Anna immediately noticed that something had changed between her and Leo. Ever since the encounter with the prince, he had started avoiding her, going back to hanging out with the other kids and being more distant in the way he treated her.
Although Anna didn't entirely understand why, she could feel the subtle shift in the air when they were close.
It wasn't something she liked, but she didn't know how to fix it either.
The next day, while standing in line for breakfast, Anna spotted Edrick. His usual lively expression and energy made her smile.
"Hey!" he greeted cheerfully.
"Hi, Edrick. Are you feeling better? All healed up?" Anna asked as they moved forward in line.
"Yes! I feel great, like I was never sick!" he replied enthusiastically.
Anna was glad for him, watching him return to being the active, full-of-life boy she remembered.
After a brief pause, Edrick leaned in, whispering:
"Hey... where's that annoying kid?"
