Chapter 245: Implication
The dining table was this big ol' rectangle, splitting us up like we were in some kinda showdown.
Brad and I were chillin' on one side, Yancy was solo on another, and Jenny and the other two were scattered around the rest.
Just when I was about to ask if Mia's meal was ready and when she'd eat, she came out, barely holding herself up against the wall.
She looked like a ghost, pale and shaky, so skinny she was practically a skeleton. If she wasn't clinging to that wall, she would've hit the floor for sure. Seeing her like that freaked me out. I jumped up to help, but Yancy beat me to it and steadied her.
Mia tried to wiggle free, but she was too weak. She gave up, looking all defeated.
"Mia, if you're feeling like crap, you should stay in bed. Why'd you get up?" I asked, worried.
"It's no big deal, just a little bug. We got guests, and I should at least say hi. It's already kinda rude I'm so late."
Mia brushed her hair back, trying to keep it together, and really stressed the word "guests," making Jenny's face twist.
Yancy handed Mia over to me, pulled out a chair, and dashed to the bedroom for a blanket. He folded it up and put it on the chair before helping her sit. He was acting like the perfect hubby. "I checked on you earlier and saw you were still out cold. Thought I'd feed you when you woke up."
"I'm not that sick. I can get out of bed and eat by myself. No need to baby me," Mia said with a soft smile.
Even though Mia's words were simple, they felt loaded. I glanced at Jenny, who was looking down, hiding her feelings.
Yancy hustled to the kitchen for some porridge. Mia leaned back in the chair, smiling weakly. "Jenny, right? Long time no see, you're still as gorgeous as ever. Sorry I didn't come out sooner, I'm not feeling great. I'm Mia, Jane's college roommate and bestie."
Jenny looked puzzled, like she didn't remember Mia, but she played it cool and shook her hand. "Oh, Mia. We didn't hang out much before, so I didn't recognize you right away. My bad. Since we're all alumni, no need to be so formal. I've known Brad for ages, so I'm not really a guest."
"True, but this is Brad and Jane's place. I've been crashing here for a bit, just a tenant. By the way, Jenny, I heard from Brad you got hurt. Jane and I were super worried. Jane even said since you saved Brad, she's really grateful and wants to take care of you when you get to Regalia. Now that your surgery went well, you can just focus on getting better. Jane and I will take good care of you."
"No need, really. Brad's got me covered. You guys have your own stuff to do; no need to fuss over me. It's too much trouble."
"Brad's a guy, and no matter how good he is, it's still awkward between men and women. Plus, women are better at this caregiving stuff. And since Jane's his girlfriend, it's only right she looks after you to thank you for saving her boyfriend. No need to refuse. Or do you just want Brad's care and think Jane and I aren't good enough?"
Mia flashed an innocent smile, talking so candidly it seemed like she was genuinely considering Jenny's feelings. That last bit? Sounded like a casual joke, but everyone knew she was hinting that Jenny had a thing for Brad.
Jenny kept her cool, though. Even though she was clearly embarrassed and ticked off, she smiled and said, "How could that be? You're overthinking it."
Yeah, someone was definitely overthinking, but it wasn't Mia or me. Whoever it was, they knew.
"Jenny's got a big heart; she wouldn't pull something shady like that. Even if we were suspicious, it wouldn't be of you. By the way, since you're new here, you might not know Brad's a big deal at National Capital University. Even though he's got a girlfriend, girls still throw themselves at him, no shame. But Brad's got self-control. No matter how hot, smart, or influential they are, he doesn't even glance their way. His heart's all for Jane. Others can only be jealous. If those girls weren't overthinking, they wouldn't do stuff that ruins their rep. In my opinion, girls who wanna be someone else's side piece are a disgrace to their parents and a letdown to a prestigious school like National Capital University. Don't you think so, Jenny?"
Mia rattled all this off in one go, turning pale and breathing heavy. She looked like she wanted to keep going, but she had to stop. What she said was enough, though.
If Jenny didn't have ulterior motives, why would Mia say all this?
Jenny's emotional intelligence was off the charts. Even after being accused like that, she kept smiling. What was behind that smile? Only she knew.
"Everyone loves beauty. It's normal for girls to be attracted to looks."
"Exactly, but you should love what's yours. Wanting someone else's is not right. Here, we call it willingly becoming a despised lover. Some people even use themselves as bait to achieve shameful goals, plotting schemes. There are all kinds of people. They could do something better with their time at such a young age. I feel sorry for them."
Jenny's cool was starting to crack, sweat forming on her nose. She looked to Brad for help.
My Brad was just my Brad. He completely ignored her, using a fork to give me a piece of food to taste.
Brad kept a non-participatory, non-interfering stance, listening to the back-and-forth with a blank expression. But he subtly showed his preference for me. When he looked at me, he couldn't hide the pride in his eyes.
Of course, three women were jealous of each other because of him. How could he not be proud?
A man's competitive spirit was everywhere.
"Quit talking and dig in. Mia, here's your porridge. I added some brown sugar. See if it tastes right." Yancy, having issued all the necessary warnings, brought the conversation back on track.
"Yeah, Mia, eat up. Being sick sucks. Eating more will help you get better faster." I moved closer to Mia, but she pushed me back. "Stay away from me, you reek of being in love."
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