Chapter 6

Nathan had never had great table manners. He always smacked his lips when he ate, leaving oil smeared around his mouth. On the other hand, Lily was much more refined, taking small bites. Her rosy lips had just a hint of oil on them, giving them a subtle shine. But despite her elegance, she didn't eat slowly. The school cafeteria food was usually greasy and salty, and in Spicariver, they loved their spices. At home, Lily's meals, which were prepared by the housekeeper, were delicate and mild. Eating that every day could get a bit dull. As for Oscar, he was practically sitting on pins and needles. Sitting across from him was the academic prodigy and campus belle, Lily from Linkon First High School! There was no way he could be as carefree as Nathan, who seemed to have zero concern for appearances. Oscar wasn't the most perceptive guy, but even he had started to notice that something about Nathan had changed since the holidays ended. Sure, Nathan had always been a bit of a rebel, but he used to be just as nervous and self-conscious around pretty girls, even if it wasn't as obvious as Oscar's reaction. But now, even in the presence of someone as beautiful as Lily, Oscar could sense a calm confidence radiating from Nathan. It was something that seemed to come from deep within. Nathan could tell that Lily was feeling a bit awkward, and Oscar was uncomfortable too. So, he took the lead and started chatting to ease the tension. With his social skills, it only took a few lines to break the ice, and the atmosphere instantly relaxed. Lily glanced at Oscar and asked Nathan in a soft voice, "Are you… good friends too?" Nathan nodded, smiling as he introduced them, "This is Ossie. We've known each other since before we were born. Our friendship's been through thick and thin. He'd walk through fire for me or climb any mountain." Oscar's cheek twitched. So, he's the one walking through fire and climbing mountains? Why not just throw him into hot oil while he was at it? A friendship that had been through thick and thin, huh? Yeah, sure. Lily couldn't help but laugh. She was honestly amazed by Nathan. Everyone has a mouth, but somehow, he could talk so much and make it all so funny. Feeling sulky, Oscar decided to get back at Nathan in his own way. He eyed the chicken wing on Nathan's plate, snatched it, and stuffed it into his mouth, chomping down with satisfaction. "You—" Nathan was fuming. Chicken wings were his absolute favorite! Luckily, there was still one left on his plate. Lily watched this playful exchange, and her almond-shaped eyes suddenly sparkled, bright as morning stars. Nathan was her first friend. She had no experience with friendships at all. She needed to learn from scratch how to be a friend. As an academic prodigy, Lily had an unmatched talent for learning. In no time, her sharp mind had constructed a logical chain. First, Nathan and Oscar were good friends. Second, she was also friends with Nathan. Third, Oscar had grabbed Nathan's chicken wing. Therefore, she should grab it too. "Got it!" Excitement sparkled in Lily's bright eyes. Seizing her moment while Nathan was distracted, she locked onto her target. She reached out, grabbed the remaining chicken wing from his plate, and, just like Oscar, quickly stuffed it into her rosy mouth. Both Nathan and Oscar stared at her, wide-eyed. "Is… Is there a problem?" Lily asked. She took a small bite, then set the chicken wing down on her plate, looking both confused and adorably clueless. Nathan's expression was complicated. "You… don't think there's an issue with this?" "Aren't good friends supposed to do this?" Lily explained seriously. "You and Oscar are friends, and I'm your friend too. He took your chicken wing, so I should take one too!" With that, she picked up the wing again and took another determined bite, her little mouth getting even shinier with oil. For some reason, she thought that chicken wings tasted especially delicious when taken from Nathan's plate! Nathan's eye twitched as he thought, "Her logic is pretty solid… What's next? She's already rising the wave of the future." He could finally see it clearly—rumors about Lily being cold and aloof were completely wrong. She was, at heart, a bit of an adorable ditz. Especially when it came to social skills, she was a complete blank slate. Nathan raised an eyebrow. "Ahem… No, it's fine, really. But from now on, you're only allowed to steal food from me and not from anyone else!" "Why?" Lily asked, genuinely puzzled. "No reason. Just because it's a rule, and if you break it, our friendship will sink," Nathan replied, slipping into his "boss" attitude from his past life. "Alright…" Lily nodded, taking his words seriously. Truthfully, she wouldn't have tried to take food from anyone else even if she did make other friends in the future. And why was that? Well, maybe it was just because those people wouldn't be Nathan. After they finished eating, they took their trays, carefully washed them, and set them back in place before heading out of the cafeteria. On the way, they attracted a lot of