124 Her future visitors

"Cozie, did you ever run a background check on me?" 

Cosette knitted her brows, turning her attention to her left where Maxen was sitting on the bus on their way home. She blinked twice, processing that sudden random question.

"No." She shook her head. Maxen stared into her eyes, searching for any traces of a lie, but found none. 

"That's odd," he muttered.

"What's odd?"

"Weren't you a top student in your previous school?" Maxen arched a brow. "If you're an overachiever, why did you fall into our class?"

Cosette held her breath under his gaze, secretly clenching her teeth. She did her best to keep her expression in check so he wouldn't notice the horror she felt at his inquiry. How would she explain that she knew he just didn't do well in school after reading it in the novel?