Silvia, concealed beneath the whimsical guise of Rabbit-o, stood outside Twinkle Toys. Her gloved hands cradled a vibrant bouquet of balloons, their radiant colours contrasting sharply with the gloomy corners of her thoughts. The recent encounter with Jared, when she had donned the Silus persona, continued to haunt her psyche, replaying the hateful expression he wore during then in her mind’s theatre.

Yet, reality offered her a surprise as Jared came to view with an aura of exuberance, completely at odds with the image she had conjured in her mind.

His excitement slowly seeped out. “You wouldn’t believe what I did a few days ago.”

“What is it?” Silvia asked.

“I finally confronted that guy at school,” Jared proclaimed, his voiced filled with triumphant. “He was so petrified when I stood up to him. I don’t understand why bullies think they’re invincible.”

Silvia’s body jerked sharply at the revelation. “Wait, bully?”

“Yeah, I never told you, did I? I didn’t think I had the courage to tell you, fearing you might view me as a coward.”

Silvia mulled over Jared’s disclosure, her recollection of his genuine and kind-hearted character adding a layer of admiration. “You’re far from a coward, Jared. You could have resorted to violence, but you chose the righteous path.”

Jared cast his gaze downwards, nodding in solemn agreement. “You’re right.”

Their conversation was suddenly interrupted by a throng of excited children surrounding Silvia, clamouring for free balloons. In the midst of their joyous ruckus, Silvia and Jared found themselves separated, parting ways voicelessly through subtle gestures of hand-waving.

Silvia wearily trudged back to the sanctuary of her home, the echoes of the day’s events reverberating in her mind like the ghostly whispers of an unending drama. Her exhausting steps led her to the familiar refuge of the living room couch. There, she surrendered herself to its welcoming embrace, her form sinking into its plushiness.

As she reclined on the couch, her thoughts swirled like a storm, reflecting on the challenges that lay ahead, particularly Aiden’s suspicion.

With a frustrated sigh, Silvia raised her hand to her forehead, delivering a resolute but gentle slap to her own skin, as if to jolt herself from getting lost in her thoughts. Her fingertips brushed against her furrowed brow, tracing the contours of her anxiety. Clutching onto the nearest cushion, her muted screams, derived from internal chaos, were stifled by the plush fabric—a silent cry for respite in a world fraught with problems.

As the sun’s morning rays bathed the school grounds in warm light, Silvia’s footsteps resonated through the hallway, a stifled yawn escaping her mouth as she navigated the familiar but dreary surroundings. Yet, her humdrum routine took an unexpected turn when she heard raised voices nearby. It was Miss Leroy, a stern teacher, admonishing Felicia in front of a small crowd of curious students.

“What’s happening with the weekly newsletters? Why is it delayed?” Miss Leroy’s voice sliced through the air, laden with disappointment. “Have I not explicitly conveyed that entrusting you with the Newsletter Club means having these publications readily available every Monday? Felicia, what could possibly be causing this lapse in your performance? I’ve observed you drifting into daydreams during my lessons lately. It’s imperative that you begin to shoulder your responsibilities if you intend to pursue a scholarship to Rosecrest. With your progress deteriorating, that seems unlikely to occur.”

Whispers among the onlookers added to the tension, and Silvia couldn’t bear to witness Felicia’s escalating despair any longer. She stepped forward, determined to challenge the injustice unfolding before her.

“Someone who doubts the capabilities of their own students and can’t even support them isn’t cut out to be a teacher,” Silvia declared boldly.

Miss Leroy flared up from the audacious insult. “Listen here, you delinquent. I don’t need a nuisance like you meddling in someone one else’s business, so you better walk away this—”

A sudden, throat-clearing sound from behind silenced her tirade. Principal Cronin had arrived on the scene, his imposing presence quelling the chaos that had ensued.

His authoritative voice was like a thunderclap in the midst of a storm. “Miss Leroy, please see me in my office now.”

Miss Leroy, predicting what was to come, begrudgingly complied, but not before casting her last resentful glance at Silvia. The female students who had witness ‘Silus’ defending Felicia were left utterly astonished by his heroic deed.

With Miss Leroy gone, the intense atmosphere began to settle, and Silvia turned her attention to Felicia, who remained visibly shaken by the confrontation. She approached her and spoke with a gentle tone that sought to mend the wounds of the moment. “Hey, are you okay?”

