Keen''s voice faltered as a memory shed through his mind-the recent music showcase.


    His mother and that troublemaker he couldn''t stand had taken first ce.


    Marvin''s words seemed to drain some of the brightness from Rachel''s smile too. A flicker of coldness shed in her eyes.


    Losing to Ste was the greatest humiliation of her life.


    But she quickly recovered, stering on a cheerful grin.


    "Well, since it''s a parent-child event, if Ms. Cameron wants to join Keen in thepetition, I''ll dly step aside."


    She hadn''t even finished before Keen made a face and cut her off.


    "Rachel, there''s no way my mom speaks Spanish."


    Abby couldn''t help but jump in. "Keen, who told you your mother doesn''t know any foreignnguages? Your mom''s actually amazing withnguages."


    Neo-Vespera University was an international school, buzzing with music students from all over the world, speaking everynguage imaginable.


    If you weren''t fluent, you couldn''t even follow the lectures-how would you learn anything?


    Besides, the university offered all sorts ofnguage sses.


    Ste was a natural talent, always traveling, attending workshops and exchanges around the globe.


    Major worldnguages were no challenge for her.


    In fact, tomunicate better at these events, Ste had even taught herself several obscure ones.


    For Abby and Ste, this kind of thing was hardly worth mentioning.


    Abby didn''t even bother to brag about it.


    But Keen refused to believe her. "Abby, stop trying to make my mom look good.


    She didn''t even go to college! How could she know all that stuff?"


    Abby rolled her eyes. "Who told you your mom never went to college?"


    "My grandma said so."


    Abby was exasperated. "Keen, don''t believe everything your grandma tells you. Your mom went to college, all right?"


    Rachel suddenly burst outughing, unable to hold back any longer.


    "Ms. Murphy, I get it-you want your kid to look up to you, so you paint yourself as somerger-than-life hero. That''s understandable. Bute on, there''s no need to make up stories just because you''re jealous of someone else''s sess."


    "Jealous of someone else''s sess? Jealous of who-you?" Abby eyed Rachel up and down, a trace of scorn in her gaze.


    "You and Star aren''t even in the same league. Don''t tter yourself."


    Rachel didn''t look the least bit offended. In fact, she just smiled knowingly. "Whatever you say," she replied. Then she looked down at Keen. "Keen, how about you let Ms. Cameron join you for the parent-child event this time?"


    Keen hesitated for a split second, but the sting of his mother''s earlier coldness made him angry all over again.


    "No way!" He jutted out his little chin. "She doesn''t even want me anymore. She doesn''t want to be my mom, so I don''t want her toe with me either!"


    He''d even returned Rachel''s cup and tried to make it up to his mom, but Ste had still treated him like that!


    Keen, still just a kid at heart, couldn''t handle how much his mother had changed.


    Suddenly Marvin spoke up. "Ste, if you''re not joining Keen, would you do the event with me?"


    Ste''s eyes softened a little. "Marvin, are you sure?"


    He nodded, earnest and eager. "Ste, I''m not here to win-I don''t really care aboutpeting. I''d just be happy to have someone with me."


    Ste''s expression rxed. "All right."


    She was his mother, yet now she was agreeing to go with someone else''s child.


    Keen was so upset he blurted out, "My mom can''t even speak anothernguage! If you let her go with you, aren''t you embarrassed?"