Verda was shocked by what her son uttered. Her forehead creased. "What do you mean? They are very kind to us and you will just say that? Aren't you a little bit ungrateful for those people who helped us?"
Hugo scoffed. "Just do what I say, Mother." He shrugged his shoulders. He straight ahead went to his bed and closed his eyes, pretending to rest so his mother wouldn't rogue more.
Shaking his head to the side, Verda does not get what Hugo was trying to say. The two men have been good to them, so why would her family cut ties with them?
'Maybe it's his pride that was talking earlier. I should try to understand him more especially since he still looked sick." Verda sighed. She tilted her head to the side before turning her back to look at Hailey.
"What do you want to eat?" The tone of her voice became softer.
"Just anything mother." Hailey smiled. She ran towards the sofa and sat there. "This chair is very comfortable mother!" she exclaimed as she tried bouncing on top of it.
Verda laughed. "I know. But be careful alright? You might hurt yourself." She reminded her before taking out her wallet.
"Stay here for a while alright? I will lock this door and don't open it unless you hear my voice." she looked at Hailey. "Do you understand?"
"Yes, mother." Hailey nodded her little head. Without anything to do, she walked sneakily towards Hugo's bed and peeked at his face.
Pouting her lips, she lightly tapped Hugo's cheeks. "Brother, I know you are awake!" she shouted out loud.
Hugo, who has been pretending all along opened his eyes. "How did you know?" he questioned because his mother didn't even notice it.
"You smiled when mother left!" she puffed her cheeks.
Hugo chuckled. "You saw that?"
Hailey nodded. "Yes." she paused for a while. She ran towards her bag and took out something. "Brother, I want to play with some dolls."
"Alright. You can play on the floor. Don't create a mess alright? Or else Mother would be mad. I will just lay down here and try to rest."
"Okay!" Hailey enthusiastically sat on the floor while Hugo, who was in the bed just watched her.
Hugo noticed that Hailey's doll looked so old already. Its hair was already curly and full of tangles. Even the doll's clothes were disheveled already. He sighed and thought, 'I should buy her a doll some other time.'
"Hailey, didn't I buy you a doll the other time? Why are you still using that then?" he softly asked her. He didn't want his words to appear as if he was scolding her or Hailey would surely be scared to answer.
"It's in my room, brother. I brought this to school because I don't want that doll to be dirty." Hailey answered as she continued to play. She didn't even bother looking at Hugo, who was staring at her the whole time.
"Ohh…"
"The doll that you bought for me was so expensive that I don't want it to be dirty!"
Hugo smiled. This just shows how Hailey values the things that were given to her. "Then i should buy you a cheap one, once we go back home so you can bring it to your school."
Hailey's eyes twinkled. "Really brother?" she clapped her hands. She stood up and ran towards Hugo. She gave him a very tight hug which made both of them laugh out loud.
"You have gotten too heavy now."
It was just like a magic word for Hailey. She raised her hands and lightly slapped Hugo's arms. "I don't like you anymore." she crossed her arms before stomping her feet on the ground. She returned to the floor and continued playing.
Hugo laughed out loud. He closed his eyes and rested. He couldn't afford to fall asleep, knowing that he and his sister were alone in the room.
The thing that he saw on the top floor was a horror for him.
****
"Shouldn't you be resting for now?" Abigail's eyes widened when Hugo told her that he will attend school today.
Hugo nodded. "Yeah. That's why I am here," he uttered. "I will request a week worth of leave so that I can rest for more time."
"But, wouldn't it be harder for you to catch up with the lessons?" she asked worriedly. "I can lend you notes of course, but can you understand them all in just a span of a week? Our finals will start in 2 weeks."
"Don't worry, I can handle that." The sides of his lips rose up.
'I can remember some parts of the exam, so why would I need to review?' he muttered.
Abigail chuckled. "I forgot I am talking to Hugo."
Because of what she said, Hugo couldn't help but laugh as well. "You're crazy already." he shook his head and sighed, teasing her as if he was disappointed. "I already expected this, but this was too soon!"
Abigail glared at Hugo. "Just go to Headmaster Leon's office and stop bothering me here while I try to study!"
"Shhhh!"
The librarian loudly shushed them down. Hugo and Abigail quickly nodded their head as they apologized to the old woman.
"I told you to leave already!" Abigail whispered in his ears as the old woman left them.
Hugo grinned. "You know what? Our librarian must be dry. That's why her attitude is dry too." he suddenly uttered which made both of them laugh so hard.
The librarian who hasn't gotten too far came back after hearing a laugh. She glared at the two people who were laughing so hard that they didn't notice her presence.
"YOU TWO! LEAVE!" She shouted out loud.
Hugo and Abigail slowly looked at each other after hearing a shout in front of them. The both of them quickly apologized as they got their things and leave.
When they finally got outside, their laughs couldn't be stopped anymore.
"You're evil!" Abigail held onto her stomach as it started to ache from too much laughing.
Even Hugo was wiping the tears in his eyes because of the same reason. "That's a first for me to get kicked out of the library! I didn't know that it was this good." Amusement was written on his face.
After a few minutes, their emotions already went back to normal. Hugo bid goodbye to Abigail first.
"I will come back here later to give you something. Wait for me, alright?"
Hugo didn't wait for her reply before his feet marched towards that Headmaster's office. HE knocked on the door, and just after a few seconds, it opened.
"Mr. Hugo! I am surprised to see you." A smile appeared on Headmaster Leon's office as he saw a familiar face. "How are you? I have heard of what happened."
"I am alright, Sir." Hugo smiled back.
"What brought you here then? Are you going to come back to class already?" Headmaster Leon stopped what he was doing. He placed his pen down on his table and focused his attention solely on the person to who he was talking.
Hugo shook his head. "I am actually here sir to request a week's worth of absence. The doctor advised me to rest for a week." he respectfully said.
Leon nodded. "That shall be done, don't worry."
"And… Uhm… about the Lunaria's feast, Sir." Hugo scratched the back of his head as he didn't know how to bring it up.
When Leon noticed what he was trying to say, "You don't need to worry about it. I have already picked someone to replace you."
"That's a relief." He answered. "I will take my leave now, Headmaster Leon." he bowed his head before leaving the room.
Hugo grinned. He could actually join that feast ever since it was still 2 weeks away. But he knew that the motive behind that feast was different from what they wanted to show to everyone.
He could not let himself be a pawn in a game when he was the one who was supposed to play.
"Now the only left thing to do.." Hugo's grin became wider. He took something out of his pocket. It was a USB drive containing the recording that he took to Headmaster Leon's office. He noticed that because of the incident, it was already long overdue.
He planned on giving this to Abigail in hope that she will help him with what he wanted.
Abigail has the things that he lacks the most.
Number 1 in that is resources and the power to rule people.
He knew that even though Abigail was nice to him, she was different outside.
She was educated and raised as someone who should rule other people.
"Abigail," Hugo called out her name as he saw him waiting patiently at the opening of the hallway where Headmaster Leon's office was.
"You told me that you will give me something, so I am here," Abigail uttered. Seriousness was written in her face.
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