, she slowed down, her face twisting in confusion.

"Professor Jace?" She tilted her head, looking back and forth between them. "Do you... know each other?"

She sidled up next to Sloane, dropping her voice into a whisper that was definitely loud enough for all three of them to hear.

"Sloane, this is Professor Jace, my Geology teacher. Is he confusing you with someone else? Why did he just call you his sister? You're a business major!"

Sloane: "..."

Her reflexes kicked in instantly. She grabbed Piper by the arm, smoothly pulling her behind her back while simultaneously stepping right up to Josh, clapping him heavily on the shoulder.

Her hand was stiff, treating him like a fragile vase she wasn't sure she was allowed to touch.

"P-Piper..."

"Piper, right." Josh flipped open his attendance binder. His finger traced down the roster until he found her name. He tapped it lightly, speaking in a perfectly pleasant, conversational tone. "How many classes are you hoping to fail this semester? Just one, or two?"

Piper's jaw dropped. Her eyes bugged out in pure disbelief as she stared at Josh, then at Sloane, then back at Josh. She looked like a squirrel who had just had its favorite acorn stolen, absolutely fuming.

"Professor Jace! That is straight-up blackmail!"

Sloane looked down at Josh's trembling fingers gripping the edge of his binder. She let out a heavy internal sigh and stepped between them, putting a hand up to pacify both sides like she was breaking up a catfight.

"Stop fighting," she commanded. "We're all getting dinner together."