On Friday.
"Are you up? Ellie, mom made breakfast for you," Jennifer knocked on Ellie's door and said.
Ellie opened the door and replied, "I am." Her school uniform looked a bit loose on her, with a few strands of hair falling by her face, highlighting her small, clean, white face and a pair of clear, pretty apricot eyes.
Jennifer sat opposite Ellie, watching her silently remove the tomato slices from the sandwich, take a few bites, and then stop.
She handed hot milk to Ellie and said, "Have some milk, Ellie."
Ellie ate less than half of a sandwich and drank a few sips of milk before politely saying to Jennifer, "I'm full, mom. I'm going to school."
Jennifer took a lunch box with a small cake from the fridge and said, "Take this cake with you, in case you get hungry in the morning."
Ellie glanced at the mango pieces on the cake and softly said, "Mom, I never eat mangoes."
Jennifer's hand, which was reaching out, noticeably paused, then she smiled at Ellie, took back the cake, and said, "Then be careful on your way, Ellie."
"Okay, I know," Ellie said before picking up her school bag and getting ready to leave.
On the way.
While waiting at a red light, Susan looked at the well-behaved young girl in the passenger seat and said, "Madam is not often home, so she might not be familiar with your eating habits. Don't blame her for it."
Ellie replied, "I know, I don't blame her." After she finished speaking, she added, "The light is green."
Susan then shifted her gaze back to the road and pressed the gas pedal.
Ellie arrived early, and there were not many people in the class yet. She sat at her desk, noticeably surprised to see the extra milk on her table.
She picked it up, took a look, and then put it back on the desk.
William, with his usual sleepy face, wore his school uniform with an inexplicable wildness. He sat next to Ellie.
The morning sun was very good, but it suddenly started to drizzle during the big break.
As it got closer to lunchtime, the rain grew larger, giving a feeling of an impending storm.
School was over, but the rain showed no signs of stopping; instead, it got heavier and heavier.
"Ellie, did you bring an umbrella?" Aria asked Ellie.
Ellie shook her head.
Aria looked at the heavy rain outside and worriedly said, "What should we do? The rain is getting heavier."
"Aria, I have an umbrella; the three of us can share it," another student offered.
"Okay," Aria replied, then looked at Ellie and said, "But what about you, Ellie?" Three people under one umbrella was already crowded; otherwise, they could have taken Ellie with them.
Ellie smiled at Aria and said, "Someone is bringing me lunch, so I can wait a bit longer. You guys go ahead and have lunch first."
"We'll go ahead then," they said and left.
Because this rain was unexpected, many people in the class didn't bring umbrellas, and many boys started playing the dad and son routine again.
"Damn it, you brought an umbrella this morning and didn't remind me, did you?"
"I asked you when I brought the umbrella, and you said the weather was good and it wouldn't rain."
"It seems there was such a thing. Then bring me some lunch, a drop scone, with any dish."
"Call me dad."
"..."
"No dad, no lunch."
"Da...ad, please bring lunch."
"Bring an extra one, dad, I want the covered rice from the first floor of the cafeteria."
"Me too, dad, I want the casserole rice noodles."
...
And so, a boy with an umbrella set off with the hopes of the whole dormitory.
Ellie watched the unrelenting rain and, after waiting for a while, dashed into the rain. If she didn't go to the entrance, Susan would be worried.
Her white shoes were splashed by the rainwater on the ground, and the raindrops as big as beans hit her face, wetting the hair on her forehead.
Just as Ellie wondered why the rain suddenly got smaller, she saw the umbrella that appeared above her head and the boy's face that looked a bit fierce. His eyes were very dark, and his features were sharp.
William handed the umbrella to her and said, "Use this umbrella."
Ellie was stunned for a moment, watching him dash back into the rain, then she hurried after him and said, "William, wait."
Ellie put the umbrella over his head and said, "Thank you for the umbrella. How could you not need it in such heavy rain? This umbrella is quite large; if you don't mind, let's share it."
William wanted to say no, but facing her serious gaze, he gave a noncommittal "Hmm."
"Si..." Daniel came out with an umbrella and called out, only to see the two people in front of him. He rubbed his eyes, making sure that the ones sharing an umbrella were indeed his William and Ellie.
Hao Ming nudged him with his elbow and said, "Why are you standing here not moving? Did the heavy rain soak your brain? Don't know how to walk anymore? Or are you so hungry you're silly?"
Daniel said, "Mason, you're always thinking about food. Look ahead."
Hao Ming looked at the two people in front of them and then exchanged a sly smile with Daniel. The two of them stood behind, sneaking glances at William and Ellie.
After walking a few steps, Ellie heard the person next to her say, "How about I hold the umbrella?"
"Ah?" Ellie turned her head to look at him and realized she had held the umbrella too low; it was pressing down on his hair, essentially jamming it on his head.
But it wasn't her fault; William was much taller than her. She was only 165 cm, just above his shoulders.
Ellie awkwardly whispered an "I'm sorry," then handed him the umbrella.
William noticed her face turning red again.
She was really an easy-to-embarrass good student.
"Are you going to the entrance?" William asked, looking at her.
Ellie made a sound of affirmation, then took out a tissue from her pocket to wipe her hair, which had been dampened by the rain, and handed William a tissue, saying, "Your hair is wet too."
William took the paper from her and said thank you.
Their shoulders were very close, and Ellie could feel William's body heat. She had never been this close to a boy before and couldn't help but feel her ears getting hot.
The rain continued to pour heavily without stopping. William paused, then succinctly said, "Puddle."
Ellie looked down at the small puddle on the ground, stepped over it, and whispered a "thank you."
Finally, they arrived at the entrance, where Ellie saw Susan waiting with an umbrella. She smiled at William and said, "Thank you for the umbrella."
The girl smiled very sweetly and obediently, with her apricot eyes curved, looking extremely well-behaved.
William glanced at her, wondering what else she liked to say besides thank you and sorry; he had already heard several thank yous from her in such a short time.