"Ahem!" Benjamin cleared his throat as he sat beside Penny.
Penny was with Zoren and Atlas on the same log, but somehow Atlas found himself between them. Hence, there was enough space for Benjamin to sit.
"Hey," she greeted him with a smile. "Everything okay with you?"
"Oh, yes, Miss Penny!" Benjamin beamed. "It's just that… Mint dragged Ray away. I think she's going to bury him somewhere."
With this remark, Atlas and Zoren stopped talking and set their eyes on Benjamin. The latter glanced at the two, only to see Zoren and Atlas resume their discussion. It was about Old Mrs. Pierson because it seemed Atlas was very interested in her.
"Don't worry about Ray." Penny nodded at him reassuringly. "At this point, Ray is the luckiest guy I've known. Considering he survived school with my brothers around, and until now, he shows up unannounced—he persists."