Chapter 195
When Zinnia returned home, Yannis was already there, dinner ready. Heโd prepared three dishes and a soup.
โYannis, whatโs wrong?โ Zinnia asked during dinner, frowning in confusion as he kept stealing glances at her. She finally put down her fork. โWhat is it?โ
She wondered, โWhy is he staring? It makes me nervous. But I donโt think Iโve done anything wrong!โ
โZinnia, isnโt there anything you need to tell me?โ Yannis asked, his hands folded on the table, his eyes fixed on her.
โAbout what?โ she asked hesitantly, blinking in genuine puzzlement.
โI heard you just had exams,โ Yannis said.
โWell, yeah,โ Zinnia replied, quickly pulling back her hand from a dish. Feeling guilty, she continued eating her bread. She thought, โDid he find out I ranked last? Itโs embarrassing enough that Mom knew. How did he find out, too?โ
โSo, Zinnia, isnโt there anything you want to tell me?โ Yannis asked again. Seeing her avoid the dishes, he grew suspicious and helped her serve herself.
โWell, I donโt think so,โ she replied hesitantly, staring at a buffalo wing but too nervous to eat it. She continued eating her bread.
โReally? Nothing at all?โ Yannis asked slowly. Her avoidance of the wing made her seem even more guilty.
Zinnia felt like she was sitting on thorns. โWell, Yannis, I donโt think thereโs anything I need to tell you.โ
She thought worriedly, โI only secretly ate some candy and chocolate last night. Did he discover it?โ
โZinnia, why do you look so guilty? Did you do something behind my back?โ Yannis pressed, his suspicion growing. He straightened his back and squinted at her. Her nervousness made it hard for him not to suspect her.
โYannis, I just secretly ate some candy and chocolate last night. Thatโs all,โ Zinnia finally confessed, her head down, her voice barely a whisper.
โSo you ate snacks at night?โ Yannis gave her a sidelong glance.
โYou didnโt know that?โ Zinnia looked up, surprised.
โI know it now,โ Yannis replied, his face expressionless.
โYannis, you tricked me!โ Zinnia said resentfully.
โI didnโt. You told me yourself,โ Yannis said, refusing to take the blame. He thought, โIf I admit it, sheโll think Iโm always setting her up.โ
Yannis hadnโt expected her confession. Heโd only wanted to ask about her grades. What a twist.
โSo why did you keep asking if I have something to tell you?โ Zinnia asked.
Chapter 195
Zinnia felt defeated. She wondered, โIf he didnโt catch me snacking, why did he keep pressing this?โ
โDidnโt you have exams lately?โ Yannis sighed, seeing her confusion.
โYeah,โ Zinnia replied, glancing at his face.
She thought, โSo he wants to know my grades. But why doesnโt he ask directly? Why does it feel like Iโm the one who needs to confess?โ
โSo, how did you do, Zinnia?โ Yannis asked.
โJustโฆ you knowโฆ average,โ Zinnia mumbled, lowering her head guiltily.
โReally? Just average? Do you have your report card? Let me take a look,โ Yannis said.
He watched as she almost buried her face in her plate.
โYannis, thereโs really nothing worth seeing. Can we just skip it?โ Zinnia muttered, trying to negotiate.
โYouโre a senior now, Zinnia. I need to keep an eye on your studies so I can help you plan for the future,โ Yannis explained.
He hadnโt planned to insist, but her guilty look piqued his curiosity.
โYannis, I didnโt do well. Letโs just not look, okay?โ Zinnia pleaded.
She thought of her terrible scores and her embarrassment. She didnโt want him to laugh.
โItโs okay if you didnโt do well. Let me take a look and help you analyze it. Maybe we can figure out what path suits you best. Life isnโt just about studying, but we should find the right path for us,โ Yannis reassured her.
โYannis, youโre not some old-fashioned guy, are you?โ Zinnia asked.
Seeing his insistence, Zinnia sighed.
Yannis thought, โHow did this turn into a debate about me being old-fashioned? Iโm only twenty-four.โ
โZinnia, I am indeed older than you, but Iโm only twenty-four. Thatโs hardly old,โ Yannis said.
He felt young, after all.
โFine. Here,โ Zinnia pulled out her crumpled report card.
Her resignation only increased his curiosity. He took the card and slowly unfolded it.
Zinnia avoided his gaze. He wondered what kind of grades could make her this embarrassed.
Yannis thought, โIf my guess is right, and Zinnia was raised by Nathan, her grades wouldnโt be that bad.โ
After checking the scores, he was speechless. If this were a school with departmental teaching, Zinnia could get into a decent liberal arts college with those scores. But Evershine High was different. It emphasized all-around development. Every student was a top contender from their region; this workload was normal. Even those who fell behind could catch up with extra help. But Zinniaโs scores were exceptionally low, even for him, a former top student whoโd skipped three grades.
Chapter 195
There were students with worse grades; some families bought their way in. However, in Yannisโs circle, such poor grades were unusual.
Yannis studied the report card, noting her weaknesses in science, especially physics and chemistry.
โGo ahead and laugh if you want,โ Zinnia said, watching him silently.
โWhy would I laugh? This proves how hard youโve been working,โ Yannis replied, his face free of mockery.
โI ranked last,โ Zinnia mumbled, turning away.
โYouโre outstanding in reading and writing, as well as language. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. You havenโt studied at this school for long. Itโs normal to need some time to catch up,โ Yannis said gently.