Don't Mess with the Girl with Candy novel Chapter 42

“Not interested.”

Juniper shook her head again. She was hungry and had no patience for further conversation. She gave a polite nod. “Thank you, ma’am.”

With that, she pulled on her cap and walked away.

The judge stood there, watching her go, a slight frown on her face. She was sure she recognized that face. Where had she seen her before?

...

After Queenie’s first-place win, the students of Aurora High walked with their heads held high. Along the way, students from other schools kept glancing in their direction, whispering about Queenie’s dance or Juniper’s performance.

“Juniper, you were amazing today,” Queenie said, clinging to Juniper’s arm like a limpet. “I would have been a total disgrace without you.”

“Seriously, Juniper!” Qadir exclaimed beside them, practically bouncing with excitement. “How do you know how to play so many instruments? Have you been learning since you were a kid?”

“Yeah,” Juniper replied nonchalantly, popping a piece of candy into her mouth.

“How long have you been practicing?” Qadir’s eyes widened in admiration. “I counted at least seven or eight different instruments. You played each one so perfectly. You must have been practicing for over a decade, right?”

“Not really.”

“More like a month, all combined,” she thought. She had wanted to keep practicing, but her tutors told her she was just there to show off. They’d seen prodigies before, but never one who surpassed their masters in a single month. Juniper mentally shrugged. It wasn’t her fault she was a natural; she learned things almost instantly.

Her phone buzzed, and she glanced at the message.

“You guys go on to dinner without me. I have something to do.”

“Oh,” Queenie said, looking at the bag in her hands. “Juniper, I’ll wash the dress and return it to you.”

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