AUTHOR'S POV
Park is filled with kids laughter and parent's chatter. Every kid in the park is with their parents or with either of them. Old people are holding their hands and walking on the grass looking at each other with love in their eyes which only grew with time.
Twins sitting on the bench in a corner under the tree protected from the Italy's summer sun kept admiring the families around them.
"I wish we had our padre still with us", tells Marco looking down at the ground which is covered in green grass. A little habit of Marco, he never looks into eyes when he is admitting something which is deep in his heart.
"I know Marco, madre would be happy, she didn't have to fake she is happy in front of us", tells Mario.
"Why we don't have which others don't value brother", Marco asks his elder twin looking at kids throwing half eaten ice cream in the Dustbin.
Marco and Mario licks their dry lips as their mouth waters at the sight of untasted sweetness. They both sigh without saying a word and divert their eyes to the kids playing with the football.
"let's play with them", Mario beams at his brother dragging him to the group of kids to divert his little brother's mind from thinking about everything and feel bad.
"slow down", Marco chuckles following him.
"hey! Can we play with you?", Mario asks politely to the group of boys.
They look from a rich family, their shoes are new and clothes smell so good from a distance it self. Their hair are well groomed and they look beautiful in their crisp ironed clothes.
"look at yourself", one kid laughs at Mario and Marco mockingly.
"I don't think we will be comfortable to play with dirty kids like you", another snickers making Marco and Mario put their heads down in shame.
Marco's eyes got blurred with tears forming in them. He never asked to be born in a middle-class family, though he was happy. They used to get to wear new clothes on every special occasions, on their birthday, Christmas... but after their father's death everything in their life got ruined. Their mother being not well educated had to work in others home as a maid but after some unknown reasons she was fired and had to work as a waitress in a small restaurant which paid enough to earn a single meal a day for three of them. Though their mother never stopped them from sending school. Both brothers were smart. They worked day and night studying hard as they know it was only their way out from their poverty. Even though they were bullied and beaten up in school they never skipped a day and their hard work paid off when they saw their mother's proud smile when she saw their report cards with A plus grades on it.
They never had friends as they were jealous of them and always found a way to make Marco and Mario hurt.
"we just want to play with you all", Marco mumbles softly.
The boys looks at them disgustingly and roll their eyes on them.
"Come on guys, let's go from here, these two made this place dirty by their presence", said one of them as they leave that place giving dirty looks at twins making Marco burst in tears.
Mario was good in hiding his feelings where Marco never hid them. Mario thought it was his responsibility to stay strong for his brother and never let weakness take over him, which would only hurt his younger brother.
There was days when Mario saved his lunch money so that he could buy new bag for Marco who was bullied for using old pink bag given by a lady at who's their mother used to work. The lady was generous that she used to donate few old clothes and things which were treasure for their family. Marco was smart enough to notice that his brother was hungry but still saving money for him and shared his lunch with Mario happily. Sharing became their thing
This time Mario couldn't hold his tears and he let them flow silently rubbing his brother's back.
After crying their eyes out silently both brothers removed any evidence of tears as they wanted to go back to their mother who is waiting for them in their house. At least they have their mother on who's lap they could sleep, who would sing them songs to make them feel good, who would run her soft hands in their hair taking all the unwanted thoughts out from their head.
While going out of the park which they thought they didn't belong their they were stopped by a little girl who was wearing pink fluffy frock.
She stopped them holding their both hands which was united as twins always walked holding each other's hand when they felt down. That made them think they are not alone, at least they have each other's back.
"Why are you both sad?", the girl questions them with confusion written all over her face.
Her skin was pale white, she looked foreigner. Her jet black hair tied into two tiny pig tails with matching pink rubber bands, Her shoes were white sneakers which looked new, Her pink pouty lips and dark brown eyes were eye catching. If other kids in park looked rich, she looked like a princess to twins. They kept watching her in awe when they hear her giggle then tug their hands they come out of their thoughts and blush immensely.
No one gave them a soft look let along hold their hand and this girl giggled at them, not like mocking laughs of kids they heard. It was innocent as twins were.
"Why do you both look sad?", she asked again this time softly.
"Because we are dirty And no one wants to play with us", tells marco while snorting at his own fate.
Twin never lied, it was what their mother forbidden it in their home. Though they didn't lie, they didn't tell the bad things their classmates do to them, instead of saying truth they simply said it was fine and they are tired.
The innocent little girl frowns at his response and hold their hands and pull them into the park.