Felicia refused to meet Silvia’s gaze, her head hung low in a posture of desolation. “I didn’t ask you to butt in.”

Undeterred, Silvia tilted her head to catch a glimpse of Felicia’s face. “But you’re crying.”

Felicia’s face was indeed marked by the traces of her tears—a silent testament to the struggles within her.

“Hey, don’t cry where everyone can see you. Let’s go somewhere quieter.” Silvia grasped Felicia’s arm, guiding her away from the prying eyes of their peers and towards the empty corner in the hallway.

There, concealed from the scrutinizing gazes of others, Felicia buried her face in her hands, her tears flowing freely as she vented her pent-up frustrations. “Why is it that every time I try so hard, I always fail in the end? People kept comparing me to your sister, it was so frustrating!” She scowled at Silvia while her eyes welled up with anguish. “No matter what I do, no matter how many times I try my best, nobody ever realises how much I’m struggling. I get yelled at by my parents. I’ve lost countless hours of sleep just from constantly studying. I don’t have friends because I never had the time. Even the teachers are losing their faith in me! How much more of my own life am I supposed to give up fulfilling everyone’s satisfaction?!”

Listening to her heartfelt outpouring of emotions, Silvia’s heart ached with empathy and remorse. She had come to realise the extent of Felicia’s sacrifices to secure a scholarship to Rosecrest—a reality she hadn’t fully comprehended until now. “I’m sorry…”

Felicia grimaced at Silvia’s seemingly inadequate response. “Why are you apologising to me? You’re just making me look pitiful.”

Silvia scratched her wig with a contemplative expression, her eyes reflecting her inner thoughts as she delved further into the matter at hand. Her heart brimmed with empathy for Felicia, and she sought to find the perfect words to convey her sentiments. “Life can be challenging, right? There will always be someone out there who seems better, but that doesn’t mean you’re destined to stay in their shadow forever. I believe that the best way to rise above is through sheer effort, and that’s exactly what you’ve been doing. You’ve been climbing towards that goal you never once stopped thinking about.” She gestured to herself, her voice infused with genuine sincerity. “You have one friend here who believes in you, but what’s more important is whether you believe in yourself.”

Felicia, her tears now subsided, gazed at Silvia in awe, touched by the unexpected support she had received. She realised she had been staring for too long and turned away, her cheeks tinted with a shy blush. “Of course, I believe in myself.”

Silvia smiled with radiating warmth and encouragement. “Can I ask you something?”

“What?”

“Is the dream of getting into Rosecrest truly your own, or is it someone else’s that you’re trying to fulfil? Will you be satisfied once you make it in?”

Felicia staggered upon hearing the inquiry that provoked a tingling sensation in her heart.

Silvia, interpreting her silence as an answer of its own, offered a reassuring smile. “It’s alright, you don’t have to answer that.” She reached into her pocket, took out a tissue and casually wiped away the lingering traces of Felicia’s tears.

Felicia’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment. “I can wipe away my own tears!” She hastily snatched the tissue from Silvia’s hand, though her heart secretly appreciated the tender gesture.

Silvia continued her journey through the bustling hallway. Yet, as she walked, a sudden obstacle materialised before her—Aiden, unrelenting in his pursuit for her attention, slid into her path, effectively blocking her way.

Annoyance flickered in Silvia’s eyes as she confronted his persistent interference. “Still think I’m a girl?”

Aiden, ever the master of feigned ignorance, maintained a smug look belying his true feelings. “I didn’t say anything.”

“I know what your problem is,” she declared, pausing briefly to gather her thoughts. “You’ve met my twin sister, haven’t you?”

Aiden’s memory clicked into place as he recalled the encounter with Camila and her friend at his café. “Oh, no wonder she looked familiar.”

Silvia scoffed at his apparent ignorance. “Everyone knows about you, dude. It’s no surprise that you keep mistaking me for my sister, since all you ever think about are girls. So, do us both a favour and back off. Stop annoying me already.”

Aiden, stung by her sharp retort, watched as she brushed past, deliberately bumping into his shoulder before striding away. He couldn’t shake the nagging doubt that gnawed at him. “Damn, I’ve never been wrong before. I’m pretty sure that’s a girl.”