Chapter 51

After a full day of classes, Zinnia felt the day had gone pretty smoothly. Maybe it was because it was the first day of school, and the teachers hadn’t assigned any homework or started formal lessons yet.

Humming a cheerful tune, Zinnia packed her bag, feeling lighthearted as she waited for Isaac to come pick her up.

Maisie walked over and asked, “Zinnia, how are you getting home?” Her eyes lit up as she saw Zinnia with her tiny backpack. She thought, Zinnia looks…

“Isaac is coming to get me,” Zinnia replied sweetly.

Just then, Isaac said, “Zinnia, all set? Time to head home.”

“All ready, Isaac,” Zinnia said. She walked out with Maisie.

“Isaac, you’re not giving me a chance to send Zinnia home, are you?” Maisie teased, pretending to pout. She had been hoping to spend a little more time with Zinnia.

“If you don’t mind, you’re welcome to join us,” Isaac replied with a smile. He took Zinnia’s backpack and carried it himself.

The Jenkins and Lynn families lived nearby, and their parents were well–acquainted, so it wasn’t unusual for Isaac and Maisie to share rides.

“Alright, I’ll take you up on that,” Maisie said. She moved closer to Zinnia, taking the opportunity to stick by her side.

After dropping Maisie off at her home, Isaac and Zinnia went back to the Lynn residence.

“Zinnia, your backpack’s still so heavy. Don’t tell me you didn’t eat the snacks I packed for you,” Isaac teased. He had stuffed Zinnia’s bag with snacks earlier, thinking she might enjoy them during her free time.

“I did eat some, but Maisie and the others gave me even more. There wasn’t enough room on the desk, so I brought some home,” Zinnia replied, shaking her head.

Isaac nodded and then asked, “No one gave you a hard time at school, right?”

Zinnia replied, “No, everyone was nice to me. They handed me candies and cookies.” She began recounting her day.

Noticing Isaac had gone quiet, Zinnia hesitated. She pursed her lips and asked cautiously, “Am I talking too much?”

Zinnia wasn’t the type to talk much, but the warmth of the Lynn family made her feel safe enough to share more than she ever had before. Moreover, Jackson and Sofia always encouraged her to open up; over time, it became a habit.

Of course, her openness was reserved only for those she felt close to. Around others, Zinnia remained quiet. Now, sensing Isaac’s prolonged silence, she couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

After all, today was their first day meeting, and their relationship wasn’t as close as hers with Jackson or Sofia.

Zinnia thought, ‘Maybe I’m being annoying. No one likes listening to pointless chatter.’

Her mind drifted back to the Shaw family. There her words were always ignored, filtered out, never taken to heart. Over time, Zinnia had stopped talking a lot around them altogether.

Isaac replied, “Why would that be? I love hearing you talk.” He gently ruffled her hair. Seeing the cautious look in her eyes, he bent down to meet her gaze. His usual casual demeanor softened, replaced by a serious and resolute expression.

He added, “Zinnia, you don’t ever have to hold back with us. I love hearing you talk. We’re your family now, and we’ll always be here for you.”

“Thank you, Isaac,” Zinnia murmured. She looked into his warm, smiling eyes. Under the glow of the setting sun, his platinum blond hair shimmered beautifully. As she gazed at the strands touched by light, her clear eyes seemed to brighten as well.

Zinnia thought of the picture she had received on her phone not long ago. The lingering disappointment in her heart was gently swept away.

In the desolate space she once called “family,” a tiny sprout of hope was beginning to grow. Someone had been protecting her without her even knowing.

With the Shaw brothers in her past, Zinnia had long stopped hoping for anything from those who called themselves her “brothers.” But then she met Jackson, Charlie, and Isaac. She had rediscovered the warmth of family bonds.

“Why thank me? If I’d known you were this adorable, I would’ve come back much sooner,” Isaac said with regret.

He added inside, ‘In that case, Jackson wouldn’t have been the one closest to Zinnia.’

“You’re back now, and that’s what matters,” Zinnia replied with a smile. She liked Isaac.

A voice, laced with anger, suddenly rang out from behind them, saying, “Zinnia! School’s over, and you’re still hanging around outside? What are you doing?”

Isaac and Zinnia turned to look, frowning. They saw Howard stand at the door, his face clouded with barely concealed fury.

Isaac frowned and said, “Howard, we’re heading home now. Why are you being so harsh?” He was angry with Howard’s attitude toward Zinnia.

Howard fell silent. He couldn’t quite explain the surge of anger he’d felt moments ago. Watching Zinnia smile so brightly at Isaac and seeing him ruffle her hair, Howard felt a pang of jealousy. He had never even done that.

Howard felt hurt. He thought, ‘She never smiles at us like that. Most of the time, she wears a cold, distant expression, unwilling to even face us. Her words are always sharp, like thorns.

‘She is like a hedgehog, always raising her thorns around us, as if we are a threat. I am her own brother. But she’s so kind and affectionate to other people.’

A strange sense of loss gnawed at Howard, as if something that should’ve been his had been taken away. That was why he couldn’t hold back and blurted out.

The sound of Howard’s voice made Zinnia’s smile slowly fade.

Howard noticed, and a wave of frustration surged in his chest. His fists clenched at his sides. He thought, ‘It is always like this. Of course, it is like this.

‘The moment she sees us, her smile will vanish. She treats us like we are something filthy, something that disgusts her.’

Howard stepped forward, his expression dark as he confronted Zinnia, “What’s your deal? Smiling at Isaac like he’s your favorite person, but you turn cold the second you see me. What, do you change faces like a chameleon?”

Zinnia remained silent, her expression indifferent. A faint irritation bubbled up inside her. She hated this. She didn’t want to talk to someone so rude.

Seeing her silence, Howard’s anger flared. He grabbed her hand, his grip tightening. He shouted, “Zinnia, do you hate us that much? Say something!”