"Here let's play volleyball", she tells beaming widely as she tosses her ball to one of the twins and stands with other.
It was the first time someone offered to play with them, they were shocked that why this girl who looks like a doll wants to play with them when their clothes are dirty.
Eventually shaking off their thoughts the twins smile at her and Mario nods his head to start the game she interrupts.
"Oh! No! We are only three, so you would be alone", she frowns kicking the ground with a sad pout looking at Marco.
"Idea!", she beams as she gestures marco who is standing in front if her and Mario to throw the ball and she waits till the elder twin knocks it to the younger then she runs to the younger twin, letting him knock the ball to the elder.
Seeing her struggle both brothers stop the game and give her confused and worried look.
She huffs and breathes heavily, her cheeks turned pink due to her struggle though she gestures them to keep playing.
"Doll, you will be tired if you play with us like this", the mario tells worried.
"he is right, doll, you can't play with both teams the same time", younger twin tells glancing between her and his brother.
"No, I can and I will play with both of you", the little girl declares with a huge tired grin on her face making their heart swoon.
No one joined twin to play with them but here she is putting effort to play with both of them, which is new to twins. The way she grinned at them made them smile widely.
Mario started walking away from her making her frown.
"what are you doing?", the little girl asks confused.
Mario only grins at her and stand at a spot which made them look as if they are standing in the corners of a triangle.
Soon marco understand what his brother is doing and he grins wide.
"See now you can play with both of us and you won't be needed to run", mario tells passing the ball to the girl as she catches it stumbling cutely.
"now pass that ball to me", marco tells smiling widely, the girl does as she was asked.
"Now catch the ball again", marco sings making the girl chuckle and catch the ball.
"it's my turn", mario adds with a smile.
"what are your names?", the girl asks with a smile on her lips as they continue playing.
"my name is mario and he is marco my twin", tells mario happily.
"why are you playing with us? Don't we look dirty?", marco asks the girl smiling sadly as he stopped playing with the ball.
The girl frowns and walks towards him and ask him to bend to her height which he gladly does.
"don't cry marco", the girl tells wiping his tears from his eyes which he himself don't know were flowing.
"yes why did you play with us?", mario asks the same question.
"you both are not dirty", the girl tells frowning.
"who ever told you that, they are dirty", she adds nodding her head at end as if she is trying to prove a point.
"but…", mario was cut off when she speaks again.
"your clothes aren't clean but that doesn't make you dirty", she tells smiling widely at them.
"you speak like our mother, how old are you", mario asks chuckling cutely at her statement.
"My daddy also tells I speak like his mother", the girl gloats proudly before adding "I am six and half years".
Before they could exchange any more conversation someone approached the little girl calling for her.
"Princess, where were you? Your father is searching for you", a woman in her mid thirties tells smiling at her.
Oh she is a real princess, thought twins seeing a woman who is in her professional care taker suit which once their mother used to wear when she worked in homes of rich people.
"I was playing with my new friends Mrs Grayson", the girl tells politely smiling widely.
The woman now watches two teenage boys who looks similar as if they are brothers. Their hair is brown locks with their blue eyes they look beautiful but their clothes are dirty but that didn't stop her for being good to the twins.
Twins couldn't believe their ears that she introduced them as her friends but they were so horrified that the lady would scold them for playing with her with their dirty clothes. They began to take a step back looking at ground sadly but Mrs Grayson stops them with her warm words.
"hello am Mrs Grayson, what are your names?", the woman asks with motherly voice.
Twins were so shocked to reply they jaws almost hitting the floor making the girl giggle.
"He is marco and he is mario", she tells making them smile at her sweetly.
"It's nice to meet you both, sorry I have to take your friend back with me", the woman tells softly.
Both didn't want to let her go but they know it's time for good bye, they simple nod their heads in unison.
The little girl pecks twins cheeks biding her goodbye making their eyes widen in surprise. No one except their mother kissed them. Twins were so happy that they almost forgot to ask the kind girl her name.
When she was in her car and waving her hand to them smiling widely marco asks her name.
"Doll, you didn't tell us your name?".
"my name is oddy", the girl shouts so that they could hear her.
As the car starts to take move she peaks her head out and shouts at them again.
"marco, mario, ask your mother to read red shoes and seven dwarfs for you".
Twins smile at her widely and replies back "okay", happily in unison.
Now they couldn't wait to run back to their home and tell their mother about their new friend and ask her to read the story she recommended.
Little did they know what painful destiny holds their future.
A/N: how was this chapter?
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