Anna and Sebastian walked a long side each other on a path that lead to a waterfall.
There was so many beautiful flowers along side its stream and with the basket he was carrying, Anna could pick up as much flowers as she wanted.
Just then, they heard children laughing, giggling, cheering and water splashing.
"Do you hear that?" Anna asked. Without waiting for his response, she immediately ran towards the sounds. Sebastian and Anna were just four years apart but they were quite close. He always knew how to look out for his sister.
Which also means, he had to follow her everywhere she went sometimes just to keep her out of trouble.
Sebastian sighed and called after her while chasing her.
Anna finally stopped running as she was close to the water and stared at the children playing.
There were three black children one of them was a boy and two were girls. The boy was standing on the little cliff next to the water fall while the girls were in the water cheering him on and encouraging him to jump.
The moment he jumped, water splashed on the girls but they laughed so hard and kept clapping for the boy.
There was a little puppy paddling towards them and they helped him swim and cheered for him
Suddenly the boy who was laughing too, noticed Anna and her brother who was a few inches behind her, his smile died instantly and he looked down.
The two curious girls turned around too. And the moment they saw them, the whole happy cheerful laughter died and the only noise was from the water fall.
Other than that, it was quite quiet.
"Hello!" Anna called out sweetly to one of the girls.
"Hello there little mistress," Zazi answered the way her mother told her to always do to a young white girl.
"What's your name?" Anna asked.
"I'm zazi, and this is Binti and ondi."
"Can I play with you?"
They all looked at each other surprised.
"Can I play with you Zazi?" Anna asked now Zazi specifically.
Sebastian took her hand to make her turn to him.
"What are you doing?"
"I want to play with zazi." She answered as if there was nothing to discuss there.
"Sure, of course little mistress."
Anna chuckled at that.
"My name is Anna. Call me Anna, you all can call me Anna."
Zazi quietly got out of the water and walked to them.
"Let me take you up the cliff and we can jump together." She said quite unsure of what she just offered to do.
Anna took Zazi's hand.
Zazi knew this was a child of her mother's boss but she decided there was nothing wrong with being friendly. She led her on top of the cliff carefully.
She helped her step on one of the stones.
"Binti!!! Ondi!!" Zazi screamed suddenly.
"What should we do?"
The two kids understood the assignment and started hyping them.
"Jump Zazi jump! Jump Anna jump! Jump Zazi jump! Jump Anna jump!....."
Anna held on to zazi tightly as if scared.
"Don't worry, Anna. We'll jump together, okay?"
Anna nodded feeling relieved.
"In three two one.."
Binti and Ondi kept chanting as the two jumped into the water and came out while zazi was still holding Anna's hand. They cheered for them excitedly and Anna's smile went from ear to ear.
Sebastian was quite happy about this but his 10 year old eyes kept going to the Zazi.
He kept staring at her for a reason his little mind couldn't understand.
"Sebastian, come on in, the water is kinda warm!" Anna said to him.
Sebastian quietly shook his head and sat next to a tree and watched. The four children played some more and even though tito was a little unwelcoming at first, he allowed Anna to carry him on her back as they swam.
They enjoyed themselves until it was time to leave.
"We have to go now. Our parents will get worried." Binti said.
Zazi helped Anna out of the water and to her brother. Anna then turned to zazi.
"Can i play with you like this everyday?"
"I don't know if that's possible. I still help my mom at the ranch."
"What ranch?"
"The Lockwood ranch."
"That's our ranch. This is so good."
"How is it good?"
"Zazi, will you my friend?" Anna asked in a booboo voice. Zazi smiled sweetly.
"Yes Anna I'll be your friend."
"Then I'll make sure that we can play together everyday."
Zazi did not understand what that child meant but she just nodded and let Anna hug her. Sebastian on the other hand didn't say a word and the siblings left.
Anna walked excitedly to the ranch. Her mother and father were sitting in the living room and when her mother saw her, she gasped.
"Anna what happened to you? Your hair its all wet and filled with little plants. Look at your dress. And where is your shoes, why are you walking barefoot and carrying the shoes in your hands?"
Anna just smiled at her panicking mother.
"Did you learn anything today about being a proper lady? ... Sebastian what happened to your sister? And why is she all wet and you aren't?"
Sebastian just shrugged and held Anna's hand as the two ran inside.
They went to Sebastian's room and locked the door.
"You had fun today Anna?"
"Yes. Yes. Yes. I want to play with zazi everyday until she becomes my best friend."
"And how do you plan on doing that? She is a slave, she will be given chores soon."
"Mum said I can choose a girl to take care of me and help me around. Like an assistant. I will choose zazi." She said day dreaming. She then turned to her who seemed to be dreaming too.
"Do you also want zazi?" She asked looking a tiny mad.
"No, no." He answered not sure what she meant.
"Good cause she is my best friend."
She was now quite possessive over a girl she just met. Sebastian just chuckled and soon they were called for dinner.