?Chapter 1281:


    “Then let’s head back.” Jesse reached for her hand—he had already packed up her things.


    Nina left reluctantly, her heart still lingering with the fun she’d been having. After a full afternoon of running around, she dozed off in the car not long after they hit the road.


    Jesse gently adjusted her seat so she’d be morefortable.


    When they finally pulled into the driveway, n was already outside, ready to help them in.


    After dinner, Nina looked a little down and slipped off to her room without saying much. n turned to Jesse and asked, “What’s up with Nina?”


    “She had a bit of a falling out with Jerome.” Jesse had hit the nail on the head. She’d been so caught up ying with her new group of friends that she hadn’t had the time—or maybe the space—to think about it. But now that they were back home and the house felt quieter, her thoughts naturally drifted back to Jerome.


    “Nina gets into arguments with Jerome?” n looked genuinely surprised.


    “They had a small disagreement,” Jesse said casually. “Nothing serious.”


    With that, he said goodnight and headed to his room.


    Just as he was about to turn in, Nina appeared at his door.


    She was in her cutest pajamas, moving with quiet hesitation as she stepped inside. “Jesse…”


    “What’s the matter?” Jesse asked, slipping a jacket over her small shoulders.


    “Should I go talk to Jerome?” she asked, her voiceced with doubt and a hint of inner tug-of-war.


    “That’s up to you,” Jesse told her. He had always believed that kids’ friendships were something special—simple, honest, and not weighed down like adult ones. “If you want to stay friends, go find him. If you think it’s not worth it, then let it go.”


    “I do want to stay friends!” Nina said with resolve.<fn7176> Original content can be found at find·novel</fn7176>


    She was just upset that Jerome had made her choose. After all, she had other kids to y with too. But she had a strong sense of what was right, and she wasn’t one to budge easily.


    gα? ησ ν?? ?s is your story hub


    “But it wasn’t my fault. I’m not going to say sorry.”


    “So what’s your n?” Jesse asked. He had a pretty good idea already, but he kept it to himself.


    “Can you help me get in touch with him?” Nina asked, eyes gleaming with quiet determination. “Invite him over to our house tomorrow.”


    “How should I invite him?” Jesse asked.


    “Just tell him you miss him.”


    “But I don’t.”


    “Then what should you say? It’s not our birthday, and Mom and Dad aren’t home,” Nina huffed, frustrated. “I can’t just say I want to y with him.”


    “Come back when you’ve got a reason,” Jesse said, unwilling toe up with an excuse for her. In his mind, friendships were something she needed to learn how to handle on her own.


    It was normal for kids to make new friends and forget old ones, but he could tell that Jerome still meant something to her.


    .


    .


    .