~♤♡Everfall's Casino♢♧~

~~~~~~~~~~~♖Chapter 23♖~~~~~~~~~~~

☆Miracle's: POV☆

"Now what do we have here?"

The moment I hear her voice I slam the book shut and my eyes snap towards the front door. I can see her walk towards me from the corner of my eye. I start fiddling with my fingers and diverting my eyes from her and the book.

"Watcha reading" She gently takes the book and flips through it her eyes carefully studying every line. "I remember this one, it was the first book I read when I came here and started working at reception! Scary how you picked the same one on your first official day." A small smile appeared on her face, wait... a smile?

My jaw goes slightly slack at this revelation, had she hit her head or am I delusional?

"Why are you looking at me like that? Is that really such a shocker for you?" Her brow furrows and her lips fall back into a straight line.

I finally snapped out of whatever trance was suddenly placed upon me "No it's nothing! I'm just being stupid."

"You always are stupid so really what is it?"

"Gee thanks." I roll my eyes.

"What was that?" Chubby glares slightly at my oh so lovely retort.

"Nothing!" I reply a little too quickly, the room falls into a small and very awkward silence though a few people walk in much to my delight. I've been spared from one of the many awkward silences that I always seem to experience.

It was a small gang of friends, at least I presume they're friends. I quickly analyse their faces and flip through the guest book for any matching profiles. None...

So they're first timers, I could see Chubby looking at me from my peripheral vision waiting to see what I would do. I recollect what she had taught me and I quickly assess their body language, clothing and expressions.

Now the real challenge started, interacting with them. The entire time I could feel Chubby staring intently at me and the pressure added onto the struggle as I was close to slipping up a couple of times.

When it was finally over I regrettably looked over at Chubby for... approval? She didn't say anything, not even looking at me instead grabbed a small piece of paper and scribbled something down. Then out of nowhere she grabbed my wrist with an iron grip, folded the piece of paper and placed it in the palm of my hand and closed my fingers over it. I looked up at her clearly confused cause what the fuck was that? The cherry on top though was that after she just left! She up and left me, no explanation whatsoever, I was completely stunned to say the least.

I sat there for a solid 3 minutes trying to wrap my head around what just happened. Finally, but reluctantly, I opened my hand and unfolded the paper only to see a message written in neat cursive that read 'Good first attempt, improvement needed though.'

When I say I didn't know what to make of this, I really didn't, I was beyond confused. Was this an insult or compliment, if it came from Chubby it should be the former, right? I just kept staring at this small square sheet of paper, I made a decision though one that I would never come to regret. I took it as a compliment, a first step in forming a neutral relationship with Chubby. I thought that at least if we weren't going to be friends then we could at least learn to coexist with each other without having one want to kill the other and said the other be on a constant edge around them.

For the first time in a long time I smiled, a genuine happy smile, it was small but it meant so much. I promise from now on I will conquer my fear, my cowardness and prove to them all I'm not just some goat who gets easily spooked.

I felt a warm feeling bloom in my chest and I was feeling giddy and much, much happier then when my morning started. Maybe this day wouldn't suck after all.

Finally after what felt like an eternity of sitting at that front desk my portion of the shift was over and I could finally relax a little. I went off to the bar for lunch where I saw Jaza cooking and still talking to Amara though Rainbow was there too making conversation with the pair, a cart placed next to them.

"Hey what's cooking!" I ask with a smile on my face.

"Food." Jaza retorts, Amara giggles at this and immediately their eyes dart to her and a quick grin spreads across their face. Rainbow notices too and rolls their eyes but a small smirk appears on their face.

"I'm sorry let me simplify my questions then. What kind of food are you cooking?"

"Goat meat." Jaza says nonchalant, Rainbow, Amara and I fall quite at this. Before Jaza quickly adds on "I'm just joking! It's mutton."

"Oh thanks gods I actually thought you were a cook- Nevermind good to know its a joke."

"I worried for a minute too." Amara says with a sheepish smile. Rainbow hums in agreement.

"That raises the question though, do people actually eat goat meat?"

"I am hoping that that's a no." We all laugh at this.

"Although in retrospect, for example, a sheep hybrid eats a normal sheep, would that be considered cannibalism?" Rainbow asks.

"Of course they're part of the same species!" Jaza yells slightly in shock.

"So if a human was to eat a sheep hybrid would that also be considered cannibalism?" Rainbow questions again.

"I think that might depend if they're also part human, since hybrids can be a combination of any two or more creatures." Amara adds.

We just kept talking and adding on to these questions going deep into its logistics until Jaza was finished cooking, and yes the simp did invite her to have lunch with us which she happily accepted. Should start calling them simp 1 and simp 2. I snicker slightly at my own joke.

"What's got you laughing?" Rainbow asks.

"Oh nothing." I wave them off.

"You suddenly seem much happier then we saw you this morning."

"Well just know that something happened."

"Oh really and what could possibly have happened to get you like this."

"Chubby."

"..."

"What?"

"I'm sorry I must be going deaf, did you say Chubby?" Rainbow says brow raised, I nod my head confused.

"What are you getting at?"

"Oh I don't know perhaps the fact that Chubby hates you the most out of all of us, the fact you are terrified of her and of all the people she's the one who improved your day?"

"Yesss?" I am still confused.

"Are you dense?"

"Yes... Wait, I mean no!"

"Are you going to at least tell me what she did that got you this happy?" Rainbow pinches the bridge of their nose.

"She gave me a compliment!" I smile.

"She gave you a what?"

"A compliment!"

"No I heard you the first time, I'm just... Surprised, that's all."

"I was too!"

"What did she say to you exactly?"

"Oh she didn't say anything, she wrote it down on this piece of paper." I handed them the note. I watch as their eyes scan through the creamy white paper.

"Are you sure this isn't an insult?"

"Could be, but I chose to take it as a compliment!" I smile up at them, they let out a sigh and ruffle my hair.

Suddenly we hear two hands clap together, our attention immediately turns to Jaza.

"Alright, who's ready to eat?" They grin.

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