Hera smiled at Dave, quickly deciding to tell a harmless white lie. "Dave just said something he thought was funny to cheer me up after I got upset by those people," she exined, her voice light and casual. But despite her calm tone, she couldn’t bring herself to meet Zhane’s eyes. Instead, she kept her gaze lowered, fidgeting slightly as the guilt crept in.
For some reason, lying to Zhane didn’t sit well with her, even if it was a small, insignificant fib. The weight of it pressed on her conscience, making her feel uneasy. Still, she maintained her smile, hoping he wouldn’t notice her difort as her mind raced with the truth she kept concealed.
Seeing the guilt on Hera’s face, Dave quickly wiped the smile from his own, not wanting to add to her difort. Despite his concern for her feelings, he didn’t regret stealing that kiss. He knew well enough that he wasn’t the only one vying for her affection—his friends had likely tried their own advances. Although he was certain of this, he had no idea what kind of kisses they might have shared with her. If he did know, it would only serve to deepen his frustration and hurt, making him feel even more unsettled.
Zhane noticed nothing out of the ordinary and assumed Hera’s difort was due to the events of the day. To offer somefort, he reached out and gently rubbed the top of her head, a gesture meant to soothe. Unbeknownst to him, a look of tender affection appeared on his face, his lips curling into a soft, adoring smile that he didn’t even realize was there.
Beside them, Dave watched the scene unfold with wide eyes, his expression a mix of surprise and contemtion. Despite his internal reactions, he chose to remain silent, his thoughts swirling as he observed Zhane’sforting gesture towards Hera.
He couldn’t bring himself to say anything or stop Zhane from interacting with Hera, even though a pang of jealousy stirred within him. They had all agreed to y fair and square, understanding that each of them had their own moments with Hera. Dave knew that even though he had stolen a kiss from her, it was part of the unspoken rules they had all epted. No one could question his actions under these terms, just as he couldn’t challenge Zhane’s gestures offort. The bnce they maintained was fragile, but it was essential for navigating theplex dynamics among them.
Once Dave had calmed his own feelings, the group gathered to head out in their separate cars to the Golden Dragon Pavilion. Just before they left, Hera finally took a moment to really observe Zhane. For the first time, she noticed the paleplexion of his face and the dark circles under his eyes. It struck her now, in the quiet moment after the day’s drama and her own preupation, how exhausted he looked. Her earlier distractions had kept her from seeing it clearly, but now, with everything settling down, she was fully aware of just how tired he seemed.
Hera guessed that Zhane might have came to the racecourse to unwind after a long day yesterday. Not wanting him to endure another hour-long drive back to the city while already looking so worn out, she offered him a chance to ride with her. This way, he could rest a bit and take a break from driving.
Zhane’s tired eyes brightened slightly, and a gentle smile touched his lips as he nodded gratefully at Hera. He decided to follow her to her car, appreciative of the chance to rest. Meanwhile, Dave, who was not far behind, had observed the exchange. Though he hadn’t heard their conversation, he had intended to ride with Hera as well. Assuming Zhane had parked his car near hers, Dave thought nothing of it and continued on, nning to join them for the ride.
As Hera approached her car, she saw Bry and his father already climbing into their truck. Bry leaned out from the passenger window with a cheerful grin and called out, "Sister! We’ll follow you from behind!" Hera responded with a nod and a smile, then unlocked her car with the key, ready to head out.