Alessia suddenly felt a strange tightness in her chest , but she kept her composure , merely pressing her lips together . With a careless tilt of her mouth , she looked as if nothing in the world could faze her . " We're family , after all , " she said lightly . Brendan didn't reply . He just gave her shoulder a gentle , reassuring squeeze . With Ivan's situation temporarily resolved , Zachary and Alessia finally stepped into their senior year of high school . Their school uniforms couldn't have been more different - Zachary's was neat and proper , while Alessia's was splattered with bold streaks of paint , each brushstroke a testament to her vibrant personality . " Lessie , aren't you going to wear your uniform ? " Karen called from the kitchen , carrying a tray of breakfast , while Brendan had already left early to run his morning stall . After a couple of days of trial runs , Brendan was handling things smoothly on his own . So he and Karen had agreed : he'd manage the stall in the mornings , while she stayed home , joining him later in the afternoon to help with the after - school rush . The new routine eased Karen's fatigue considerably . " Mom , it's a tradition at Lessie's school ," Zachary explained , trailing behind Karen as he set the table . Alessia grinned and spun around , proudly showing off her creation . " Yeah , the school gives us plain shirts to design ourselves . On the first day , we all wear what we made . What do you think ? Does it look good ? " Her white T - shirt was streaked with spontaneous , wild colors - vivid blues and yellows , the texture of each brushstroke still visible . The whole shirt radiated a carefree , creative energy that made it impossible not to smile . Karen beamed with pride . " It's beautiful , Lessie . You're so talented . " After breakfast , the two set off for school amid Karen's gentle reminders . Once they reached the main road , students in uniforms matching Zachary's glanced their way , whispering behind hands / curiosity and envy woven into their voices . The street was noisy - too much so to catch every word - so they ignored the stares and boarded the city bus , one after the other . " Why is a student from Crestview High hanging out with someone from the Academy ? " 1/2 13:50 Chapter 40 " She rides the bus for love ? That's real dedication ." "Isn't that Zachary ? Who's the girl with him ? She's gorgeous . Is she his girlfriend ? " " No way ! Zachary's the only thing getting me through the first day back . " " They don't look like a couple . Honestly , they don't even seem close . " " Why would a rich girl take the bus to school ? " " I have to admit , I'm jealous . Look at their first day - compare it to ours . The gap is unreal . " " Seriously . Who stole my privileged life ? " The morning bus was packed mostly with Crestview High students , clustered in little groups . Some were curious , some unimpressed , others openly envious . Their voices were low , but in the hush of the bus , Alessia couldn't help catching snippets , even if she tried to tune them out . She didn't care , but Zachary clearly felt uncomfortable . " Maybe I should call you a cab from tomorrow , " he offered quietly . " Huh ? Why ? Are you secretly loaded ? " Alessia fired back , rapid - fire , leaving him momentarily flustered . If Liam were here , he'd probably have snapped right back , but Zachary was gentle , almost painfully polite - avoiding confrontation whenever he could , and always looking for a roundabout solution . " It's just … you used to get driven to school in a private car . This is a pretty big change . I thought maybe it'd be hard to get used to . " Alessia understood . She swept her gaze around the bus , and the moment the other students felt her eyes on them , they quickly looked away . " How much longer till our stop , Zach ? " Her voice was steady but carried just enough to reach every corner of the bus .