Chapter 4

"All right," Mom said. She didn't push. "Focus on studying. Don't wear yourself out. After exams, I'll take you somewhere good to eat."

"Okay."

I ended the call and stood outside the cafeteria for a while, letting the sun warm my face.

Then I exhaled and headed back upstairs.

About fifteen minutes later, the classroom door opened.

Natalie walked in with Ryan and Noah behind her.

She went straight to the front of the room.

"Everybody wake up. I have something to talk about."

Students slowly lifted their heads from their desks.

Natalie stood beside the whiteboard.

"It's about lodging during the entrance exams. I spoke to Mr. Grant about what everyone was worried about."

She paused and looked around the room.

"He said the exam is ultimately our responsibility. As long as we arrive at the testing center on time, the school doesn't care where we stay. If we want hotels, we can arrange them ourselves."

The room immediately filled with excited murmurs.

Then Natalie let her expression turn troubled.

"But you all know the hotels near the testing center are expensive.

"The cheapest motels are around a hundred and twenty dollars a night, and they're not exactly great.

"Anything nicer is closer to two hundred. And even those are a few miles away."

Her gaze drifted toward me.

So did everyone else's.

I was leaning over my desk, chin resting on my arms, watching her without expression.

"Julia's family owns a hotel," Natalie said with a smile.

"The Hayes Grand is right beside the testing center. It's a five-minute walk.

"Everybody knows it's a five-star property. Rooms are usually more than three hundred dollars a night."

She paused.

The classroom went strangely quiet.

A flicker of embarrassment crossed her face, but the smile returned almost immediately.

"Here's what I was thinking."

Her voice softened.

"Nobody wants to be exhausted before the biggest exam of high school. If we can have better conditions, why wouldn't we?

"Julia's family is very well-off. There are only about fifty of us.

"Two nights shouldn't really be a big deal for them, right?"

"Exactly," Chloe jumped in.

She twisted around in her seat.

"Julia, your hotel is so close. Letting us stay for two nights doesn't cost your family anything. We're classmates. Help us out."

"Yeah," Ryan added. "You're always so generous. Help us one more time. You don't want somebody failing because they couldn't sleep, do you?"

Noah nodded.

"Think of it as doing something good. Everyone will remember it."

"Julia, you're the best. Just talk to your parents."

"If the rooms are empty anyway, why waste them?"

"We're not asking for nothing. We can promote the hotel."

"Yeah. We'll leave five-star reviews and post about it."

One voice followed another.

I listened.

Slowly, the corner of my mouth lifted.

I sat upright.

The classroom gradually fell silent.

Everyone waited for my answer.

Natalie stood at the front, head slightly tilted, that same gentle smile on her face.

I looked at her.

Then I finally spoke.

"Sorry.

"The hotel is sold out."