Chapter 31
โTimothy, Iโm not feeling so good. My stomach hurts,โ Betty winced, clutching her stomach. โCan you wait for me a minute?โ
โExcuse me, whereโs the restroom?โ she asked a passing clerk, her fingers digging into her handbag. She bit her lip, trying to hold back the nausea.
โDown that hallway,โ the clerk replied, pointing.
Betty hurried to the restroom. Timothy stood there, watching as Jackson led Zinnia upstairs.
From a distance, Jacksonโs voice echoed softly. โCome on, Zinnia. Letโs get some dinner.โ
Timothy just stood there for a long while, silent and lost in thought, beside him, looking up at him with a smile.
โJackson, arenโt we going home for dinner with Grandma and everyone else?โ Zinnia asked.
โNot tonight. I thought weโd grab something different. Iโve got a table upstairs,โ Jackson said, steering her toward the elevator. Zinnia just nodded and stayed close.
โMr. Lynn, your table is this way,โ the waiter said, guiding them through the quiet private dining area on the 17th floor. Jackson had booked a table by the window instead of a private room.
The tables were separated by curtains, each with its own distinct style: elegant and traditional, sleek and modern, sweet and charming, bold and flashy, and even cool industrial vibes.
Each table had its own custom menu. The owner of this place definitely had a knack for making every spot feel special.
Jacksonโs eyes scanned the room, and he couldnโt help but feel a bit overwhelmed by the over-the-top decorations. Perry had really gone wild with the design. He started to wonder if bringing Zinnia here was such a great idea after all. It felt a bit too much.
โZinnia, maybe we shouldโฆโ he began, thinking about suggesting they go somewhere else, but he was interrupted before he could finish.
โHey, Jackson, whoโs this beautiful lady beside you?โ a man said.
Jackson turned and saw his friend Perry Stark standing a few steps away.
Zinnia also turned to look at Perry. He was wearing a yellow-and-white flashy shirt, had pink hair, a pale face, silver earrings, and a charming smirk. He stood with one hand in his pocket, looking both rebellious and charming. But Zinnia quickly looked away.
โHey, Jackson, what a cute girl, huh? Sheโs a bit young for you, though,โ Perry checked Zinnia out and teased with a smile.
โCut it out. This is my cousin, Zinnia,โ Jackson said, giving him a warning glance.
โZinnia, this is my friend Perry Stark,โ Jackson gently introduced him to Zinnia.
โHey, Perry,โ Zinnia said obediently. Her voice was naturally sweet, and even though she kept a straight face, it was hard not to like her.
โHey, Zinnia,โ Perry replied, instantly straightening up when he heard she was Jacksonโs cousin.
โGlad to see you here. Wanna grab a bite with me? Oh, and what do you guys feel like eating? My treat today,โ Perry said with a grin, stepping forward. He tried to clap Jackson on the shoulder, but Jacksonโs cold stare made him think twice.
โZinnia?โ Jackson looked over to Zinnia instead of replying to Perry right away.
โItโs up to you, Jackson,โ Zinnia said without any fuss.
โIf youโre eating with us, keep it cool and drop the act,โ Jackson said, glancing at Perry.
It had been a while since they last hung out, and it was about time for a meal together. Besides, with how things had been with the Tamiy show, he thought Perryโs easygoing nature could lighten the mood and make Zinnia smile.
โCome on, Jackson, donโt mess this up for me,โ Perry said, rolling his eyes. He turned to Zinnia and pulled out his phone. โHey Zinnia, ignore him if you need anything, just hit me up. Letโs add each other on WhatsApp.โ
Zinnia had been quietly observing them, but she never expected to suddenly become the center of attention. She glanced at Jackson, puzzled, and couldnโt figure out why. After all, since coming here and joining the Shaw family, she had felt almost invisible, with everyoneโs eyes always on Betty.
โZinnia? Is it not okay? Iโll be super hurt if you donโt.โ Perry still held his phone out to Zinnia, his tone full of mock grievance.
โYeah, go ahead, Zinnia. You can always hit Perry up if you need anything,โ Jackson chimed in with a smile.
Jackson knew his friends would look out for Zinnia once she joined their circle. Heโd planned to introduce her to a few of them soon, even if Perry hadnโt shown up today.
There would be times when he couldnโt be there for her, and it was good to know his friends would have her back. He didnโt trust the Shaw family, and his own friends were far more dependable.
Zinnia took out her phoneโa new gift from Charlie after she moved in with the Lynn family. When she was out one day, she found its box hanging on the door. Before that, all she had was a call-only smartwatch given to her by her master.
Thinking of Charlie, Zinnia couldnโt say no. The phone came with a neatly handwritten instruction sheet explaining how to use all its features. Zinnia appreciated Charlieโs thoughtful gesture and followed the instructions step by step, downloading all the necessary apps.
Charlie had suspected Zinnia didnโt have a phone since sheโd never mentioned needing one. He figured the Shaw family probably hadnโt bothered to get her one. Keeping their attitude toward Zinnia in mind, he wrote out an instruction guide just in case.
As it turned out, Zinnia really needed it now.
Thankfully, Zinnia wasnโt a stranger to technology. After a few days of playing with her phone, she picked up the basics pretty quickly.
โAwesome, Zinnia,โ Perry said, grinning as he added her as a friend and jotted down a note in his contacts. โRemember to hit me up if you need anything. Iโm here for you.โ
Perry and Jackson had been thick as thieves for over ten years. Perry could tell from the way Jackson spoke that he had a soft spot for Zinnia, so he was being nice to her.
โSure.โ Zinnia nodded.
โCome on, letโs get some food. Iโve been dragging Zinnia around all afternoon. We donโt want her starving,โ Jackson said, tugging Zinnia along. Perry fell into step behind them, eager to keep up.
They found themselves in a cozy little nook. The walls were adorned with limited-edition plushiesโtreasures that most people would dive for, yet here they were, casually hanging around as mere decorations.
Perry noticed Zinniaโs eyes lingering on one of the plushies. He quickly took it down and handed it to her. โHey, Zinnia, do you like this one? Itโs a bit worn out, but you can play with it for now. Iโll get you a brand-new one tomorrow, promise.โ