The man''s shoulders trembled with anger, and his eyes welled up with tears, but he couldn''t get a single word out in response.


    The others quickly tugged at his sleeve, signaling him to drop it.


    Grace simply pushed open the door and walked right in.


    She saw that Jasper had already sat up. His cheeks were flushed, and he looked unwell.


    Grace filled a ss with water, offered it to his lips, and ced the fever


    medication within his reach.


    "Hurry up and take this. Your health is more important," she said.


    But Jasper''s eyes were fixed on his roommates.


    The roommates all looked ufortable, knowing he''d heard their spat with Grace outside.


    But they weren''t usually friendly with Jasper-barely exchanging a few words with him all year-so their awkwardness onlysted a few seconds before they resumed their individual activities.


    Grace seemed totally unaware of the weird vibe in the room. Once Jasper swallowed the pills, she seemed relieved.


    "Jasper, have you thought about getting an apartment off-campus?"


    Jasper blinked, his voice quiet as he asked, "Are you seriously trying to make everyone think I have a sugar mama somewhere?"


    Grace was amused. The kid was surprisingly sensitive about his image.


    "Even if you deny it, will they really think any differently of you? Why bother exining yourself?"


    Jasper jumped up from his bed. He panted heavily as if he wanted to argue, but he couldn''t find the words.


    The other roommates looked at each other for a few beats, a little taken aback by Grace''s bluntness.


    Grace repeated, "Or you could even rent something on campus. I asked at the infirmary; there are a few residential buildings there that are close to your sses, so you wouldn''t have to see these annoying roommates."


    The roommates finally snapped. One of them cleared his throat pointedly.


    "Hey,dy, we''re still in the room, you know? Do you think we''re deaf?"


    Grace, however, had already begun to gather Jasper''s things.


    Jasper didn''t even have time to react.


    He didn''t have much stuff anyway. To avoid drama with his roommates, he even


    did hisundry off-site for thest couple of years.


    Grace had his things packed in under ten minutes. "Ready?" she asked


    Jasper just stared at her, not knowing what to say.


    Finding a ce to rent and moving in took less than half an hour. Thedy renting the ce took onedook at Grace and was sold; the two women even had a great chat.


    Jasper silently made his bed on the side, listening to Grace chatting


    thendy. Aplex expreWith


    flickered in his eyes.


    Grace grabbed a broom and started cleaning up the apartment.


    When she was done sweeping, she took the garbage bag downstairs.


    Just then, the phone on the bed rang. Thinking it was his, Jasper picked up.


    "Hi, this is Jasper."


    That was his standard greeting. He hadn''t anticipated the brief silence followed by


    a sound of utter devastation from the other end.


    "Why do you have my sister''s phone? What have you done to her?" Liam shouted.


    The voice on the other end sounded both frantic and furious.


    Jasper finally nced down and realized he was holding Grace''s phone.


    He pressed his lips together, curtly saying, "I took the wrong phone."


    He then quickly ended the call.


    But Liam, staring at the phone that had just gone dead, was suddenly gripped by a powerful surge of fear.


    Grace was abandoning him! Her going to Jasper was about trying to rece him as her brother!


    His legs gave out, and he copsed to his knees, his whole body trembling.


    ...


    Jasper looked at the phone, thought


    for a


    call


    орм


    ment, and then deleted the


    between him and Liam the


    incriminating evidence.