Laura was troubled by the bad traffic conditions.


    (1)


    Suddenly, there was a rear–end collision ahead and the drivers were having a big fight, leaving only onene for other cars to pass through.


    Laura checked the time anxiously. ording to the n, she was supposed to arrive half an hour early, but now she could only arrive fifteen minutes early.


    The driver looked at her in the rear–view mirror and said, “Don’t worry, Ms. Yale. We’ll arrive at the theater on time. We just


    have two more streets to go.”


    Laura nodded.


    Five minutester, just as the driver was about to go around the congestion to enter the next street, a car suddenly rushed


    towards her!


    Bang!


    The violent impact caused Laura to lurch sideways. Although her seatbelt protected her, her mind went nk instantly.


    When she came back to her senses, she breathed quickly and stared at the damaged door.


    Laura was scared and broke out in a cold sweat.


    Startled, the driver asked, “Are you okay, Ms. Yale?”


    Laura covered her chest and shook her head. “I’m fine. I’m not scared.”


    The driver breathed a sigh of relief and went out of the car to scold the person who hit them. “What did you do? You broke traffic rules, okay? I got a child in my car!”


    Laura looked through the window and saw a man get out of the car casually, chewing gum. “My bad. I was distracted.” He


    didn’t sound apologetic at all.


    The driver was pissed. “That’s it? What if the kid got hurt?”


    The man looked indifferent. “Why so mad? I’ll pay you back. I’m calling the traffic police right now and I’ll take full responsibility for this. Just take the kid to the hospital for a check–up.”


    Laura frowned and nced at her watch.


    There were only ten minutes left but she was still a block away from the theater.


    She got out of the car and said to the driver<b>, </b>“I’mte. Let’s hurry up!”


    The driver didn’t want to waste too much time with that <b>man</b>, so he <b>said</b>, “I’ll take her to thepetition first, and I’lle back after that to talk to you. What do you think?”


    The young man directly stopped him and said indifferently, “No. I’ve already called the police and you have to stay here.


    09:29 Fri, 29 Aug


    Besides, beingte for apetition is no big deal, okay? You’ll be forgiven for being in a car ident.”


    & 77%E


    Laura became a little anxious. “No. I left early because that teacher hates it when people arete. If it weren’t for the traffic jam, I would have arrived at the theater. I have to go to thepetition right away!”


    Hearing this, the man smirked and said, staring at her, “So be it. You can do nothing about it, kid.”


    Laura was desperate. She thought, ‘Did he do that on purpose?‘


    She nced at her watch again and found that there were only five minutes left.


    Laura tugged at the driver’s sleeve and asked, “Is that cylindrical building there the theater?”


    The driver said anxiously, “Yes. Don’t worry. We have only a block to go. I’ll take care of this soon.”


    The man sneered and said, “I’m afraid that it will take you another twenty minutes!”


    Determined, Laura turned around and ran towards the theater.


    The driver chased after her and yelled, “Wait, Ms. Yale! I’ll ask the police to send you there!”


    The man grabbed the driver and said, “You can’t leave. We’re not done yet!”


    The driver shouted in anger, “What’s wrong with you? Don’t you know this kid is more important than my car?”


    The man still looked indifferent. “What does that have to do with me?”


    After saying that, he turned around and sent a message to someone.


    [The kid ran to the theater herself.]


    Seeing the message, Meriel tagged someone in the group chat and said: [Go with n B.]


    Laura ran to the theater. However, it was a long way and she was a bit out of breath, so it took her eight minutes to get to the theater.


    She was already three minuteste, but she could still make it to the interview.


    As Laura was running towards the gate of the theater, an electric scooter suddenly ran at her.


    Defenseless, she was knocked to the ground and her mind went nk.


    Her palms and knees were scraped, and pains spread through her body. Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked in shock at the person who hit her.


    A middle–aged man riding an electric scooter passed by her and cursed, “Stupid kid. Watch your way!”


    Laura widened her eyes in disbelief. She tried to get up but she was too weak to do that.


    She was bleeding.


    She couldn’t sit up due to the intense pain, and all she felt was dizziness. She cried while trying hard, and it took her a


    09:29 Fr, 20 Aug


    long time before she managed to stand up.


    Laura trembled and looked at her watch. She was already ten minuteste,


    She breathed quickly, hobbling resolutely towards the theater,


    Favian told her to take an elevator to the tenth floor and find Studio 1001,


    She breathed a sigh of relief only after she managed to enter the elevator and press the floor button while standing on


    tiptoes.


    Meriel was waiting on the tenth floor. Seeing the elevator going up, she said to someone on the phone, “Go with n C.”


    Laura patted the dirt off her clothes and leaned against the wall to take a break while enduring the pain.


    She thought, ‘It’s okay. I’m here and I believe that Mr. Fuller will understand me.


    Unfortunately, the elevator stopped on the third floor suddenly.


    Stunned, Laura pressed the button on tiptoes, but it didn’t work.


    Suddenly, the elevator door opened and several adults rushed in. “Sorry, kid. The elevator is broken. I’m afraid that you


    have to take the stairs.”


    She was dumbfounded. “I need to go <i>to </i>the tenth floor. Do you know what that means?”


    She was hurt. It would be a tough task for her.


    The staff shook his head at her and said, “But the elevator is broken. I can’t do anything about it. Just go.”


    “Wait!” Laura was pulled out of the elevator. The staff closed the door no matter what she said.


    Therefore, she had to <i>go </i>to the fire escape and take the stairs to the tenth floor.


    The wound in her knee was killing her.


    She wiped her sweat and tried to call someone, but her smart watch was broken by the electric scooter just now.


    She had no choice but to keep going.


    She thought, ‘It’s okay. I’ll make it to the interview even if I have to crawl.‘


    Sebastian looked at his watch and found that Laura was twenty minuteste.


    He called her but was not answered.


    Feeling more impatient, he looked at Tyler beside him and said, “Looks like she failed to live up to your expectations.”


    Tyler exined with a gloomy face, “She’s never beente before.”


    09:29 Fri, 29 Aug W


    Sebastian said, “The truth is she’s alreadyte.”


    Rachel, who was sitting among a group of students waiting for exams, smirked when she heard that.


    Meriel told her that she wouldn’t let Laurae to the interview, and she really did.


    Laura wouldn’t make it.


    ??? ??? 77%L


    Restless, Rachel raised her hand and said, “I heard that Laura is going to stand <i>you </i>up, Mr. Fuller. It’s unnecessary to wait


    for her.”


    Stunned, Sebastian turned to look at her in disbelief and asked, “What did you say?”


    Tyler nced at her coldly and said, “Really? Did you hear it from Laura?”


    38


    Rachel was a little frightened by their gazes, so she nodded and said, “Yes. She said that she wasn’t interested in singing at all and that you were too old to be a good teacher.”


    Sebastian had a look of disgust on his face and said, “What a stupid lie. Do you think you can fool me?”


    Rachel was astonished.


    Tyler squinted and said, “Get out of here if you keep talking shit about otherpetitors.”


    Rachel’s face suddenly turned pale. She thought, ‘How did they know I was lying?‘