As Hayden and I got out of the car, Yuna was chilling in the yard, rocking in a chair, totally absorbed
in her
book.
The breeze yed with her dress, making the scene almost unreal, like something out of a movie.
She was so deep in her book, she didn’t even notice we’d pulled up until Zach yelled, “Yuna, guess
who’s
here!”
Without even looking up, Yuna fired back, “Zach, your car sounds like awnmower. I knew it was
you.”
Iughed as Zach scratched his neck, embarrassed. “Yeah, well, it’s not just me. I brought
someone.”
Yuna just flipped another page, still not looking up.
Zach was about to say more, but I waved him off and walked over to her. Standing behind her, I
peeked at the book-“Still reading this? Thought you’d finished it.”
I remembered seeing it on her nightstand
time I was here–one of those sappy romancevels.
She froze for a second, then turned. Her face lit up when she saw me. “Keira!”
Iughed as Yuna jumped up, but the second she spotted Hayden behind me, she dropped her
book and bolted straight for him. “Hayden!”
Watching them hug, seeing how Hayden softly ruffled her hair, it hit me–This is why he’s so good at
spoiling me. He’s been practicing with his sister all along.‘
While they caught up, I bent down and grabbed the book she’d dropped. The Boy Next Door by
Meg Cabot. The cover was all worn out, pages yellowed, like it had been read a million times.
I was not usually into romance novels, but it made me curious–what was it about this one that had
her so
hooked?
I’d just flipped to the second page when Yuna came back over. “Keira, you can’t read that,” she
said, reaching out like she was about to snatch it from me.
I smirked. “Oh? What’s the big secret in this book?”
A blush crept across her cheeks. “No secret. It’s just… you and Hayden are already in love. You
don’t need this kind of thing anymore.”
I couldn’t help but grin. “Oh, so this is like a love guide for beginners, hub?”
“Keira!” Yuna whined, her face turning an even deeper shade of pink as she pouted.
Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.
I decided to let her off the hook and handed the book back.
Just as I did, Hayden strolled over and took my hand. “Come on, let’s head inside and grab a
drink.”
I followed him in, and since Hayden knew his way around, he started pouring me some water. But
Yuna swooped in, quick to stop him. “Hayden, I’ll make her some tea.”
It was this special floral blend she always whipped up just for me.
Without missing a beat, Yuna turned to Hayden. “By the way, I want to have some grilled fishter,”
she added, totally unapologetic.
“Of course, I’ll make it for you guys,” Hayden replied, throwing me a quick smile. It was his way of
reminding me I was still his priority, even while doting on Yuna.
Yuna’s eyes suddenly zeroed in on the ring I was wearing. “Keira, is that from Hayden? It looks so
familiar.”
“Yeah, it’s your family heirloom,” I said, looking over at Hayden. He was already busy prepping
dinner.
The sun took its sweet time setting here, so it wasn’t until after we’d eaten that the sky finally went
dark.
When Yuna found out we were taking her with us, she practically bounced with excitement and
rushed to pack her things.
“Can you check if I forgot anything?” she aske
king unsure as she stared at her packed suitcase.
I gave it a quick nce and shrugged. “Looks like you’ve got everything. And even if you forgot
something, we’ll just buy it.”
Yuna scrunched her nose. “That’s such a waste of money. Plus, everything where you live is so
expensive.”
Her practicality made my heart ache a little.
Girls her age–the ones I was used to–were always drinking bubble tea, eating desserts, and
shopping for clothes without a care. None of them were as careful as Yuna.
It was true what they say: kids from poor families grow up fast.
“It’s okay. Hayden and I make plenty of money.” I reassured her.
Yuna stayed quiet, and I knew she had her own way of doing things, her own quiet independence.
After a moment, she looked at me, serious. “There’s something I wanted to ask you.