Her Hidden Hero from the Unwritten Page novel Chapter 8

Seth shoved one hand into his pocket and let out a scoff of disdain. "How is she better?"

The red-haired kid whispered excitedly, "She's prettier than Whitney, she's not a snob, she's actually willing to treat all of us to dinner, and... well, she's clearly loaded."

Seth ran his tongue over his sharpest canine. "She just has terrible taste."

The red-haired kid stared at him, dumbfounded. Who the hell insults themselves like that?

-

In her past life, Winona only knew that Seth spent his days loitering with a gang of delinquents. He was spiraling downward, and no amount of persuasion from anyone had worked.

Besides, back then, her entire existence revolved entirely around Herbert.

But interacting with them today, she realized these kids just dressed weirdly; they were actually pretty decent. When they got the menu, they were too embarrassed to order more than a few items.

The menu eventually landed in Winona's hands. She arched an eyebrow. "Eight dishes? Is that going to be enough?"

"It's enough! More than enough!"

"We just want to taste the food!"

A single dish here cost four figures. These kids all came from completely ordinary working-class families; they had never set foot in a restaurant like this.

Winona didn't say a word and casually tacked on another ten dishes.

"Miss, I still don't know your name," the red-haired kid said eagerly, pouring her a glass of water.

"Thank you," Winona said. "I'm Winona Lennox."

The kid looked surprised. "Lennox? You share the same last name as Seth?"

"I do."

"Like the wind?"

"Like the mist," she clarified.

She was born at six o'clock in the morning on a day a heavy fog rolled in, so thick that the weather station had issued warnings. Lying in the hospital bed, Stella had looked out at the endless mist and named the baby girl in her arms 'Winona,' a name that felt just as drifting and ethereal.

She expertly buried her irritation, plastered on a sweet, gentle smile, and walked over. "What is it, Wendy?"

Her smile vanished the absolute second she saw Seth.

Secretly, Whitney was ecstatic. She assumed Seth had been standing out here waiting for a whole thirty minutes. It fed her ego immensely.

But with her entire class watching, she feigned exasperation. "Seth, my focus is entirely on my studies right now. Acting like this just makes me feel incredibly suffocated."

The classmates behind her started whispering.

"Oh my god. I didn't expect Seth to be so fiercely devoted, considering how scary he looks."

"And he listens to her so well! She told him to leave, and he actually left, but he couldn't bear to go, so he stood in the hallway for half an hour!"

"Well, Whitney is amazing, of course people are obsessed with her. How many girls can even compare to her?"

Seth frowned. "I understand, but you've misunderstood."

"Misunderstood what?" Mustering his courage, Jonathan Caldwell spoke up. "Whitney already told you, she doesn't like you. Are you trying to intimidate her into saying yes?"