Chapter 2

Nina's POV

By the time we left the scenic area, it was already dark.

Lindsay sat in the passenger seat, looking down at her phone. "There's a festival near our hotel."

Lucas turned to her and smiled. It was a fond, affectionate smile. Not the kind he ever gave me. "Sure."

Lindsay was allowed to spend hours wandering around a festival, but no one seemed to remember that I had walked two miles in the scorching sun today. She said, "Everyone's had a long day. Let's head back to the hotel and order takeout. We can visit the food street tomorrow."

Chad said, "It's fine. I'm not that tired."

Shane chimed in, "We came all this way to have fun, so we might as well make the most of it. What's the point of staying cooped up in a hotel? Don't you think so?"

All three of them turned to look at me. Even Lucas, behind the wheel, watched me in the rearview mirror. It was as though they were asking for my opinion. But in reality, they were waiting for the answer they wanted to hear.

This time, I didn't agree. But when the car finally stopped a little while later, the bustling festival was still right outside the window.

Chad and Shane got out on either side of Lindsay, looking out for her as she climbed out of the car. They said, "Lindsay, stay close. We don't want you getting lost."

I frowned and was about to speak when Lucas took my hand. "Careful. There's a step."

I instinctively curled my fingers, but before I could grasp his hand, Lindsay called out, "Lucas, come on!"

He immediately let go of my hand and hurried toward her. Without his support, I suddenly lost my balance and nearly fell. So even that brief moment of tenderness was only for Lindsay's sake.

Lindsay skipped excitedly, pointing to a stall near the entrance that offered face painting. "Look! These are so pretty!"

Chad gently patted her head. "We'll get one painted for you, then."

She tugged on my arm. "I want Nina to get her face painted with me!"

As Lindsay browsed the designs, she turned to Lucas beside her. "Lucas, do you think this looks nice?"

They stood so close that when they lifted their heads at the same time, they could feel each other's breath on their faces.

I noticed Lucas' Adam's apple bob as he answered softly, "Yeah."

The tips of Lindsay's ears turned slightly red as she looked down. "Then I'll go with this one."

I looked away. Thick smoke from the nearby barbecue stall drifted over, stinging my eyes until they welled up.

Lindsay gently pushed me down onto a chair. "This time, Nina gets to go first. It's only fair that we wait for her for once."

Chad smiled. "Let's help her pick a design. Let my careless little sister experience what it feels like to be taken care of for once."

A warmth suddenly filled my chest. I reached out for the booklet of designs. I said, "I'd rather choose one myself."

However, the four of them quietly slipped away. "We'll pick for you. It'll be a surprise!"

Ten minutes later, the face painter handed me a mirror.

I stared at my reflection. I had an enormous red nose, and two uneven black lines ran from the corners of my eyes to my jaw.

Shane's face was red from trying to hold back his laughter. Chad also covered his mouth, while Lucas simply turned away.

The last traces of warmth I had felt moments ago vanished completely. I dropped my clenched fists to my sides as I asked, "This is your idea of a surprise?"

Chad looked me over. "Doesn't it suit you?"

He was right. In their eyes, I was nothing but a clown.

Shane chimed in, "If we hadn't let you get your face painted, it would've looked like we were bullying you. But now that we have, you're unhappy anyway. What exactly do you want?"

Lucas patted my shoulder. "Come on. Look, Lindsay got hers painted, too."

I turned to look at Lindsay. She had a golden crescent moon on her forehead, surrounded by delicate silver sparkles. The paint was delicate and blended beautifully with her skin.

I didn't say a word. I took a wet wipe from my bag and tried to wipe the face paint off, but the four of them immediately stopped me.

"It costs 3 dollars, and we just got it done. Don't waste our money."

The face painter approached us and held out a QR code for payment. "That will be 88 dollars. You chose the most expensive design and the most expensive paints." She gave me a once-over. "That young lady's face paint is free of charge."

After Lucas paid the bill, Lindsay pulled me over to the nearby barbecue stall. "Let's get something to eat first. Then, we can explore."

Shane held the menu. "Lindsay doesn't eat lamb. Let's order some chicken wings."

Chad said, "She loves Portobello mushrooms. Get more of those."

Lucas placed a bottle of ice-cold water in front of me without unscrewing the cap. "Make it extra spicy. Lindsay loves spicy food."

Condensation slowly gathered on the bottle and seeped into the tablecloth.

"I’ve had a stomachache for the past few days. Cold water would only make it worse," I said awkwardly.

He awkwardly scratched his head. "Oh, I didn't know. Remember to tell me next time."

Lindsay never had to tell them when she wasn't feeling well. They always noticed when something was wrong with her without her having to say a word.

My phone buzzed with a message from Mom. "When will you be coming home?"

I typed out a reply. "I'm coming back tomorrow."