Chapter 20 - Aunt Ellie's Thoughts

After lunch time, Athasia, Callie and Ivan started to make their presentations. Callie's parents were very welcoming. It was a great experience for Athasia.

She couldn't even remember if she really did this back in her time as littleyoonie. Come to think of it, she had no friends to begin with. She often spent her time alone back in highschool before becoming an author.

She didn't want to deny that Athasia was related to her a bit.

"S-Sorry for m-making you feel u-uncomfortable earlier," Callie sat beside her with her guilty brown eyes. "My f-father d-didn't mean to say s-something like t-that.."

Athasia smiled and patted the girl's shoulders. "It's okay, no need to feel sorry.." she went back to her book. "I understand. Your father cherished this family so much.." she mumbled.

Hearing this, Callie couldn't stop herself from adoring Athasia more that she was left in a daze until Ivan poked her cheeks. "Help me with this, so that we can finish early," he said.

Come to think of it, Callie recalled that Athasia said that she had plans for the weekend after doing their activity. She compressed herself beside the Young Miss, "Athasia, you s-said you have o-other plan a-after this, right?" she asked.

Athasia paused from reading and glanced at Callie. "Mhm? Why?" she flipped the page again of the book she was reading.

"Can I c-come w-with you?!" Callie immediately exclaimed.

"NO,"

Callie shut, dumbfounded. Athasia rejected her so quickly.

Just like a lost cat, her imaginary ears flopped down with her tail. She picked up the book that Ivan gave her earlier. 'Ivan was right, I should just help them and shut my mouth' she thought.

The young man next to them got chills, and he also shot a quick glance at them.

He also heard Athasia say that. That's why he's also trying his best to figure out this presentation.

Ivan was a quiet guy. He will talk when someone asks him or if he wants to know something from someone, but not into the length of asking their personal life and problems. He is the only boy in their family.

Her mother pampered him so much, just like his older sisters. She even chased her to the gate, asking him to bring his car.

"Athasia, where are you going after this?" Ivan asked. He wanted to drop the Young Miss, at least.

Both Athasia and Callie turned their heads on him. They really couldn't know what he was thinking.

A smirk occupied Athasia's cheeks. "Do you want to drop me off? What a gentleman," she complimented.

Ivan leaned his back on the sofa, still eyes on the book. "Don't you want to? I will not insist.." he replied. Even though he sounded like he's asking Athasia for a date, his face didn't change at all.

'Did I make him so emotionless that everything he was saying wasn't accurate in his face?' Littleyoonie thought.

Athasia shrugged her shoulders and stood up. "I'm going to the bathroom," Callie immediately instructed her where the bathroom was.

The thoughts about Ivan didn't leave her mind until she reached the bathroom. She faced the mirror and washed her face. It's like she's iterating with a new person since Ivan is just a side character who appeared in the novel once.

"Whatever,"

Athasia turned her heels, exiting the bathroom and in the small hallways she saw Aunt Ellie carrying a basket of laundry.

The basket was full of dry clothes from the washing machine. The woman was about to fall because of the height covering her line of sight.

"Let me help you, Auntie," Athasia immediately grabbed the other side of the laundry basket and smiled after meeting Aunt Ellie's gentle gaze.

The woman blinked, "T-Thank you, but Am I not bothering you, dear?" she asked.

"It's okay, Ma'am!" The Young Miss stepped inches away from her. "We're already finished. Where should I put these?" she asked.

"Yes, yes, come and follow me," Aunt Ellie immediately took the lead, going to another room. She opened the door for the young lady and dashed to the edge of the bed. "Here, please put it here."

Athasia did what was told to her. As soon as she straightened her back, the side of her eyes caught something. There was a picture frame on the table. It was Callie when she was in her kindergarten and she was crying there.

"Such a crybaby," Athasia mumbled.

Aunt Ellie noticed her gaze, so she stood beside the Young Miss and chuckled. "She's always crying in her kindergarten days," she stated. "Yet she's always lying when I'm asking her what's wrong"

Hearing this, Athasia languidly smiled. Ever since Callie was a little, she's already selfless. She included it in her novel. Callie never spoke about the people who bullied her.

"Your daughter was a strong lady, Ma'am.." she said.

Aunt Ellie didn't get what Athasia was saying since she said it like she's older than her daughter.

The woman patted the Young Miss' head. "Do you think you two were the same?" her smile became warm, which made Athasia flutter.

"Callie grew up perfectly that she didn't want to worry us, but it's also okay to lean on someone." The warmth from her hand traveled down to the girl's heart. "I'm always telling that to her and looked at her now. She already have you and that boy."

The woman turned her gaze to the picture with a smile on her face. "She already have her group of friends now,"

Athasia's lips parted, but she didn't know what to say, so she closed it again. 'You are wrong, Ma'am..It's me who's now leaning on your daughter,' she thought.

It's her who had no friends. An outcast. On the other hand, she's proud of Athasia for meeting genuine friends. Even though she never experienced it at all, at least everything in this novel seems realistic.

A languid smile stretched across her cheeks as she faced Aunt Ellie. "Thank you for staying beside Callie, Ma'am!" she exclaimed. "You really have an adorable daughter,"

Then they both laughed.