7
“You’re scaring the child!” Mrs. Clark sharply interrupted. I cooperatively shrank my neck, though inside I felt nothing. Compared to Teacher Emily’s caterpillars, my
brother’s yelling was nothing.
“Don’t be scared, Queen Lily!” Timmy suddenly rushed over, holding a glowing toy sword, and jabbed it hard at my brother’s backside. “Take that! Ultraman Beam!”
“Ow!” My brother yelped, jumping up, clutching his backside. “Whose brat is this?!” Anna, seizing the chance, ran off. “Queen Lily, wait! I’ll call my big brother!”
Three minutes later, a hulking man, six–foot–three and with muscles bulging out of his T–shirt, was dragged over by Anna. He was still holding half–eaten ice cream. ” Sis, who’s bullying your friend?” My brother looked at the human tank before him, his throat bobbing. “Wait, this is a mis…”
“It’s him!” Anna pointed accusingly. “This big bad guy wants to take Queen Lily away! Brother, beat him up!” The muscular man clenched his fist, his knuckles crack- ing ominously. My brother instinctively took two steps back, bumping into Clara, who had just emerged from her car.
“Daniel, what’s wrong?” Clara, in a white dress today, her long black hair flowing in the wind, looked like a pure, innocent flower. Seeing the chaotic scene, she gasp- ed in surprise, covering her mouth. “Oh my, Miss Vance, why are you acting like a gangster queen in kindergarten?” I pursed my lips. With her around, my brother would definitely not believe me.
“Queen Lily?” My brother only just noticed the children’s address for me. Fury flared. “Lily! Where did you learn all this nonsense from?!” Clara delicately added fuel to the fire. “Children are so easily led astray. Miss Vance must have been influenced by bad friends…”
“It was me.” A deep voice came from behind the crowd. Everyone turned in unison. Alex stood with one hand in his pocket, as if he had been there for a while. Snow- ball sat majestically beside him, wearing the small bow tie I had tied for it that morning. The air instantly solidified.
“A–Alex?” My brother’s expression was as if he’d seen a ghost. “What are you doing here?” Alex slowly walked forward, his tone casual. “Picking up my child.” He bent down, effortlessly scooping me up, his movements as practiced as if he’d done it a thousand times.
Clara’s face suddenly flushed. She stepped forward, her voice a delicate coo. “Mr. Vance, I still haven’t properly thanked you for saving me last time…” Alex frowned. ” Last time?” “Two months ago, at the Orchid Club, you know.” She tossed her hair. “I accidentally fell down the stairs, and you…”
My heart clenched! In my dream, it said that the villain tripped up the leading lady’s “simps” because he also liked the leading lady. So… did Alex like Clara? Would he
abandon me too?
“You’ve got the wrong person,” Alex cut her off, then turned to Mrs. Clark. “Is there homework today?” Mrs. Clark seemed to snap out of a trance, quickly pulling my drawing from her bag. “Nanny drew a family portrait today…” The drawing clearly showed Alex, me, and Snowball. Two people and a dog, holding hands under a
rainbow. In the corner was a stick figure, colored black with a big ‘X‘ over it. That was my brother!
My brother’s face cycled from white to green to purple, like a human neon sign. He pointed a trembling finger at Alex. “So, the guy who abducted my sister is you?!” Alex pushed up his gold–rimmed glasses, a cold glint flashing in the lenses. “Mr. Vance, do I need to remind you? You were the one who lost your sister.” Snowball let out a timely “Woof,” its tail thumping against my brother’s pant leg, leaving distinct marks.
“It wasn’t like that!” Clara quickly interjected. “Daniel was working! He wanted to provide a better life for Miss Vance…”
