She stormed off, fuming, "You slippery little fish! Next time, you're mine!"
She spun around and headed back to camp.
Everyone noticed she was drenched and immediately asked what happened.
Seraphina gave a quick rundown before hurrying to her room to change.
She grabbed her clothes and went into Zachary's room to take a shower.
Zachary had just gotten back to his room and, hearing the shower running, quietly left and headed to the meeting room.
After her shower, Seraphina changed into some comfy clothes and settled on the couch, picking up a book and flipping through it like she owned the place.
By lunchtime, the cafeteria was buzzing.
Seraphina carried her tray and sat next to Knox.
A few moments later, Zachary showed up with his tray. After scanning the room, he sat directly across from Seraphina.
Knox, curious about the morning's events, couldn't help but ask, "So, what happened with the water this morning?"
With a light laugh, Seraphina recounted her mishap trying to catch fish.
Ezra nearly choked on his food from laughing, quickly covering his mouth to avoid spraying it everywhere.
"Are you going fishing again this afternoon?" Dane asked.
"Absolutely!" Seraphina replied firmly. "I'm not giving up that easily!"
Dane immediately offered to join her.
But Zachary frowned and said sternly, "Dane, you know the rules. We can't let personal stuff get in the way of our work."
Dane, intimidated by Zachary's cold stare, swallowed his words.
Seeing this, Seraphina shrugged and said she could fish alone.
Still, she asked Dane to find her a lightweight, practical fishing net.
After lunch, Seraphina rested for a bit before heading out with the fishing net.
The scenery was beautiful, and as Seraphina walked along the path, the gentle breeze on her face lifted her spirits.
Meanwhile, in the meeting room, Knox and the others were chatting.
Taking advantage of Zachary's absence, Knox suggested they sneak out to help Seraphina fish.
Ezra, always up for fun, immediately agreed, and Dane, tempted by the idea of a break, joined them.
The three exchanged glances and quickly left the meeting room.
Seraphina reached the pond, where palm-sized fish swam leisurely in the clear water, almost taunting her.
Focused on the fish, she didn't notice someone approaching from behind.
Zachary, having finished his work, came looking for Seraphina.
He stood with his arms crossed, watching her clumsy attempts with amusement.
Suddenly, he asked, "Need some help?"
Startled by the unexpected voice, Seraphina turned quickly, losing her balance on the slippery rocks and falling toward the water.
Zachary's quick reflexes saved her as he grabbed her arm and pulled her up.
She ended up crashing into his chest, her nose hurting and her head spinning.
Annoyed, she looked up to find Zachary checking if she was hurt, their faces inches apart, noses almost touching, breaths mingling...
The atmosphere grew tense, the air thick with unspoken feelings.
Blushing, Seraphina tried to step back but had to cling to Zachary's shirt to avoid slipping again.
She looked up at him, her voice a mix of reproach and playfulness, "You scared me!"
Zachary, touched by her cuteness, felt a strange emotion stir within him.
He gently led her to a flat rock, saying, "It's slippery here. Fishing isn't really a girl's job."
Seraphina, warmed by his concern, felt her embarrassment fade.
"Then you fish for me!"
Thirty feet away, behind a large tree, Knox, Ezra, and Dane watched the scene unfold.
Their eyes widened, and they exchanged knowing smiles.
Realizing their presence was unnecessary, they quietly retreated.
As they left, Dane remarked, "Do you think Zach likes Seraphina?"
Knox chuckled, "Isn't it obvious? Zach's making his move."
Remembering Dane's earlier scolding, Knox added, "We should keep our distance from Seraphina to avoid upsetting Zach."
Ezra agreed, "Yeah, Zach has good taste. Seraphina is a beauty and suits him well."
Knox nodded, "Absolutely. We should help Zach win her over."
By the pond, Zachary had already started fishing.
Watching him, Seraphina wondered why he was there. Was he worried about her?
Soon, Zachary caught a fish.
Seraphina was initially pleased but then felt sorry for the panicked, gasping fish. "Let it go. We won't catch it."
She clasped her hands and said, "Little fish, go home. I forgive you. No fish soup today."
Zachary, amused by her sincerity, released the fish and turned to Seraphina.
Just then, Seraphina noticed something shiny in the pond.
"Look! What's that?" she exclaimed.
Zachary followed her gaze to a small, natural white crystal lying in the water, sparkling in the sunlight.
Recognizing its quality, Zachary hesitated before removing his shoes and socks to retrieve it.
He handed the crystal to Seraphina, whose eyes lit up with joy.
She examined it closely and suggested, "Let's make necklaces! One for each of us."
Zachary shook his head, "I don't like wearing things like that. You keep it."
Disappointed but determined, Seraphina insisted, "No way! Even if you don't wear it, you have to keep it!"
She playfully winked and carefully put the crystal away.
Sitting on a large rock, Seraphina played with the crystal, glancing at Zachary. He stood tall, his gaze steady and alert.
She couldn't help but ask, "Zachary, why did you come to help me?"