Chapter 84

Although Henry had long since ended things with Rachel, the intense history they shared still lingered in Sophia's mind. She couldn't help but compare herself to Rachel.

She asked Gabe and Charlie, "Who do you think is better, me or Rachel?"

Gabe and Charlie didn't shy away from the question. Gabe said, "You two are different. Personally, I never liked Rachel. She always acted superior and looked down on me and Charlie. She even tried to control Henry, not letting him hang out with us. She'd make a fuss if he even smoked a cigarette."

Sophia turned to Henry, "Did she manage to control you?"

Henry chuckled, "No one in this world can control me."

Sophia playfully pouted, "Well, I don't even try to control you."

"That's why I like you the most," Henry said, suddenly pulling her close and kissing her on the cheek.

"What are you doing?" Sophia blushed, pushing him away.

Gabe and Charlie didn't think much of it, but Gabe said, "Hey, take it easy, Henry. We're not alone here."

Sophia's blush lingered, but she soon recovered and asked, "What about compared to Summer? Who's better?"

Mentioning Summer brought back the memory of her and Logan sitting by the stove, watching them. Henry's smile vanished, and his tone turned cold, "Don't mention her."

Gabe and Charlie, seeing Henry's reaction, kept silent. Sophia also picked up on Henry's displeasure and decided not to push further. It was clear that Henry now harbored significant resentment towards Summer.

While Henry and his friends could still laugh and joke, the rest of the group at the dormitory wasn't as carefree. The boys were in one room, and the girls in another.

Grace sat at the table, looking at her nearly empty purse. "We need to pitch in again, but I don't have any money left," she said with a heavy sigh.

Their families weren't wealthy, and the little money they brought with them wasn't enough to last. Wasting resources like this hurt deeply.

Lily sighed, "We're just unlucky..."

Grace threw her purse onto the table, "This miserable life in the countryside is unbearable! If it keeps going like this, I don't know how I'll survive."

Lily echoed her sentiment, "I feel the same way..."

Cecilia added, "Count me in too..."

The three girls sighed in unison, then fell silent for a while. Suddenly, Cecilia spoke up, "Why is it that Summer and Logan seem to be doing so well, and we're not?"

Lily and Grace, already feeling bitter, didn't want to hear Summer and Logan's names. It only made the comparison more painful.

Lily rallied, "It's because they're selfish and only think of themselves. I refuse to believe they'll always have it so easy. If we stay united and work together, our situation will improve. And they'll eventually face challenges they can't handle alone."

Grace nodded vigorously, "Exactly! Hard times will pass, and things will get better for us."

Cecilia, though, felt a pang of unease despite the encouraging words.

After letting the chickens out for a run, Summer and Logan put them back in their coops and returned to their dormitory to wash up and rest. 

The next day, Saturday, after lunch, Summer went to see Linda. She explained her plan and asked for her help.

Linda, curious, asked, "What are you planning?"

Summer knew that explaining the full plan might lead to lengthy discussions and possibly Linda's disapproval. So she smiled and said, "Aunt Linda, I'll explain everything later. Can you help me with the invitations for now?"

Knowing Summer's character, Linda trusted her. She agreed, "Alright, I'll speak to my husband tonight and ask him to invite Mr. Anthony and the other leaders over tomorrow evening for dinner. I won't tell them what it's about; I'll just say it's important. We'll get them over, and you can explain over dinner, okay?"

Summer nodded, "Yes, I'll prepare everything and just need to use your kitchen."

Linda smiled, "You don't have to be so formal with me. Use whatever you need from my kitchen. And if you need any help, just let me know."

Summer smiled back, "Thank you, Aunt Linda."

With the plan set, Summer felt more confident about the upcoming Sunday dinner.