Chapter 9: Home

"I heard a ton of great things about cheeseburgers and pizza! And I also heard about this thing called cheese. If I recall correctly, some call it "liquid gold," and people stuff it in their bills like it's no big deal!"

"Their mouths, Zin, their mouths."

Zin gasped upon hearing Derrick's correction. He shyly scratched the back of his head as he apologetically faced Lyra.

"Sorry," he said, bowing his head with a scrunched nose. "Sometimes my bird tendencies just come out, you know. I will make sure that you won't hear that from me again!"

"Don't worry, Zin; I don't mind," Lyra said with a smile. You can talk however you want to; I won't judge."

Derrick's eyes shifted from watching Lyra with adoration to glaring at his right-hand man. He raised his brow at Zin, seeing how red his cheeks got with at least three feathers behind each of his ears.

"You're that excited, Zin?" His tone was different. Derrick even flashed him the creepiest smirk that Zin had ever seen.

"Ah!" Zin covered