Einstein wasn't all that surprised when he saw Maria standing there. She still had her glasses on, her hair neatly tucked behind her ears, and there was something undeniably beautiful about her calm, nervous presence.
He stepped aside and held the door open wider for her. "You're ready, you can move in; you'll find the boys inside," he said politely, gesturing for her to enter.
But Maria didn't move. She stood there frozen, her hand gripping the strap of her small bag. Then, slowly, her expression shifted. Worry clouded her eyes."Einstein… Hawkings didn't accept me, right?" she asked in a low, almost trembling tone.
Einstein blinked, a bit caught off guard by her sudden vulnerability. He hesitated, trying to find the right words.
"Einstein," she repeated softly, her voice carrying a mix of fear and hope.
"Yeah?" he finally managed to say.
"Did Hawkings really accept me…? Please, tell me honestly," she pressed, her eyes searching his face.Einstein drew in a slow breath. "Don't worry. They've accepted you," he assured her gently. "Come on, let's go. They're waiting."
He led her inside, Maria following closely behind, her steps careful and quiet.
As they entered the dining area, Hawkings looked up first. His eyes quickly scanned her from head to toe before he let out a small, almost reluctant blink and turned his attention back to his food.
Vinci noticed her too but stayed silent at first, studying her with an unreadable look.
"Hey, guys," Einstein said brightly, giving them a playful wink to break the tension.
For a moment, silence hung thick in the room. Then Vinci suddenly stood up, clapping his hands lightly.
"Alright! Let's get our princess a chair ,she's a genius now, right?" he teased, dragging a chair next to him and patting it with a grin.
Maria's cheeks flushed pink. She opened her mouth to say something but paused, glancing nervously at Hawkings.
Hawkings let out a sharp breath and finally spoke up. "Hey… let's stop this. I just hated your character before. Now you've changed, so… I like you."
"Ohh! Are you confessing?!" Vinci jumped in quickly, his eyes wide with mock shock.
Hawkings snapped his head around, glaring at him. "No! Not in that way! Stop it, Vinci."
"Okay, boss," Vinci laughed, raising both hands in surrender.
Einstein chuckled softly, turning back to Maria. "You see? I told you they've forgiven you. Now, come on."
He helped her to the chair like a true gentleman, guiding her gently until she sat down. Maria lowered herself slowly, her eyes shining with a mix of relief and surprise.
At that moment, the room felt different ;warmer, more connected, as if a long-held tension had finally started to melt away.
"Hey Maria, would you join us for breakfast?" Vinci offered with an easy grin.
"Thanks… but I'm alright," Maria replied politely, adjusting her glasses. "I've already had breakfast."
"Really? No, you'll love it — it's Vinci's mom who made it!" Vinci insisted, raising an eyebrow playfully."Yo, guy, stop forcing her," Hawkings interrupted, rolling his eyes. "If she's already eaten, it's fine. Let's just wait for Eliza."
Einstein sat there, deep in thought. Eliza… she'll be the hardest to convince, he thought to himself. But I have to try.
"Hey, go check — she's finally here," Vinci nudged Einstein, snapping him out of his head.
"Huh?" Einstein blinked.
"Guy!" Vinci repeated, now louder, tapping the table. "I said she's here — it's Eliza. Go get her."
"Ah, yeah… let me do that," Einstein mumbled, shaking off his thoughts. He stood up and headed toward the door, his heart starting to beat faster.
When he opened the door, there she was ;Eliza, exactly as he expected. She had her hair tied up neatly and wore her signature jacket. AirPods were tucked into her ears, and she looked as cool and sharp as always.
"Hey, girl! You're here — let's get on," Einstein called out, stepping forward. He planned to tell her about Maria before they joined the others, hoping to soften the shock.
He started to close the door, but the knob jammed slightly. He struggled for a moment, finally locking it with a soft click. But when he turned back, Eliza was already walking inside.
"Eliza! Wait" he called, but she didn't hear him clearly over her music♪.
She continued walking, following the sound of voices and laughter coming from the dining room.
As she stepped into the room, her eyes immediately landed on Maria sitting there among the boys. She froze.
Her expression shifted from curiosity to pure shock. She stared at Maria, her eyes wide, her mouth opening slightly but no words coming out at first.
"Did you… wait… why is… no, I don't get it," she stammered, her voice breaking as she looked from Maria to the boys and back again.The room went silent in an instant. Even Hawkings, who was mid-bite, paused with his fork halfway to his mouth. Vinci's playful smirk faded as he watched Eliza's reaction closely.
Einstein took a hesitant step forward, beside her his heart hammering. This is it… he thought. Now or never.
"Whatever Happens, it can be solved "