Rose woke up sweating furiously after dying for the third time in her nightmare. It was just as bad as it had always been. She glanced at Anna who was still sleeping peaceful and got down from the bed. She adjusted her blanket and went to her room to get ready for her lessons.
After breakfast, she went to the library just in time for her lesson. She smiled at her teacher and sat down after greeting her. The teacher immediately began the lesson.
Mid way into the lesson, the door opened and Anna controlled her wheel chair towards Rose with a frown on her face. "I woke up and you were not there. Mum said you had lessons and I decided to join you," Anna complained.
Rose stood and walked to her with a strange feeling in her heart. She was not unhappy that Anna came but she was not happy about the disturbance either. She really thought she could escape Anna during her lessons but it seemed she was wrong. She pushed her towards the table and settled down back. "Is Mrs. Whiftred back?" she had to ask since she did not see her around.
"Yes she came back early this morning. She said we were sleeping that's why she did not disturb us," Anna replied her happily.
Rose nodded her head at that information and moved her attention immediately back to the book on her table and her teacher.
Anna pouted angrily at the teacher when she lost Rose's attention. She was killing her special time with her special sister and it was pissing her off. All because of English language she could not spend enough time with her sister.
Rose easily noticed the sudden change in the teacher's behavior. She could see the woman was visibly uncomfortable and a cold sweat rolled down her forehead and the woman tried to wipe it off with shaky hands. She looked at Anna who was glaring at the woman as though she stole her precious belonging.
She watched Anna for a while until their eyes finally met and she shook her head furiously with a frown at Anna. Anna further pouted her lower lips like the spoilt miss she was and bowed her head releaving the teacher of her piercing gaze.
The teacher exhaled in relief and could finally teach with a little part her discomfort reduced however the atmosphere was still obviously tensed.
"Anna, you should not disturb your sister," Mrs. Whitfred warned Anna from the door of the library with a frown and walked to them. The teacher got up to greet Mrs. Whitfred but she stopped her. "Please go on." She gave Rose a sincere smile and pushed Anna's wheel chair away from them.
Now, the teacher could really exhale in complete relief and Rose could finally focus on her lesson. But before the lesson could continue, Rose turned to glance at their back.
"Mum, I was not disturbing her. I only wanted to join her. We are in the same grade," Anna complained just before Mrs. Whitfred could close the door of the library.
"Wait until you fully recover. When you fully recover, you will join her."
Anna nodded at that and smiled. "Mum, I want to cut my hair. This hair is really uncomfortable," Anna changed the topic making Valerie also sigh in relief.
"Sure! I will have Mara bring your favorite hair stylist over. She will give you a very nice haircut," Valerie continued the new conversation. "Your physical therapist has arrived and she is waiting in the gym."
"I really want to walk again mum," Anna said with a determined expression.
"Yes. You are not disabled. You only need to exercise your legs. It is not very strong now to carry your body properly. If you listen to your therapist, you should be able to walk on your own in a week and perhaps run around in a couple of weeks," Valerie encouraged her pretty daughter and rubbed the girl's black hair dotingly.
"Really?!"
"Yes. When you can walk well, you will join Rose in her lesson," Valerie told her daughter and watched Anna's eyes brightened when Rose was mentioned.
She was scared that Anna will not like Rose and knew no matter what, she will be on Anna's side and it might wrong Rose however, it seemed Anna likes Rose so much now. She had nothing to worry about since the two girls were on the same side so she will simply side with the two of them.
"Mum, do you think Rose's hair is also long and uncomfortable? Do you think she will also want to cut it?" Anna asked when she imagined her and Rose having the same hairstyle. She felt it will make them look like twin. That thought made her very excited.
"I am not sure. Not everybody thinks long hair is uncomfortable. If she wants to cut it, the hairstylist will help her do it. If not, she will leave it long there is nothing bad about that."
"What about you? Why don't you cut yours when Rose cuts hers? It will make us look like the three musketeers," Anna suggested fantasizing about that thought.
"Your dad will not want me to keep my hair short. I like my hair long. If Rose decides to cut her hair, I might consider joining you two."
"Really?" Anna asked with her eyes shining bright at her mother.
"Consider. Don't forget, I said I might consider doing that," she reminded her daughter.
Anna chuckled in a very lively manner making the therapist smile subconsciously. The therapist heard about what happened to Anna months ago but seeing the girl's joyful countenance, she could not easily believe the rumors going around about the things people said the kidnappers did to the little girl.
***
"Why don't you let me announce publicly that you and your family are under my protection? That way, no one around B city will be fearless enough to hurt you?" a man with very mysterious cold eyes suggested to his friend.
"You know how much of a trouble that will bring to my family," the man's friend immediately refused.
"I am not a bad person. You more than anyone should know that. The king is my friend. Why will I do anything to harm his country? I only hurt those who try to get on my bad side."
"Stop acting all righteous. Everyone calls you a mafia boss," the man's friend reminded him with a chuckle.
"I am not a mafia boss. I am only a simple businessman. I own more business in this country than anyone does and they think I am going against the royal family but the king is my friend." The coldness in the man's eyes were soon had a tint of joviality.
"Stop calling him your friend. Have you forgotten that he thinks you told his wife to run away with you?" the man's friend asked as a friendly joke.
"Justin. Let Doris rest in peace," the man warned his friend the joviality in his eyes disappearing immediately and his cold eyes completely froze.
Justin cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "I am sorry. I only . . . I am sorry," Justin apologized immediately very much aware that he had crossed the line. His friend was very sensitive whenever Doris was mentioned and he understood why but he could only blame the alcohol they were drinking together.
"It seemed you don't want your family's name to be get soiled by my family's bad reputation. I understand fully. I will advise you to seek protection from the royal family. Patrick will be more than willing to help a friend. I want my men back in a week," the man immediately punished his friend for speaking about the late queen in the manner he did.
Although Justin did not want to return his men, he could only nod his head. "Even if you take your men back, could you have a few of your men monitor the movement of my wife and two daughters? I don't want any of them to get hurt. I can't trust Patrick completely because of that woman on his side."
"I will leave four of my men for all of you. You won't be able to know that they are around but they will always be close by," the man agreed immediately. He might be angry with his friend but his friend's safety came first.
"Thank you, Damon," Justin smiled at his friend and gulped down the brown liquid in the glass he held. "I won't ask Patrick for help. I will just simply go back to using the security agency."
Patrick, Damon, and Justin were very good childhood friends but a lot of things had happened while they grew up that slowly split them apart. Justin and Damon were still close friends just like before but there were still things that changed among them.