Chapter 59
Manie packed up her things and walked over to Zinnia. She said, “Zinnia, let’s grab some food. Class 1 still has another half hour of lessons, and Isaac won’t be here for a while.”
“Sure,” Zinnia replied. Food was the most important thing to her.
“Lydia, come with us,” Maisie offered as she turned to Lydia with a bright smile.
“Okay,” Lydia replied softly, gathering her things.
Maisie was a bit surprised but genuinely happy. Although she had known Lydia for years, Lydia’s introverted nature often kept her from mingling with others.
Lydia preferred to keep to herself, reading alone and rarely participating in group activities. Maisie’s invitation had been more of a casual attempt, so Lydia’s acceptance was unexpected.
“Alright, let’s go,” Maisie said cheerfully. Normally, she hung out with other classmates, but ever since Zinnia joined, she had turned down those invitations to stick with Zinnia.
“Okay,” Zinnia replied and followed Maisie.
Lydia clutched her book tightly as she walked beside them. Somehow, Zinnia ended up sandwiched between Lydia and Maisie.
Ethan jogged up from behind and teased, “Are you three forming a girl group or something?”
Brian, with one hand casually in his pocket, gave them a once-over and smirked. He chimed in, “Not gonna lie, it fits. You’ve got a dark assassin, a spoiled princess, and a mastermind plotting in the shadows. Brains and brawn–your very own bodyguards!”
Maisie had a crisp and clean look. She had a short bob hairstyle. She was wearing a black, short-sleeved, square-necked top and a pair of black tactical pants.
Lydia, with her straight bangs and long hair cascading over her shoulders, had a delicate face half-hidden behind oversized black-framed glasses. She clutched a book to her chest, exuding an air of scholarly elegance in her simple white T-shirt and wide-leg pants.
And in the middle was Zinnia, looking pure and adorably clueless. Her complexion, soft and clear gaze, and pretty dress made her seem like an innocent child being protected by the other two.
Maisie glanced at the three of them before grinning. She said, “You’re right. We could totally debut as a group.”
Confused, Zinnia thought, ‘What are they laughing about?’
“Hold on, let me snap a picture. This scene is too good to pass up,” Ethan said. He then pulled out his phone and jogged a few steps ahead to frame the shot.
“Sure, just make sure to send it to me,” Maisie said enthusiastically, looping her arm around Zinnia. Lydia, without a word, subtly moved closer to Zinnia’s other side, leaving Zinnia sandwiched between the two once again.
“Alright, everyone, three, two, one. Cheese! Smile!” Ethan called out enthusiastically.
Zinnia instinctively smiled. Maisie struck a playful “eight” pose with her hands under her chin, her face lit up with a big grin. Lydia managed a small, nervous smile.
“Perfect!” Ethan exclaimed, his face glowing with pride as he admired the photo on his phone. He added, “Who said I suck at taking photos? Look at this, it’s amazing.”
“Let me see, let me see!” Maisie shouted. She leaned in eagerly, her curiosity piqued.
“Fine, your good looks make up for my bad skills,” Ethan said. He knew his photography wasn’t exactly top-notch.
“Send it to us,” Maisie said, playfully smacking the phone against Ethan’s chest.
“Zinnia, let’s exchange contacts. I’ll send the photo to you all,” Ethan said.
“Oh, right! Zinnia, we haven’t added each other yet,” Maisie chimed in. Zinnia rarely used her phone, so Maisie had forgotten about this matter.
“Sure,” Zinnia replied. She pulled her phone out of the bag.
One by one, Maisie and the others added her.
“Zinnia, my profile picture is a Samoyed. It is cute, right? Accept my request first, and I’ll add you to our class group, our chat group, the gossip group, and a bunch of other fun groups,” Ethan rambled enthusiastically.
“My profile picture is an alpaca,” chimed in Brian.
Maisie sent her friend request, calling out, “Zinnia, I just added you. Don’t forget to accept it.”
Lydia hesitated as she watched the others crowding around to exchange contacts. She pressed her lips together, unsure of what to do.
“Lydia, do you want to add me?” Zinnia asked, holding her phone out to Lydia.
Hearing this, Lydia looked up at Zinnia.
Zinnia gazed down at Lydia, her beautiful eyes curving softly at the corners. Since moving to Jinston, this was the first time Zinnia had made friends of her own. The thought made her heart flutter with a hint of joy.
Looking at Lydia standing quietly at the back, Zinnia thought, ‘She seems like a nice person, but so quiet. I wonder if she’d want to be friends.’
“Okay,” Lydia stammered. She was surprised that Zinnia had noticed her. Flustered, she quickly unlocked her phone and sent a friend request. Her heart raced as she nervously glanced at Zinnia’s phone.
Zinnia glanced at the new friend request and thought, ‘Lydia indeed likes studying. Her profile picture is an open book, radiating calm and serenity.’
Zinnia noticed the tagline read, [Reading mountains, seas, and the world.] It sounded deep and sophisticated, though Zinnia couldn’t quite figure out its hidden meaning.
“Zinnia, your profile pic is so cute. It looks like you,” Maisie said, unable to hold back her laughter.
Zinnia’s profile picture was a cartoon girl with chubby cheeks, resting her chin on her hand, her big eyes sparkling with coins.
Hearing the compliment, Zinnia shyly pressed her lips together in a small smile. She had chosen it, hoping to attract some luck. Being broke was tough.
Zinnia had seen a video claiming that switching to a wealth-attracting avatar could bring fortune, so she gave it a shot. It hadn’t worked so far, but it made her feel better.
“Let’s all grab a meal together. My treat,” Ethan offered.
“Zinnia, what do you feel like?” Maisie asked, clearly open to any suggestion.
Zinnia turned to Lydia and asked, “What about you? What do you feel like eating?”
“Anything works for me,” Lydia replied softly, her voice gentle and refined.
“Then let’s go for homemade dishes,” Zinnia decided.
“Perfect! I know a great place,” Ethan chimed in enthusiastically.