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Novel Catalog
Chapter 13
The pain in Estella’s hand was unbearable. She cradled it instinctively, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill. The sharp sting of the fall, coupled with the sting of humiliation, overwhelmed her. She sniffled softly, blinking away the tears that had welled up in her eyes.
After a moment, she forced herself to stand. Though the ache in her hand lingered, she reached into the desk for her notebook. With a quiet sigh, she began to write, focusing on the motion of the pen in a bid to distract herself from the pain.
The other children, already used to her silence, paid little attention. Estella communicated through her notebook, but it was rare for her to write to anyone, as most of the other kids preferred to ignore her.
A few moments later, Estella turned the notebook toward Tammy, revealing a simple, yet pointed word: Apologize.
Tammy scoffed, hands on her hips, and read the word with a mocking sneer. “Apologize?” she snorted. “How dare you ask me to apologize to you, Estella? You’re really asking for it!”
Without waiting for a response, Tammy marched toward Estella with an air of superiority, as if ready to shove her again. But just as her hand reached out, Archie and Benny, who had been quietly watching the scene unfold, suddenly moved into action.
Before Tammy could touch Estella, Archie stood directly in her path, his expression hardening with anger. “Enough!” he barked, his voice sharp. “How dare you bully her?”
Tammy froze, taken aback by the unexpected confrontation. Archie’s tone was steely, his presence unexpectedly imposing for someone so young. “Didn’t your mother teach you to apologize when you’ve wronged someone?” he continued, his gaze unwavering. “You shoved her. Now apologize.”
For a moment, Tammy seemed unsure of what to do. She looked around the room, seeking support from the other kids. But no one spoke up in her defense. The classroom had gone quiet, the tension palpable.
Flushed with embarrassment, Tammy mumbled, “I… I…”
She struggled to find the right words, her bravado faltering. She had never expected this level of confrontation from the two boys, especially not from the usually calm Archie.
Benny, sensing the awkwardness, stepped forward. He didn’t have the same commanding tone as Archie, but there was still an undeniable hint of sternness in his voice. “You can’t just hurt people like that,” he said gently but firmly. “It’s wrong. We shouldn’t be mean to each other. Apologize to her, okay?”
Tammy looked at Benny, eyes brimming with unshed tears. She wiped her nose, trying to hold back her emotions. “I… I’m sorry,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “I shouldn’t have pushed you. Please forgive me.”
Estella studied Tammy for a long moment, her gaze soft but steady. Finally, she nodded, accepting the apology without a word. She didn’t need to speak to show that she had forgiven her.
Benny’s face brightened with a smile. “That’s right! We’re all classmates. We should be friends and get along with each other!” he exclaimed, his cheerfulness infectious.
Tammy nodded awkwardly, looking both relieved and embarrassed. The other kids, sensing that the confrontation was over, began to echo Benny’s sentiment, offering awkward smiles and murmurs of approval.
Archie turned his attention back to Estella, his expression softening. “Are you okay? Did you get hurt?” he asked, his voice quieter now.
Estella, still hiding her injured hand behind her back, shook her head quickly, not wanting to admit that it hurt. But the redness and swelling were obvious to anyone who looked closely.
Benny, ever observant, was not convinced. “I saw you hit the desk. There’s no way you’re not hurt! Let me see.”
Before Estella could protest, Benny reached out and gently grabbed her injured hand. She tried to pull away, but it was too late—her injury was already clear. The small red mark on her delicate skin stood out starkly against her fair hand.
Archie’s brows furrowed with concern. “It’s swollen. You really didn’t feel that?”
Estella, her eyes red-rimmed from holding back tears, shook her head again, though her lips trembled.
Seeing how upset she was, Archie made a decision. “We’re taking you to the nurse’s office. You need to get this looked at.” He wasn’t going to let her walk around with an injury like that.
Benny, reluctant to let go of Estella’s hand, pulled her along with them as they made their way to the staffroom.
When the teacher saw the injury, she immediately called the school nurse. The nurse, upon seeing Estella’s wound, acted quickly, cleaning it and applying a light massage to ease the pain.
“Are these two boys new students?” the nurse asked the teacher, clearly impressed by the boys’ good looks and maturity. “They’re so adorable. I bet they’ll have all the girls swooning over them when they grow up! And look, this little girl looks like them too. Could they be siblings?”
The teacher nodded, smiling warmly. “Yes, they’re quite the pair, and yes, Estella is their sister.”
Hearing this, both Archie and Benny turned to look at Estella, exchanging a glance before shifting their eyes to her. It wasn’t a surprise. After all, she was their paternal sister. There was no denying the resemblance.
Estella, sensing the eyes on her, couldn’t help but wonder: Do we really look alike?
The nurse finished tending to Estella’s injury and, with the teacher’s help, led them back to class. As they walked, Estella stayed close behind Archie and Benny, following them like a small shadow. She couldn’t seem to help herself—she wanted to be near them, to be part of their world.
Back in the classroom, the boys returned to their seats, but Estella lingered behind them, watching them closely. She even stole a few glances during class, her eyes bright with unspoken longing.
Archie, who had already been trying to focus on his work, couldn’t help but notice her again. His patience was wearing thin. “Why are you following us so closely?” he asked, his voice low but calm, his eyes betraying a hint of irritation.
Estella, startled, quickly looked away, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. But just as quickly, she turned back to them, her eyes full of quiet yearning.
Archie’s brow furrowed. I can’t let myself get soft around her, he thought. She’s Daddy’s daughter with another woman. If we’re kind to her, it’ll hurt Mommy. I can’t betray her like that.
But even as he struggled with his thoughts, he couldn’t ignore the small, hopeful expression on Estella’s face. When he looked at her again, he saw that she was holding her notebook, writing something down.
She lifted the notebook high enough to cover the lower half of her face, only her big, bright eyes visible above it.
I want to be friends with both of you.
The words hung in the air between them, simple yet profound. Archie and Benny exchanged looks, the weight of the message settling between them.
