Miss nobody strikes back

Amaze me

Chapter Fifty-Two

I sat on the bleachers, watching the basketball players warming up. I wanted so badly to jump up and join them, but I barely had the energy to stand, much less play. I’d been feeling dizzy all day, likely because of the medications I was still taking.

Dominic walked over to me, looking concerned. “Are you okay?” he asked.

“Yeah, I just wish I could play instead of sitting here, feeling dizzy,” I replied, sulking like a little kid.

“Since you’re feeling dizzy, why don’t you just rest for a bit?” he suggested.

“I’m not used to sleeping during the day, let alone at school,” I said, shaking my head. “When I’m bored, I usually read, mess around on my phone, think, or maybe snack,” I added, realizing I probably sounded like a total nerd.

He chuckled lightly. “Just try to relax. I’m not exactly great at giving advice,” he admitted, and I laughed along with him.

“You know what? You’re right. I should just rest. I’m going back to class,” I said, standing up and gathering my things.

Dominic gave me a small nod, and I made my way to the classroom. As soon as I sat down, exhaustion took over, and before I knew it, I’d drifted off to sleep.

The next thing I knew, Mrs. Joan’s stern voice startled me awake. I looked up to see her towering over my desk.

“Hanna, sleeping in class is strictly prohibited. Consider this your warning; any more, and you’ll be in detention,” she said firmly.

I nodded sheepishly, not wanting to end up on Mrs. Joan’s bad side.

The rest of my classes dragged by, dull and repetitive. I tried to focus, but it was difficult; I couldn’t seem to retain anything. I was worried about my exams, which were just around the corner. As the final bell rang, I met up with Kai and Jenny, sharing my concerns.

“I really need to catch up on my studying. This semester is almost over, and I don’t want to mess up,” I said.

“No way! You’ve been through so much, and I’m sure the school would understand. They’d probably make some accommodations for you,” Jenny said.

“Yeah, you don’t need to stress,” Kai agreed.

“I don’t know… but I could ask Dominic to help me study. He has a way of making things clear,” I said, only to notice Kai and Jenny exchanging strange smiles.

“Why are you two looking at me like that?” I asked, suspicious.

“Oh, nothing. Of course Dominic could help you study. You could go over to his house and, you know, study together,” Jenny teased, nudging Kai, who smirked in response.

I was about to protest when Dominic walked up. Jenny took one look at him, then turned back to me with a grin.

“Well, take care, Hanna! Kai and I have to go. Bye!” Jenny said, giving a quick wave. She took Kai’s hand and practically dragged him out of the classroom, leaving me alone with Dominic.

“What was that all about?” Dominic asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I wish I knew,” I said, laughing a little at their antics. Then I remembered our earlier conversation. “I’m ready for those study sessions, by the way.”

“So soon?” he asked.

“Yeah, exams are coming up, and I don’t want to sit there chewing on my pen in confusion,” I said, trying to make light of it. Dominic just stared at me for a moment, as if he wanted to say something, but he only nodded.

“Okay,” he finally said before turning to leave. I followed him, heading home first to change into something comfortable.

I put on a green knee-length floral dress with spaghetti straps, then layered it with a black hoodie and slipped into some comfortable black sandals. I didn’t want to show up empty-handed, so I brought three boxes of freshly baked macarons as a small thank-you.

When I arrived at Dominic’s house, Judy answered the door, and her eyes widened. “Hanna, is that you? Oh my god, you’re okay!” she exclaimed, throwing her arms around me.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” I replied, a little surprised by her reaction.

We stepped inside, and Miss Donovan appeared, her face lighting up when she saw me. “Hanna, you’re up and about! We were all so worried,” she said warmly.

“Thank you for your kindness,” I said, handing her the macarons. “These are for you all, just to show my appreciation.”

“Hanna, you didn’t have to!” she said, smiling as she accepted the boxes. “Thank you—you’re such a gem.”

Dominic and Dana appeared at the top of the stairs, and as soon as Dana spotted me, she dashed down and threw her arms around me. “Hanna! I missed you so much. Judy’s always on her phone, and my brother’s always reading. I have no one to play with,” she said with an adorable pout.

“Aww, I missed you too,” I said, ruffling her hair before setting her down.

“I was scared you wouldn’t wake up,” Dana admitted, her voice barely a whisper.

“Well, I’m here now,” I said with a reassuring smile.

Judy opened one of the boxes of macarons, catching Dana’s attention. “Look, Hanna brought us macarons!” she said excitedly.

“Ooh, I want one!” Dana said, bouncing on her feet.

I watched them with a smile. This house was so full of life—it never got boring. I glanced over at Dominic. “Your siblings are amazing,” I said.

He shrugged, a small smile on his face. “They’ve been in unusually good spirits ever since you came along.”

Feeling a little bashful, I changed the topic. “So, where’s your study space?”

He led me to his room, and though part of me felt strange about being alone in there with him, I trusted Dominic. He wasn’t the type to make things awkward. In fact, the more I thought about it, the more I realized how much I admired that about him.

Dominic was a natural teacher. He started with simpler concepts, helping me ease back into studying. He explained everything patiently, making sure I understood before moving on. It was like he had this ability to make everything seem easy.

Halfway through, his mom brought in a tray with two glasses of smoothies and two plates of macarons.

“Thank you,” we both said in unison.

“Don’t thank me. Hanna brought the macarons. Isn’t she sweet?” Miss Donovan said with a smile before leaving.

Dominic glanced at me. “You didn’t have to bring anything, you know.”

“It’s the least I could do,” I replied. “You’re helping me study, and your family has been so welcoming. I wanted to do something to show my gratitude.”

He looked at me, a hint of something unspoken in his eyes. “You always manage to amaze me.”

I wasn’t sure what he meant by that, but it made my heart skip a beat.

“Just be happy, Hanna. That’s all I want,” he said, his gaze softening.

For a moment, I just stared at him, feeling a strange warmth in his words. It was a small request, but it carried so much weight.

“So, shall we continue?” he asked, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I nodded, though his words lingered in my mind. All he wanted was for me to be happy.

Author’s Note: We’re getting somewhere with this romance! Thank you all for supporting this story. Please share, vote, and let me know your thoughts in the comments!