On the shady lawn, Maya Spencer squinted her eyes, watching the boy pull Ella Turner, constantly scrutinizing her, blaming her, caring for her. Suddenly, she felt envious, involuntarily thinking of her deceased mother.
She thought, if she were still here, she would care for me like that too!
No, if she were here, I wouldn't have come to the Spencer Family, and wouldn't have been bullied.
Thinking about her mother, Maya's expression gradually turned heavy.
"Maya, let me introduce you, this is my brother, Ethan Turner."
"Hello, Maya."
"Hello!" Maya quickly got up from the lawn to greet Ethan after hearing Ella's introduction.
The boy stared at Maya, his eyes not moving, as if he were dumbfounded. He had heard from Ella that Maya was pretty, and others had said so too. Indeed, reputation does not match the reality.
Even though her hair and clothes were messy now, it couldn't hide her beautiful face.
"Bro, what are you looking at! You're making Maya feel embarrassed." Ella thought her brother was examining Maya just like he had checked on her earlier, to see if she was hurt.
Maya was momentarily embarrassed by Ethan's gaze and felt she had made a fool of herself.
"Looking at how disheveled you both are, let me take you to the infirmary and get your injuries treated."
"No need for me, you can take Ella!" Maya already owed Ella a favor and didn't want to owe her brother one too, fearing she couldn't repay it.
The boy looked at the expressionless girl, listening to her refusal, a trace of concern showed on his fair face. He extended his right hand, patting her shoulder, saying.
"You are Ella's friend, which makes you my sister too. It's only right I take you both to the infirmary."
He said she was his sister too. Maya heard the warmth in Ethan's voice, and her cold heart immediately warmed.
It had been so long since she heard such concern, and felt this kind of warmth. Even though her face remained calm, her heart was already churning.
In the end, she was pulled to the infirmary by Ella, watching Ethan bustling around for them. Maya couldn't help but think of Liam Spencer.
The same brotherly title, yet their family's brother only bullied her. At this thought, Maya felt more strongly that no one from the Spencer Family was any good.
When the three emerged from the infirmary, the two girls returned to the dormitory to shower and change clothes. It was Ella's first time skipping class, and Ethan's as well.
At noon, Ethan rode her bicycle, taking Ella and Maya to an off-campus restaurant for a nice meal.
The bicycle had only one seat in the back, so Ella gave the spot to Maya and sat on the front triangle frame herself.
Sitting at the back of the bicycle, Maya lightly held onto Ethan's clothes with both hands, feeling unusually happy.
She believed that at this school, no one dared associate with her, no one dared to help her, yet the appearance of the Turner siblings finally made her icy heart believe that true feelings still existed in this world.
In the days that followed, Maya grew closer to the Turner siblings. She didn't treat them with the coldness she showed other classmates.
Her gaze towards them always carried a hint of a smile, which was very beautiful.
Occasionally, while listening to Ella and Ethan bicker, she would purse her lips and smile, also finding amusement in Ethan's jokes.
Ever since her previous fight with Elia Spencer, she had calmed down a lot, and Liam indeed didn't pursue the matter of her fighting.
One day, while she was eating with the Turner siblings in the school cafeteria, Henry Reid suddenly stood in front of her.
Maya looked up, glanced at Henry, and without acknowledging him, continued eating her meal.
Seeing Maya's cold attitude, and thinking about her demeanor with the Turner siblings, Henry felt anxious.
He had known Maya for a year, and this was the first time he saw her with friends and smiling at someone else, especially a guy. He was scared, nervous, scared that the Maya he liked would be taken by someone else.
So, he grabbed Maya's hand and pulled her outside the cafeteria, saying as he did, "Maya, I have something to tell you."
Seeing this, Ethan quickly stood up from his chair, grabbing Maya's other wrist, preventing her from being taken away.
The situation became very tense, and the cafeteria instantly quieted, with eyes turning towards them.
Once Henry felt the resistance, he stopped, turned around, looking at Maya and Ethan behind him.
Henry's assistant, seeing a hindrance to Henry, immediately stepped forward, gripping Ethan's wrist, signaling him to know his place.
Seeing this, Ella jumped up immediately, walked in front of Maya, and held her arm tightly with both hands.
"Henry, say whatever you want to say here!"
Hearing Maya's words, Henry glanced at Ethan, then said slowly, "Maya, there are too many people here, it's not convenient to talk, let's go outside."
"Sorry, Maya doesn't want to go with you," Ethan quickly interjected as soon as Henry finished speaking.
"Hmph! Who do you think you are, stay away from Maya." Henry looked at the man, angry.
"Ethan, Ella, I'm okay, you guys continue eating, I'll be right back."
The siblings only reluctantly let go of her after hearing Maya's assurance, letting her leave with Henry.
Just as Henry pulled Maya away, Elia angrily followed, thinking, what is that little vixen going to do? Is she trying to seduce Henry again?
She wouldn't allow anyone but her to get close to Henry, let alone Maya.
Outside the cafeteria, Maya was pulled by Henry to the piano room.
Every time Henry came to school to see Maya, he would take her to the piano room.
Since Maya wasn't injured today, he didn't need to check her body, so after entering the piano room, he didn't pull the curtains.
In the piano room, Maya indifferently asked, "Henry, what do you have to say to me?"
"Maya, who are those two boys and girls just now? Do you know their family backgrounds clearly? How can you randomly make friends with others, what if they're bad people?"
"Ethan and Ella are my friends."
Henry was shocked. It was his first time hearing the word "friends" from Maya's mouth, let alone that they were her friends. He swallowed a gulp, pretended to be calm, and said.
"Maya, society is messy, there are many bad people, don't associate with them. If you're bored, I can keep you company."
"Henry, are you done talking? If you are, I need to get back to eat."
"Maya, can you listen to my advice? Don't associate with those chaotic people."
Maya listened to Henry's words but ignored them, turned around, and walked towards the door. She knew Henry's worries, but she couldn't fulfill his wishes.
However, just as she turned to leave, her wrist was grabbed by him again, and she stumbled directly into his arms. Then, her lips were suddenly covered by a warm touch.