attention. It was pretty clear that Nathan was about to make the front page of Linkon First High School's rumor mill. Lily coming to the cafeteria and having lunch with a guy? That was massive news. As for Oscar—well, the onlookers weren't idiots. They saw him as an irrelevant side character, since throughout the meal, Lily's gaze had only been fixed on Nathan. Everyone wondered how Nathan managed to get close to Lily, and Oscar, who was actually in on it, was just as curious. Once they stepped out of the cafeteria, Oscar put his arm around Nathan's shoulder, sped up a little, and lowered his voice. "Nate, how the hell did you end up knowing Lily?" "Oh, that… I'll tell you later." "Fine," Oscar grumbled, dropping his arm from Nathan's shoulder. Nathan glanced back and saw Lily walking behind them. To his surprise, Lily had raised her arm as if she was about to put it around his shoulder too. Nathan jumped a little, caught off guard. "Lily, what are you doing?" Having lunch with Lily might cause a bit of a stir, but in the end, it was just a meal. People would talk, but the gossip would blow over soon enough. If Lily actually made physical contact with him, though, that would be an entirely different story—and one he'd have no way of explaining away. Lily was practically guaranteed a spot at Northsdale University, and with only a month left before the college entrance exams, any dating rumors involving her would likely draw the school's attention. They'd probably ask Nathan to leave and finish his studies at home. Lily looked at him earnestly. "Oscar put his arm around your shoulder, so I should too." Nathan shook his head quickly. "Absolutely not." She tilted her head, her expression puzzled. "Why not?" "Well…" Nathan scratched the back of his neck, realizing that trying to explain "propriety" to someone as innocent as Lily would be a lost cause. Her family had sheltered her so thoroughly that she was a blank slate when it came to things like this. He decided to take a different approach, one she'd understand. "Ossie and I have been friends since before we were born. He'd go through fire for me, so he has earned the right to put his arm around me. Can you do that?" Lily considered this seriously before shaking her head, looking a bit disappointed. "Um… I'm afraid of pain." "Exactly," Nathan replied, his tone firm. "So, put your arm down." "Alright." Lily obediently lowered her arm. They continued down the long hallway and found a gazebo with a stone table, where they sat, chatting as they let their food settle. Oscar, sensing the mood, took a seat across from Nathan and Lily. He couldn't help noticing that they looked pretty good together. In terms of appearances alone, Nathan didn't exactly measure up to Lily. He was reasonably good-looking, but Lily's beauty was on another level. She had a charm that left everyone around her a little dazed. But Nathan had this quiet confidence about him that seemed to balance the scales, even if Oscar couldn't quite figure out where that confidence came from. Full of curiosity, Oscar asked, "Nate, can you tell me now? How did you even meet Lily?" "Well…" Nathan started to explain but stopped right before the juicy part. "And then?" "The rest is premium content, Ossie. Please subscribe." Oscar was left speechless. In the end, it was Lily who filled in the gaps, laying out her version of the story in a clear, organized way. Lily might not be the most talkative, but her storytelling skills were surprisingly solid—better than most, even. "All that because of a misunderstanding?" Oscar asked, feeling like he was watching a TV show. He was a little hooked. However, Nathan scoffed. "Lily, you left out the key part. It's really because I'm good-looking." Oscar rolled his eyes. "Nate, it's one thing to brag about your looks in front of me, but even in front of Lily?" "Ossie, let me tell you something. I went to the provincial capital recently, and guess what? I happened to be on Brighton Road when Cliff Chasey was holding a public autograph signing. As soon as I walked over, he came up to me first. Want to know what he said?" "Uh… What did he say?" Oscar asked. Nathan put on a serious expression. "He said, 'Oh, another superstar is here too!'" Oscar's cheek twitched. Lily stifled a laugh. After a moment, she turned to Nathan with a thoughtful look on her face. "Nathan, do you have any criteria for choosing friends?" "Of course, I do." Nathan nodded. "They have to be at least somewhat good-looking." He glanced at Lily. "For example, you—you're good-looking." Then, he turned to Oscar. "And for example, Ossie…" Oscar perked up, looking hopeful. "Nate, after all these years, you're finally admitting I'm good-looking?" "Let me finish," Nathan said, rolling his eyes. "Lily's good-looking. You… are funny-looking." "Take this punch!" Oscar's patience snapped. He raised a fist and chased after Nathan. Lily watched the two of them bicker and sprint around, her almond-shaped eyes curving into little crescents as she quietly clenched her own tiny fist, mimicking their playful skirmish.