Coco shifted her gaze from Julian to Carol as the girl arrived, accompanied by their teacher, Roman. A flicker of suspicion crossed her mind as she watched the two interact. The way Carol looked up at him, her smile lingering a beat too long, was perplexing. Coco felt a mix of indignation and jealousy; her friend—well, ex-friend—had always harbored a fierce dislike for Roman, and yet here was Carol, seemingly bewitched. What had happened to change everything?
With a disdainful scoff, Coco turned her attention back to the front, but curiosity gnawed at her, drawing her eyes sideways to Julian. "What's going on in your house?" she asked, taking a sip from her coconut drink. The coconut was expertly hollowed, filled with a sweet, frothy mixture, and topped with a tiny umbrella that seemed to mock her current mood.
