"Are you sure about this?" Dorita expressed her fears to her brother.
"Absolutely. It will be just fine." Lean repeated the same phrase he had used earlier. Frankly, he was a bit scared too.
"What if we get caught? You know I've never done anything like this before!" Dorita whispered glancing around.
"Lucky for you I've done it before. And people aren't born with the knowledge of how to do something as simple as this, they learn it." Leon whispered back in more confident tone.
"Enough! Another word from you two and you're getting extra homework!" The teacher turned around and managed to see the twins whispering to each other.
"Yes teacher!" They said simultaneously.
After the teacher turned back to the board, Leon whispered, "We need to be careful!"
They were planning on skipping classes for today.
"Won't it be dangerous?" Dorita frowned.
"Don't worry, as your brother it is my duty to protect you."
"I know you're the man, but I'm older than you by two minutes; I should be the one protecting you."
"Huh," Leon pinched his nose bridge and said, "let's argue about this later, but for now, we need to get out of here."
He didn't like the idea of their father enrolling them to an after-school lesson. It was torturing enough at normal classes. Leon felt that it was an indirect punishment.
....
After a while of explaining the lesson, the teacher paused for a while and asked the rest of the class, "Where are Dorita and Leonard?"
....
Hours Later...
Bruce looked at the twins that were seated before him. He felt a headache as he stared at them like this.
Earlier in the day, he had received a call from the school teacher telling him that the two had left in the middle of lessons.
"I don't understand this. Why would you do such a despicable thing?" Bruce growled with unrestrained anger.
The twins remained silent.
"You should take it easy on them, they're kids." Rachael tried to defend the two.
"Let me handle it this time, ok?"
Rachael nodded and sat there tapping on the arm rest of her seat.
"I would've expected this from Leon, but you, this is unlike you!"
Bruce looked at Dorita who had watery eyes. His heart almost softened but he immediately pushed away the image of that little face.
"I'm sorry Dad!" Dorita said in a choked voice.
"Don't be. I'm still deciding your punishment!" Bruce didn't want to let them off this time.
When he had arrived at the school, he had discussed with the teacher about a suitable punishment. He had insisted on three weeks detention against the school's two weeks but Rachael had pleaded for it to be reduced to a week and half.
To Bruce, even if the school had given them a punishment, he also had to give them his own punishment.
Thankfully, this detention will keep them at school a little longer and this meant peace of mind for him.
"What upsets me most is that you did this foolishly. Did you even think it through?
"You could have easily not attended the lesson. All you had to do was run off after I dropped you, but you did this..."
"Do you think that would work out really well?" Leon spoke up for the first time.
"Of course it would work if you play your cards well." Bruce answered tersely.
"Hold on for a while, honey." Rachael interrupted, "are you indirectly using this punishment to teach the kids how to successfully skip classes?"
"Of course not. I'm being serious here." Bruce defended himself. Bruce frowned when he realised what he had just said to Leon. How can I do such a thing?
"I've decided a suitable punishment for you." Bruce announced finally and added, "Leon, you're grounded."
"What? That's so unfair!" Leon protested.
"What about me, dad?" Dorita was ready for any punishment.
"Don't worry sweetheart, you're a good girl and I know it is your brother who dragged you into this." Bruce became gentle.
"You're being biased, Bruce!" His wife didn't want this to cause a rift between the kids. She would rather punish both or not punish at all than punish one for the act of two.
"No dad. Leon is my brother and being older than him means I should take responsibility for him." Dorita said with an air of maturity.
"Older than me by two minutes!" Leon gave the reminder.
"Fine. But I won't accept you punishing Leon alone. If you must ground him, then you have to ground me too."
"You're grounded!" Bruce felt those lines were used in order to soften his heart, if he couldn't punish Dorita then he'd have to let Leon go, hence, he grounded both of them.
"I'm proud of you kids." Rachael gave them a tight smile and ruffled their hair. She was proud because they stood up for each other.
Bruce, who was confused by the meaning of her statement, shook his head.
Proud indeed.