Chapter 8

• Two years ago:
• In a scene tinged with an unspoken humility, Jasmine mustered the courage to visit Ava's room, her pride momentarily set aside in the pursuit of a simple favor. "Could I possibly borrow your laptop? Mine seems to be experiencing some technical issues," Jasmine inquired, her request met with an agreeable nod from Ava. As Jasmine retrieved the laptop and turned to leave, Ava's curiosity prompted her to pose an unexpected query, "Jasmine, by any chance, are you familiar with the name Leon Miller or anyone associated with Miller High?"
• Pausing thoughtfully before responding, Jasmine emitted a scoff before stating, "Girl, I'm certainly not on the payroll of someone like Leon Miller," before departing, leaving Ava to ponder the enigmatic connection between the school and the mentioned individual.