Chapter Eighteen – Her size
“None of your business. And you better not have killed the squirrel!” Margaret yelled at Han.
He retreated back behind Lydia and Evelyn surprised, slapped Margaret on her shoulders.
“What’s with you? Yelling at your brother cos of your silly crush on a wolf man. Why, is it his red hair? Or good looks? Han didn’t kill anything. We brought him from the temple ourselves” Evelyn pointed at Margaret who was looking down at her hands.
“Yeah. If any of us had killed any squirrel, it would be you” Lydia added, making both Evelyn and Margaret face her.
“Of course, you might have stepped on it with your 90kg size without knowing” Lydia added, rolling her eyes.
Margaret eyes twitched, “Are we back on you mocking my size?” she roared. Han came in front of Lydia but she pushed him back.
“Truth be said, you need to work on your size. Especially now we are in a forest so you won’t kill lesser animals with that size” Lydia snapped back.
“Lydia, can you stop…” but Evelyn was cut short by Margaret calling Lydia “a bony skeleton that was jealous of her healthy size”.
A quarrel, of course, ensued with the two almost going physical sometimes.
“Please stop, you two” Han came in the middle but Margaret tossed him aside.
“Don’t come between them” Evelyn warned him before leaving to their cave.
Han was amused and surprised to see them fighting over SIZE. At least he got to experience what other kids at the temple talk about ‘siblings squabble’.
He wasn’t going to be alone at festive days and he could have people he could trust with… things.
He had always been aware he had sisters somewhere but he didn’t know who till his teacher introduced them to him.
It was awkward but they talked on the way and it loosened.
“Really? Are we back to the squirrel? Are you saying Han is at fault? He didn’t kill anything” Lydia screamed almost hitting Margaret.
Han had to intervene and dragged her away. Both were fuming and he was at awe on how Evelyn could leave them like that. She must have seen this a lot.
He dragged Lydia straight into the cave and left her with Evelyn.
When she got up to yell back at Margaret who had called her a “scaredy cat”, Evelyn dragged her by her hair down to the ground.
“Enough. Why engage Margaret? Isn’t it obvious she’s losing reasoning cos of her crush? Ignore her rather” Evelyn sighed.
Lydia winced in pain but didn’t dare to react.
Han began wondering if he had done the right thing by bringing her to Evelyn. Evelyn had even been more rash than Margaret.
“I guess they’re all fighters. I finally see where I belong” Han thought to himself.
Margaret walked into the cave to argue on something else but one dreadful look from Evelyn made her shut up.
“Fine. I’d find Scott and help him” Marg stomped off. Evelyn rolled her eyes and laid on her bed.
Lydia creeped to hers as well. Han laid beside her and she tapped his head. They stayed silent for a while.
***(In the middle of the Forest)***
Margaret had just caught up with Scott where he was sitting at the bank of a river. He was with his pet wolf.
It snarled at Margaret as she came closer so she raised her hands to show surrender while coming closer.
“Is they a way I can help with your investigation? My sisters are lazy so can’t help” Margaret chuckled lightly.
Scott was staring into space, “They don’t get my point. I bet you don’t either”. Margaret wanted to say something but he turned to her and she shut up.
“I didn’t blame any of you for the dead squirrel. I blamed Han as he’s new here. I rather worried that the intruder could be after you guys. I wasn’t even thinking of you guys killing the squirrel but no one let me finish talking” Scott said.
He stroked his pet wolf’s fur as the wolf rolled on him.
“Sorry. Evelyn could be very direct and sometimes misses things. Lydia could be talkative and rude. She can’t change. You’d get used to her” Margaret assured.
Scott looked at her with a small smile. Margaret’s face burned a little, she looked away towards the river trying hard to stop her cheeks from smiling.
“I am used to Lydia though” Scott turned away. Margaret’s cheeks fell. So he had been thinking of what she said?
Why did things about Lydia linger in his mind? She had added Evelyn in her speech. He didn’t catch that?
“Lydia’s birthday is in a month’s time, right?” Scott stood from the river bank. Margaret’s jaw tightened. And he was still talking about her?!
“Do you guys have any surprise for her yet?” he added. Margaret stood up abruptly.
“You guys planned nothing?” Scott asked again.
“Why plan anything when it’s still a month away? None of us had ever had a party while staying with our Uncle. Nothing new” she strolled off.
He obviously didn’t need her. Everything she talked about, he would boil it down to Lydia. Despite how rude she is to him. It was annoying.
“Are you leaving already?”
Margaret turned back immediately. It sounded like he didn’t want her to leave so she’d stay. He smiled when she sat besides him.
“What size do you wear?” he asked.
A lump hung on her throat as she glared at him. Why was everyone keen on her size?
She squeaked a small, “why do you ask?”.Property © NôvelDrama.Org.
“Well, at the forest, you need to wear forest boots not tiny shoes. I’d get you guys new shoes according to your size and colors. What size are you and your sisters?”.
The lump came down to her throat. He could have just explained he meant shoes instead of the heart attack.
His little wolf began howling before she could answer and that made Scott rise to his feet pushing her behind him.
A shrill sound echoed around the forest. Like one of a cymbal. Only it was very loud and ear piercing.
Margaret didn’t feel the pressure much but Scott and the wolf seemed like they were in pain. And what was coming to disrupt this sweet time with him?