Camarilla | z.zy ✓

CHAPTER 9

Mia made her way out of her room, now dressed in her uniform with her backpack on her back. She slowly walked to the living room and made sure not to make a sound.

She stopped in her tracks when she saw Zhenyuan now sitting in the living room, still on his cellphone. She felt like this was some kind of bad luck, why would he be in the living room now when he was initially in the kitchen?

'So you're going to school this early? When do you start?' Zhenyuan asked her after he had turned his eyes from the cellphone to Mia.

She felt like she had suddenly gotten a deputy parent of some sort. 'At 8.'

'It may be too early for you to...'

'I always go this time.' She lied then awkwardly walked towards the front door.

'Okay then let me walk you there,' Zhenyuan stood up immediately.

'No!!!' Mia found herself talking too loud. 'I go with a friend.' At this point, she would rather go with Jungwon rather than Zhenyuan. But then again, she wasn't very sure about that.

'Who? Jungwon?' Zhenyuan walked closer to her, making her shy and even more embarrassed.

'Jungwon isn't my friend. How do you even know about Jungwon?' Mia leaned on the wooden front door.

'Your mom told me everything.' He answered. 'You can't be friends with Jungwon, I can't even begin to comprehend how a little girl like you would want to be around someone like that.'

Even though Mia felt uncomfortable with their proximity, she tried to respond to him. 'What? Because he's sort of Goth and believes in things that aren't real?'

'That's not the worst thing he's ever done, you and I both know the worst thing he's ever done. And when I heard it, I felt disgusted.' Zhenyuan explained. 'Your mother told me to protect you while I'm here, and I'm gonna do that with or without your permission, because I have your mother's permission.'

Mia nodded. She didn't know what to say to convince him. When she thought about what Jungwon had done as well, she could understand why her mother was worried about her and this apparent new instalment to the family.

She opened the door, and Zhenyuan walked out behind her. The two of them were walking silently on the sidewalk, headed for school. She didn't know what to say, she still felt embarrassed over what had happened this morning and the fact that he was a boy, she still wasn't very comfortable with boys, or with anyone to be honest.

Once they reached the forest, Zhenyuan looked around with a worried face.

'And you pass here every single day all alone?' Zhenyuan asked with concern.

'It's safe.' She answered. 'Otherwise my mom wouldn't let me walk all alone.'

'Okay.' Zhenyuan nodded, she had a very good point. But Zhenyuan wasn't convinced with that belief, something about the forest felt really dangerous to him. 'Are there wild animals in there?'

'Some, but they don't come out to the road.'

'Just animals?'

'What else do you think is there?'

Zhenyuan wasn't sure what he was thinking, but he continued to walk with Mia anyway. After they finally arrived at the school, Zhenyuan left her at the school entrance. Mia had felt safer when she was around Zhenyuan, unlike the day before where she ran so fast from the forest.

'Zhenyuan...thanks.' She said innocently.

Zhenyuan patted her head with a smile. 'It's the least I can do.'