As the basement door swung open, the delightful aroma of chocolate cake and pizza wafted through the air, instantly teasing my senses. I stood still and took a deep breath.
My eyes were immediately drawn to Jose, who was carefully placing a beautifully adorned cake on Jordan's study table. Positioned next to him was a small basket, from which he extracted two glasses of gourmet lemonade and carefully set them beside the cake.
As soon as Jose noticed someone was standing behind him, he straightened his posture and met my gaze.
"Thalia, what brings you here?" Jose grimaced. The supreme commander employed new bodyguards to make sure you don't move close to Jordan and Rachel! What are you doing here?!"
Slightly slurring my words, I replied in a hushed tone, "Jordan invited me."
Puzzled, Jose questioned, "Why did he invite you?"
"He's teaching me how to read," I mumbled, eagerly anticipating the learning experience that was about to unfold.
