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Novel Catalog
Chapter_79
Bonnie, still a bit lost in the flurry of events, continued to watch the scene unfold before her. She hadn’t been keeping up with the festival’s updates and had missed the announcement about the rules. As Yvette, Ryan, and the others discussed the new participation guidelines, she felt a bit out of the loop.
“Yve, what do we do now? Have they explained the rules?” Bonnie asked, her voice laced with confusion.
Yvette, who had been calm and collected despite everything going on, nodded in response. Ryan, ever the helpful one, added, “Bonnie, they’ve already told us that the festival rules are the same as last year. It’s still a point system, but the big change this year is that each person can enter up to four events.”
Bonnie blinked, her confusion only deepening. “Four events?” she repeated, her brows furrowing. “That sounds a little… weird. Who came up with that rule? It just seems unnecessary, don’t you think?”
Ryan shared the sentiment. “Yeah, I don’t really get it either. How can anyone win all four events? Seems like a lot to handle,” he muttered, clearly skeptical.
Yvette, who had been the quiet observer, stood up with an almost effortless grace and then paused, turning to them. “Let’s go. The cafeteria’s serving your favorite buffalo wings today,” she said with a casual tone that made Bonnie’s stomach growl in anticipation.
Bonnie’s eyes lit up. “Buffalo wings? Are you serious?” she asked, her excitement evident. The cafeteria’s buffalo wings were one of her all-time favorites, and the thought of getting her hands on them was enough to pull her from her sleepy haze.
But as she tried to stand, her legs gave way, sending a jolt of discomfort up her spine. She quickly realized her legs were numb from sitting too long. Bonnie winced, sitting back down with a groan. “Yve, my legs are totally numb. Why don’t you go ahead? I’ll just stay here.”
Yvette, who had already started to move, paused and then sat back down. “I’m not going anywhere. I’ll stay here with you,” she said, her tone still as cool as ever, but there was something reassuring in her words.
Bonnie’s face broke into a goofy grin. “You’re the best, Yve,” she said, feeling grateful for her friend’s unwavering loyalty.
Ryan, watching the exchange, felt a strange pang of envy twist in his chest. He couldn’t help but admire the bond between Bonnie and Yvette. Their friendship was genuine, and it made him wonder if he would ever experience something like that. Being part of the prestigious Lewis family meant that he had never known true friendship—just connections and alliances.
Meanwhile, across the room, Ruby was taking center stage for her rehearsal. As she sat at the piano, poised and elegant, her fingers danced across the keys, filling the air with a slow, captivating melody. The atmosphere around her seemed to shift, as if the light itself conspired to highlight her every move. She was performing with purpose, aware of the eyes upon her, and with one clear goal in mind: to intimidate the competition, especially Yvette.
Bonnie, who had been observing her performance, whispered to Yvette, “Yve, Ruby’s piano skills are pretty good, huh?”
Yvette, who had been absentmindedly tapping her foot, stopped and turned toward Bonnie with a cool, analytical gaze. “She’s average,” Yvette said, her tone almost clinical. “She made a mistake in the second bar of the first section and the third bar of the second section. There’s no emotion in her playing.”
Bonnie’s jaw dropped. “Wait… you can tell all that?” she asked, clearly impressed by Yvette’s ability to critique the performance with such precision.
Yvette nodded lazily. “It’s not just about hitting the right notes. Ruby’s playing is all technique, no heart. People who don’t know much about music might be fooled, but it’s obvious.”
Ryan, who had been listening intently, turned to look at Yvette, now fully understanding why the performance had felt off to him earlier. Yvette’s comments were spot on, and for a moment, Ryan wondered just how much Yvette knew about music. It wasn’t just her opinion—it was an expert’s analysis. And that realization led him to one conclusion: Yvette wasn’t just talented in art; she had a deeper understanding of music as well.
None of them noticed Zion, sitting quietly in the second-last row, watching Ruby play with a keen interest. He was dressed casually in a white outfit and a baseball cap, trying to blend in. Zion had seen Ruby’s talents firsthand when she approached him for an opportunity to join his studio. Although Ruby’s technical skills were admirable, she lacked the one thing that truly mattered: emotion. He had turned her down, and since then, Ruby had tried everything she could to get his attention again, but Zion wasn’t interested.
Today, Zion was just passing through the Art Festival rehearsals, curious to see if Ruby had improved over the years. Unfortunately, after listening to her play again, Zion was disappointed to find that nothing had changed—her performance was still devoid of any real feeling.
But then, as he was about to leave, Zion overheard Yvette’s critique of Ruby’s playing. He stopped in his tracks, his curiosity piqued. Someone who could make such an accurate assessment of a piano performance had to know their stuff. He turned around, drawn by the possibility of meeting someone who truly understood music.
Zion approached Yvette and Bonnie, his eyes bright with intrigue. “Excuse me, do you also play the piano?” he asked, his voice filled with genuine interest. “If it’s possible, I’d love for you to guide my student. She could really use some help.”
Yvette, clearly not in the mood for more conversations, glanced at Zion with a lazy, almost dismissive look. “I don’t know how to play the piano,” she replied flatly, but there was something in her gaze that suggested she wasn’t telling the whole truth.
Zion, still surprised by her response, raised an eyebrow. “Really?” he asked, his voice laced with disbelief. “Someone who could make such a comment must know something about the piano.”
Yvette, sensing his persistence, shot him a sharp look. “I’m not interested in talking about it,” she said, her voice colder now, clearly hinting that the conversation was over.
Zion, sensing her disinterest, quickly apologized. “Sorry to bother you,” he said, turning to leave. But just before exiting, something crossed his mind. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card, handing it to Bonnie.
“Here’s my card,” Zion said with a polite smile. “I hope we get a chance to talk sometime.”
Bonnie, surprised by the gesture, instinctively took the card. She could tell it wasn’t meant for her, but she accepted it anyway.
Zion walked away, leaving the trio in the midst of their own thoughts. Bonnie glanced down at the card, still unsure of what to make of the encounter. But one thing was certain: this was only the beginning of a much bigger story.
