Chapter 154
Chapter 154:
The suggested restaurant was a fast-food spot—not too small, with gleaming windows and a tidy interior. It was bustling with customers, the lively atmosphere punctuated by bursts of laughter spilling from inside.
The group found a table and settled in. Bonita picked up a menu and began ordering.
“I come here all the time,” Bonita said with a knowing smile. “Our school started two weeks earlier than yours, so I’ve been eating here almost every noon.”
“Is it that good?” Wendy asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Yes,” Bonita replied confidently.
She ordered a few dishes with practiced ease, then passed the menu around for the others to add more.
As they waited, Bonita propped her chin in her hand, her energy dimming. “You’re all students at Esaham University? That’s amazing. If I’d worked just a little harder, if I’d scored twenty more points, I could’ve applied there too.”
“Luminary University is excellent too,” Sloane said, her tone reassuring. “It’s one of the top ten universities in the country. That’s nothing to scoff at.”
“But my crush is at your school,” Bonita sighed.
Fernanda instantly connected the dots. She must mean Neal.
“I met my crush too late,” Bonita murmured, twirling her fork idly. “If I’d known him a year earlier, I’d have worked harder in high school to get into the same college.”
Sloane let out an awkward laugh, patting Bonita’s shoulder gently. “Your crush is in our Esports Academy, right? Even if your exam scores were enough, your gaming skills wouldn’t cut it. You wouldn’t be any closer to him. Besides, being in different majors makes it no different from being at separate schools.”
Fernanda shot Sloane a complicated look. Was she genuinely trying to comfort Bonita? Why did it sound like there was some kind of implication that Bonita’s gaming skills were lacking? Bonita’s expression crumbled, her shoulders slumping.
“Stop it,” she said, covering her face with her hands like a sulking child. “The more you talk, the more I feel like a complete failure.” Her adorable reaction drew laughter from Fernanda and Wendy, unable to resist her charm.
The tales you love are at gⱯlnσν𝓮ℓs․cøm
Even with her pout, Bonita looked impossibly cute.
The dishes arrived swiftly. Their enticing aroma drew the girls in, and soon they were eating with unrestrained enthusiasm.
To Fernanda’s surprise, Sloane, the smallest among them, turned out to have the biggest appetite.
She was already working on her fourth burger.
“This grilled wing is amazing!” Sloane exclaimed, waving her hand in front of her flushed face. “It’s spicy, so satisfying! I can’t get enough!”
“Have you been starving yourself?” Bonita asked, her eyes soft with concern.
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