Chapter 917: I’m okay

"You okay?"

"Hmm?" Nina turned to her right, only to see Penny studying her face. "Heh... yes, I am. I’m just thinking about what Dean told me."

Penny arched a brow. "What did that guy tell you? I’ll sew his mouth shut today."

"Haha. Penny, it’s not like that." Nina huffed faintly, swinging her arms to release the building tension on her shoulders. "He just said... that he didn’t stand up for me, but rather, he simply repeated what Finn told him."

"Oh."

Nina pressed her lips together and glanced at Penny. "You knew Patricia was here, didn’t you?"

"Hmm?"

"Otherwise, you would’ve asked and mentioned it," Nina explained. "Thanks, Penny."

"For what?"

"For not... making a big deal out of it."

Penny slid her eyes to the corner, knowing Patricia was currently being interrogated by Angel. She flashed Nina a wide smile and nodded, her words coming out through her nose.

"Of course. You’re welcome."

"Anyway... what should I do?" Nina hummed, setting her eyes ahead. "Penny, if you were in my situation, what would you do? Do you think breaking off my engagement is the wrong call?"

"Why are you asking me about that?" Penny returned, tempted to tell this woman that she didn’t even know how she got married until further investigation.

Nina smacked her lips and shrugged. "To be honest, I don’t know. I’m just asking because... I don’t know."

"I don’t trust Finn. I don’t even like him. However, I do trust you, and I like you very much." The side of Penny’s lips curled up as she watched Nina look back at her. "You broke off your engagement because that’s what you think is right, and I don’t see any problem with that. If I were in your shoes, I would’ve done the same thing. Why? Because at the end of the day, there are only a few things the people in my life could do that would make me cut them off."

"One of them is... they can’t break my peace," she continued. "If people want to be in my life, they can’t mess with my peace. That’s law. However, there are some cases I am willing to compromise. It’s just a matter of importance and willingness."

Penny paused and winked at her. "You choose your poison, like they say."

Nina pursed her lips and smiled, nodding at Penny’s words. "Thank you."

"I don’t know if that’s helpful, but you’re welcome." Penny tapped Nina’s shoulder gently. "You’re okay, Nina. You’ll be okay. I trust you and trust your judgment."

At this point, Penny should’ve warned Nina about Jonathan because, clearly, the latter was approaching Nina for a reason. He could be doing this because of Finn, but Penny didn’t feel the need to warn Nina.

Nina was smart.

If Nina could call off her engagement to the love of her life, she could see through Jonathan. If not now, then soon. Therefore, Penny chose to stay quiet and let Nina be the judge. Besides, if worse comes to worst, Penny has a plan to take Nina out of a dangerous situation, should it arise.

"Penny." Nina jumped to Penny’s side, hugging her arm sweetly. "You’re the best. Do you know that?"

"Come on..."

"Sometimes, I feel like we are Yugi and Yuri."

Penny’s face twitched because the first thing that came to her mind was how Yugi and Yuri fought. "If we’re like them, I hope I’m not Yugi in this situation."

"Haha. Not on that part, but like twins! We were both born on the same day and have the same birthday."

"Ahh..."

Nina blinked. "Penny, when’s the last time you celebrated your birthday? It looks to me like the concept of birthdays is alien to you."

"Nina, do you know how one can stay young longer than others?"

"How?"

"Just don’t have a lot of birthdays."

"??"

"Haha. Don’t think too much about it!" Penny tugged on Nina’s arm and grinned. "Let’s just go."

Still confused, Nina allowed herself to be dragged by Penny while still thinking about the nonsense the latter had just uttered.

"Penny, you’re so random sometimes," Nina murmured as they approached the other entrance of the gymnasium. But just as they stepped in, Penny suddenly stopped.

Nina furrowed her brows, looking at Penny’s confused side profile, only to hear Penny murmur, "What in the world...?"

"Huh?" Nina was still confused, shifting her eyes ahead. The moment she did, her face contorted as she saw some alcoholic beverages being served. However, that wasn’t what caught her attention, but the guy in the middle standing near the newly set-up table who seemed to be drinking everything on the table.

It was Zoren.

"Woah!!!" The crowd cheered suddenly as soon as Zoren put down his nth glass. "Nice one, Blacky!"

"Get all the cash!"

"One more time! One more time!"

Zoren fluttered his eyelashes and smiled, his face all red, reaching even his ears. He leisurely walked a little and stopped at the next glass in front of him, causing a louder cheer from the crowd.

"Oh my god," Nina breathed out, intuitively casting Penny a look. The second she saw the blank look plastered on Penny’s face, she knew someone would die tonight. "Penny, please calm down. I think your husband is just having a lot of fun."

Penny didn’t react and simply gazed at the party before her. "Why... in the world is there alcohol in school?!" she harrumphed, storming in to stop her husband from drinking.

Penny had never seen Zoren drink to the point of getting drunk. This guy was still on medication. Had he forgotten hospitals and clinics were still a part of his routine?! Who pressured him to drink?

"Renren, that’s enough—" Penny halted as she reached out for the shot glass Zoren picked up. However, just as she was about to reach him, Zoren casually moved the glass away from her and held her arm, spinning her around so her back fell on his arm with her hand clasping his shoulder.

Everyone gasped, watching Penny lean backward with Zoren’s arm around her to keep her from falling.

"I’m okay," he said, his eyelids drooping as he flashed her a brief smile. Keeping his eyes on her, he took a shot in one go and winked.